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What Is a USB Type-A Connector?

USB-A is the familiar rectangular USB connector, but its shape alone does not tell you a cable’s speed, power or charging capabilities.
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In USB terminology, a Type-A connector—usually called USB-A—is the familiar rectangular plug or port used to connect a host device, such as a computer, to peripherals. It has one correct insertion orientation. The term “Type A” can mean something different in other industries, so this definition is specific to USB.

How to identify USB-A

USB-A has a rectangular shape with a keyed interior, so it fits in only one orientation. Unlike USB-C, it is not reversible. You will commonly find USB-A ports on host devices and USB-A plugs on cables used with peripherals.

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Common peripherals connected through USB-A include keyboards, mice, flash drives, external drives, printers and scanners. The connector shape identifies the physical interface; it does not by itself identify what a particular connection can do.

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What USB-A does—and does not—tell you

USB-A has appeared across multiple USB generations. Its shape alone does not establish the data-transfer speed, power level or charging features available. Those depend on the specifications of the host, peripheral and cable together. TE Connectivity’s USB Type-A overview describes the connector and its common uses; the European Commission’s 2021 staff working document on common chargers makes the related point that even USB-C does not guarantee particular features such as USB 3.1, USB Power Delivery or an Alternate Mode.

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Choosing a USB-A cable

Start by checking the ports on both devices. A cable used with a USB-A host needs a connector that matches the peripheral at its other end—for example, USB-C or Micro-USB. Then check the device and cable specifications for the data performance or power features you need. “USB-A cable” names only one end or connector type; it is not enough to confirm compatibility or capability.

How USB-A compares with USB-C

What to check USB-A USB-C
Physical form Rectangular and keyed; inserts in one orientation. Reversible.
What the shape establishes The connector type, not a particular speed, power level or charging feature. The connector type, not a guarantee of USB 3.1, Power Delivery or an Alternate Mode.
What to verify The ports on both devices, the cable’s connectors, and the USB data and power capabilities supported by the complete connection.

USB-IF terminology also uses “A-device” in a narrower USB On-The-Go context. The MicroUSB Specification, Revision 1.01 (April 4, 2007), says an A-device supplies power to VBUS and acts as host at the start of a session; under specified conditions, an On-The-Go A-device may relinquish the host role to an On-The-Go B-device. That historical definition concerns a particular Micro-USB/OTG role and is not a universal description of every USB-A connection.

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