What happened to USB Type-B? And why is it still important?
We’ve been using USB connectors for three decades now, and yet many people don’t even realize there is a Type B connector. For most, there is the old rectangular USB-A connector, the small modern USB-C connector, and a few micro-USB connectors in between. I know people who think that the square, thick, beveled connector that hides behind their printer or connects their audio equipment is actually a proprietary connector. But guess what – it’s actually a USB Type-B connector – and here’s why this forgotten middle child of technology is still essential.
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Why people forgot about USB Type-B
Many people don’t even know it exists.
USB Type-B was never really mainstream, so calling it “forgotten” might be generous. When I tell people about USB-B, I’m usually confused, almost like it’s not real. They think USB-B is like Windows 9 or iOS 19: companies just decided to skip a generation.
And the confusion is logical. When was the last time you saw a USB-B port?
Wired keyboards, mice, and speakers typically come with fixed cables terminating in USB-A, rather than using detachable Type B ports. USB Type-B was – and still is – reserved for larger fixed devices requiring detachable cables. From the beginning, it occupied a narrow niche.
Plus, you rarely plug and unplug these devices. My Epson printer and Snowball iCE microphone use USB Type-B, and I can’t tell you the last time I unplugged either cable. This lack of interaction makes the connector even more obscure, often overlooked by people who already own devices that use it.
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USB Type-B was not really the “sequel” to Type-A
Let’s break this common misconception
Looking at the naming scheme (USB Type-A, Type-B, and Type-C arranged alphabetically), it’s easy to assume that they represent generational upgrades. But that’s not how it worked.
The USB Type-A and Type-B connectors were introduced together in 1996. They were literally two ends of the same USB cable. Type-C arrived much later, in August 2014, making it the younger and more modern sibling. But Type-A and Type-B were more like twins than suites.
But Type-C wasn’t paired with Type-D – so why did Type-A and Type-B have to be paired together? The answer comes down to energy delivery and the roles of devices. USB was designed around a host-device architecture, in which power and data flow from the host (like a computer) to the device (like a printer). If both ends used the same connector, people could accidentally connect two hosts together, causing power conflicts or damaging the hardware.
To avoid this, the connectors were physically different. USB Type-A was designed as a host end: a flat, rectangular connector that plugs into a computer or power source. Type B was the end of the device: a square, almost D-shaped connector that plugs into peripherals such as printers, scanners, and audio interfaces. By making the connectors incompatible with each other, it eliminates the possibility of plugging the wrong end into the wrong device.
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USB-C is taking over, so what happens to Type-B?
USB-C can do alone what Type-A and Type-B did together
USB Type-C was introduced as the modern successor to the older Type-A and Type-B connectors. This basically solved the limitation that made Type-A and Type-B pairing necessary in the first place. Type-C supports USB Power Delivery, which allows connected devices to dynamically negotiate and decide which provides power and which receives it. As such, you can plug it in either way, it doesn’t matter.
Beyond power delivery, the connector itself is symmetrical, meaning there is no misorientation. You plug it in one way or the other, and it fits. Future generations will never understand the frustration of flipping a Type A connector several times before finally inserting it. It’s also compact, making it ideal for increasingly thin modern hardware: phones, laptops, tablets, and even monitors.
It seems that, in almost every measurable way, USB Type-C is THE upper connector. Even Apple, long resistant to industry standards, finally switched its iPhones and Macs to Type-C. In fact, as of this writing, Type-A is gradually disappearing from many new devices, replaced by Type-C ports and cables. So, in a world where type C eats everything, how does type B still have a place?
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Why USB Type-B will continue to thrive in the Type-C era
From a technical perspective, USB-C can support all data protocols that USB-B supports, as well as newer standards and higher power levels. In most cases, USB-C is fully capable of replacing Type-B. However, the choice of connector is not determined solely by electrical capacity.
The larger Type B key housing provides a secure and predictable friction fit. It feels solid and stable once connected. Plus, its asymmetrical, beveled shape makes the correct orientation obvious, avoiding the trial-and-error frustration we all face with USB Type-A.
Additionally, Type B is common in industries where larger devices are the norm. Printers, commercial equipment, and professional audio equipment often have sufficient internal space, making a larger, more robust connector practical, and sometimes preferable.
Longevity also plays a major role. Products such as high-end audio interfaces and commercial printers can remain in active use for a decade or more. Redesigning hardware to adopt a new connector involves technical reviews, conformance testing, retooling and production costs. Since the existing connector already meets user expectations for reliability and performance, there is little incentive to change it.
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When you look at the debate from this perspective, USB-C suddenly seems like just a “modern” alternative to USB-B, not necessarily the “best” alternative. And since most manufacturers prefer stability and backwards compatibility over modernization per se, it’s likely that USB Type-B will remain relevant for the foreseeable future, even if USB-A begins to fade away.
