USB-B, Mini-B and Micro-B
The device-side plugs from before USB-C, on printers, older phones and hard drives.
Drawn by CableBin to scale from nominal dimensions. Gold = contacts.
Facts
- Size
- Micro-B 6.9 × 1.8 mm; standard B 8.0 × 7.3 mm
- Contacts
- 5 (Micro-B, Mini-B); 4 (B); 10 (USB 3 Micro-B)
- Reversible
- No
- Introduced
- 1996
- Also called
- USB Type-B, Micro-USB, Mini-USB
"B" connectors went on the device end of the cable: the square standard-B on printers and scanners, Mini-B on 2000s cameras and controllers, and the trapezoid Micro-B on most Android phones until about 2017 and on countless gadgets still made today.
The wide two-part USB 3 Micro-B, found on many portable hard drives, is a Micro-B with an extra five-pin section beside it. An ordinary Micro-B cable fits the narrow half and runs at USB 2.0 speed.
Standards that use it
USB 2.0
The baseline every USB port still speaks. Fine for keyboards, mice and charging; slow for files.
- data: 480 Mbps
- video: No
- power: 2.5 W (port); more via USB-C/PD
USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5 Gbps)
The original USB 3.0, renamed twice. Ten times USB 2.0, enough for hard drives and most flash drives.
- data: 5 Gbps
- video: No (only via USB-C Alt Mode)
- power: 4.5 W (port)