USB Extension Cables

What an extension is for

A USB extension cable has a plug at one end and a socket at the other, so it lengthens whatever you plug into it. It is the simple answer when a lead is too short: a webcam clipped to a monitor, a keyboard on a laptop stand, a printer across the room, or a memory stick that is awkward to reach at the back of a dock. It also helps a wireless mouse or keyboard receiver. Intel found that busy USB 3 ports and drives can give off radio noise in the 2.4GHz band those receivers use, and moving the receiver onto a short extension, away from the noise and nearer the mouse, often cures dropouts.

What you will find here

• USB-A extensions in USB 2.0 and USB 3.0, from very short to several metres, in black or white.
• A USB-A extension with an on/off switch in the lead, handy for a USB lamp or fan.
• USB-C extensions, male to female, stating charging from 60W up to 240W and data from USB 2.0 up to 20Gbps. Some also carry video, for a screen on a USB-C cable.
• Angled USB-C plugs on some, so the extension sits flat against the laptop.

How to choose: speed, power and length

Match the extension to the thing on the end of it. A mouse, keyboard, receiver or webcam works happily on USB 2.0. A drive or a card reader needs a faster one: USB 3.0, now called USB 5Gbps by the USB-IF, or quicker. An extension rated slower than the device holds it back, because the slowest part of the chain sets the speed.

For a USB-C extension, read three figures: the watts it can carry for charging, the data speed, and whether it carries video. If a USB-C screen or a charger sits on the end, the extension must be rated for that job as well as the cable it extends.

Keep it as short as does the job. Long runs are where fast data and video start to struggle, and a cable that reaches without pulling is all you need. For more sockets rather than more reach, look at USB-A hubs or USB-C hubs.

Questions people ask about USB extension cables

Will an extension slow down my drive?

Not if it is rated at least as fast as the drive and the port. A USB 2.0 extension will slow a fast drive a great deal.

Can I charge my laptop through a USB-C extension?

Yes, up to the watts the extension is rated for, as long as the cable on the other side is rated for them too.

Can I join two extensions together?

It is better not to. Every joint and extra metre is another chance for the connection to drop. Buy one of the right length.

Delivery is included in every price and tracked to your door.

More to look at

• USB-A hubs
• USB-C hubs
• USB-C to USB-A adapters
• USB-C to USB-C laptop cables
• USB-A laptop accessories
• Guide: Webcams for video calls: picture, light and sound
• Guide: Wi-Fi and Bluetooth adapters: when a laptop needs one