What to Do If Your Laptop Doesn’t Have a USB Port

As laptops become thinner and more portable, many manufacturers are replacing standard USB-A ports—commonly used with thumb drives—with the slimmer and more versatile USB-C port. Unfortunately, USB-C ports cannot directly accommodate thumb drives without an adapter. This can be frustrating if you’ve just received your digitized memories on a USB thumb drive and realize there’s nowhere to plug it in!

To resolve this issue, you'll have to buy an inexpensive adapter. If your laptop only has USB-C ports, a USB-C to USB-A adapter (often called a “USB-C dongle”) will allow you to connect any standard USB thumb drive. These adapters are small, inexpensive, and widely available at most electronics retailers or online. You can find them on Amazon for around $20 by searching for “USB-C to USB-A adapter” or “USB-C dongle.”

For Apple users, some USB-C ports are labeled as Thunderbolt ports, which provide higher bandwidth for advanced tasks. However, they are fully compatible with standard USB-C adapters, making it easy to connect your devices. Apple offers its own USB-C to USB-A adapters, but there are also many reliable third-party options available.