Connection Capers
October 25, 2022 4:28 PM Subscribe
What sort of adapter would be needed to connect a USB C plug into a computer that only has USB A ports?
My mom is trying to get photos off her old iPhone onto her computer. She bought an adapter at Best Buy that goes from a Lightning end on the iPhone to a USB C end to plug into a computer, but without that port on her computer there's nowhere to plug it in. Is there some adapter she can buy that will allow her to go from the USB C end into a USB A port? Would it even be compatible?
My mom is trying to get photos off her old iPhone onto her computer. She bought an adapter at Best Buy that goes from a Lightning end on the iPhone to a USB C end to plug into a computer, but without that port on her computer there's nowhere to plug it in. Is there some adapter she can buy that will allow her to go from the USB C end into a USB A port? Would it even be compatible?
You can buy lots of cheap USB C to USB A adapters online, just make sure they do data and power. I have these from Amazon and they work great for plugging in more modern devices to older computers.
posted by Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug at 4:32 PM on October 25, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug at 4:32 PM on October 25, 2022 [3 favorites]
Yes, the adaptor NAID links to would do it.
If money's not an issue, a Rolling Square cable is a good investment. It definitely does data and does USB-A to Lightning, and pretty much anything else. I sell them in my Toronto store and they're great.
posted by dobbs at 4:39 PM on October 25, 2022
If money's not an issue, a Rolling Square cable is a good investment. It definitely does data and does USB-A to Lightning, and pretty much anything else. I sell them in my Toronto store and they're great.
posted by dobbs at 4:39 PM on October 25, 2022
Ask around, someone in either her or your acquaintance probable has a spare "old iPhone cable" -- USB C is much newer than the contents of an average junk drawer. Especially if you just need to borrow it for a few days.
posted by snuffleupagus at 5:52 PM on October 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by snuffleupagus at 5:52 PM on October 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
Just get a Lightning to USB A cable. Honestly if Best Buy is like many big box stores, if she returns the one she bought/asks to exchange it because it's the wrong one they may well say yes.
posted by needs more cowbell at 6:00 PM on October 25, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by needs more cowbell at 6:00 PM on October 25, 2022 [2 favorites]
Amazon would be a decent choice for that routine, they'll just make you drive to a UPS store.
If you want to spend money on something and keep it, I'd go with a cheap USB hub that has both USB-C and 'old' USB-A ports (since her laptop doesn't, and this may come up again down the road).
posted by snuffleupagus at 6:09 PM on October 25, 2022
If you want to spend money on something and keep it, I'd go with a cheap USB hub that has both USB-C and 'old' USB-A ports (since her laptop doesn't, and this may come up again down the road).
posted by snuffleupagus at 6:09 PM on October 25, 2022
Best Buy should still have USB-A to Lightning cable. Or just order some off Amazon. Make sure you get one that transfer data, and not charge only.
posted by kschang at 7:41 PM on October 25, 2022
posted by kschang at 7:41 PM on October 25, 2022
Why are people recommending USB-A to Lightning? Is the Lightning connector supposedly identical to USB-C ?
posted by TimHare at 10:26 PM on October 25, 2022
posted by TimHare at 10:26 PM on October 25, 2022
Even places like the local liquor store will sell USB-A/lightning cables now, as does 7-11 and CVS; the last one I bought in an emergency was in Target, and it was actually good quality. If you pay much more than about $7 then they're ripping you off (and I've seen places that will charge $20, so it's worth knowing the market value).
But anyone she knows with an iPhone is likely to have a cache of old cables, so if she has anyone to ask that's well worth trying.
It's certainly going to be much easier to find a cable with the right ends on it than a converter that works.
(TimHare, if you read the question again you'll see that the adapter is a working theory as to a solution, but the problem is connecting an iPhone to a computer without a suitable USB C port. Lightning connectors are indeed different to USB C, but you can get cables from Lightning to both C and A nowadays; C cable are nice because they charge the phone faster.)
posted by How much is that froggie in the window at 12:12 AM on October 26, 2022
But anyone she knows with an iPhone is likely to have a cache of old cables, so if she has anyone to ask that's well worth trying.
It's certainly going to be much easier to find a cable with the right ends on it than a converter that works.
(TimHare, if you read the question again you'll see that the adapter is a working theory as to a solution, but the problem is connecting an iPhone to a computer without a suitable USB C port. Lightning connectors are indeed different to USB C, but you can get cables from Lightning to both C and A nowadays; C cable are nice because they charge the phone faster.)
posted by How much is that froggie in the window at 12:12 AM on October 26, 2022
Why are people recommending USB-A to Lightning? Is the Lightning connector supposedly identical to USB-C ?
It is not.
posted by box at 5:45 AM on October 26, 2022
It is not.
posted by box at 5:45 AM on October 26, 2022
It's the recent versions of Thunderbolt that use the same physical connector as USB C.
posted by snuffleupagus at 9:21 AM on October 26, 2022
posted by snuffleupagus at 9:21 AM on October 26, 2022
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by foxfirefey at 4:30 PM on October 25, 2022 [9 favorites]