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USB Types Explained: USB-A, USB-C, Micro-USB, and Thunderbolt

Tap a connector type below to see what makes it different.

USB-A

The oldest and most common rectangular connector. It only fits one way, so you sometimes have to flip it to plug it in.

USB-C

A newer, roughly oval-shaped connector that is reversible β€” it works no matter which way you plug it in β€” and supports faster data transfer and higher charging power.

Micro-USB

A small trapezoid-shaped connector that was widely used on Android phones before USB-C took over.

Thunderbolt

Uses the same physical shape as USB-C but is a separate standard that supports much faster data transfer, mainly found on Macs and high-performance accessories.

USB 2.0 / 3.0 / 4

These numbers describe transfer-speed versions, not the connector shape β€” the higher the number, the faster the data transfer.

Shape and version are two different things

USB-A and USB-C describe the physical shape of the cable, while 2.0/3.0/4 describe the version that determines data transfer speed. That means two USB-C cables can look identical but support very different speeds depending on which version they support internally.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why can USB-C be plugged in either way up?

The pin layout inside the connector is symmetrical top-to-bottom, so it was designed to connect correctly no matter which way you insert it.

Is Thunderbolt the same thing as USB-C?

They use the same connector shape, but Thunderbolt is a separate standard that supports much faster data transfer and extra features β€” not every USB-C port supports Thunderbolt.