The Type-C connectors connect to both hosts and devices, replacing various Type-B and Type-A connectors and cables with a standard meant to be future-proof.[3][4] The 24-pin double-sided connector is similar in size to the micro-B connector, with a Type-C port measuring 8.4 millimetres (0.33 in) by 2.6 millimetres (0.10 in). The connector provides four power/ground pairs, two differential pairs for non-SuperSpeed data (though only one pair is populated in a Type-C cable), four pairs for high-speed data bus, two “sideband use” pins, and two configuration pins for cable orientation detection, dedicated biphase mark code (BMC) configuration data channel, and VCONN +5 V power for active cables.[5][6][7] Connecting an older device to a host with a Type-C receptacle requires a cable or adapter with a Type-A or Type-B plug or receptacle on one end and a Type-C plug on the other end. Legacy adapters with a Type-C receptacle are “not defined or allowed” by the specification, due to their being able to create “many invalid and potentially unsafe” cable combinations.[8]

Full-featured Type-C cables are active, electronically marked cables that contain a chip with an ID function based on the configuration channel and vendor-defined messages (VDMs) from the USB Power Delivery 2.0 specification. Type-C devices may optionally support bus power currents of 1.5 A and 3.0 A (at 5 V) in addition to baseline bus power provision; power sources can either advertise increased USB current through the configuration channel, or they can support the full power delivery specification using both BMC-coded configuration line and legacy BFSK-coded VBUS line.

Alternate modes dedicate some of the physical wires in the Type-C cable for direct device-to-host transmission of alternate data protocols. The four high-speed lanes, two sideband pins, and (for dock, detachable device and permanent cable applications only) two non-SuperSpeed data pins and one configuration pin can be used for alternate mode transmission. The modes are configured using VDMs through the configuration channel.

As outlined by the USB Type-C Cable and Connector Language Usage Guidelines,[9] if a product implements USB Type-C, it does not necessarily implement USB 3.1 or USB Power Delivery.

The USB Implementers Forum is working with its Alternate Mode partners to make sure that ports are properly labelled.[10]

DisplayPort Alternate Mode on USB Type-C Connector Standard - published in September 2014, supporting DisplayPort 1.3.[11] Mobile High-Definition Link (MHL) Alternate Mode announced November 2014[12] supporting MHL 3.0.[6][13] Thunderbolt Alternate Mode[14] supporting Thunderbolt 3.[15][16][17] Other serial protocols like PCI Express and Base-T Ethernet[18] are possible.[citation needed]

Type-C plug and receptacle pinouts Pin Name Description Pin Name Description A1 GND Ground return B12 GND Ground return A2 SSTXp1 SuperSpeed differential pair #1, TX, positive B11 SSRXp1 SuperSpeed differential pair #1, RX, positive A3 SSTXn1 SuperSpeed differential pair #1, TX, negative B10 SSRXn1 SuperSpeed differential pair #1, RX, negative A4 VBUS Bus power B9 VBUS Bus power A5 CC1 Configuration channel B8 SBU2 Sideband use (SBU) A6 Dp1 Non-SuperSpeed differential pair, position 1, positive B7 Dn2 Non-SuperSpeed differential pair, position 2, negative[a] A7 Dn1 Non-SuperSpeed differential pair, position 1, negative B6 Dp2 Non-SuperSpeed differential pair, position 2, positive[a] A8 SBU1 Sideband use (SBU) B5 CC2 Configuration channel A9 VBUS Bus power B4 VBUS Bus power A10 SSRXn2 SuperSpeed differential pair #2, RX, negative B3 SSTXn2 SuperSpeed differential pair #2, TX, negative A11 SSRXp2 SuperSpeed differential pair #2, RX, positive B2 SSTXp2 SuperSpeed differential pair #2, TX, positive A12 GND Ground return B1 GND Ground return

Full-featured USB 3.1 and 2.0 Type-C cable wiring Plug 1, Type-C Type-C cable Plug 2, Type-C Pin Name Wire colour No Name Description 2.0[a] Pin Name Shell Shield Braid Braid Shield Cable external braid ✓ Shell Shield A1, B12, B1, A12 GND Tin-plated 1 GNDPWRrt1 Ground for power return ✓ A1, B12, B1, A12 GND 16 GNDPWRrt2 ✗ A4, B9, B4, A9 VBUS Red 2 PWRVBUS1 VBUS power ✓ A4, B9, B4, A9 VBUS 17 PWRVBUS2 ✗ B5 VCONN Yellow 18 PWRVCONN VCONN power, for active cables[b] ✓ B5 VCONN A5 CC Blue 3 CC Configuration channel ✓ A5 CC A6 Dp1 White 4 UTPDp[c] Unshielded twisted pair, positive ✓ A6 Dp1 A7 Dn1 Green 5 UTPDn[c] Unshielded twisted pair, negative ✓ A7 Dn1 A8 SBU1 Red 14 SBUA Sideband use A ✗ B8 SBU2 B8 SBU2 Black 15 SBU_B Sideband use B ✗ A8 SBU1 A2 SSTXp1 Yellow[d] 6 SDPp1 Shielded differential pair #1, positive ✗ B11 SSRXp1 A3 SSTXn1 Brown[d] 7 SDPn1 Shielded differential pair #1, negative ✗ B10 SSRXn1 B11 SSRXp1 Green[d] 8 SDPp2 Shielded differential pair #2, positive ✗ A2 SSTXp1 B10 SSRXn1 Orange[d] 9 SDPn2 Shielded differential pair #2, negative ✗ A3 SSTXn1 B2 SSTXp2 White[d] 10 SDPp3 Shielded differential pair #3, positive ✗ A11 SSRXp2 B3 SSTXn2 Black[d] 11 SDPn3 Shielded differential pair #3, negative ✗ A10 SSRXn2 A11 SSRXp2 Red[d] 12 SDPp4 Shielded differential pair #4, positive ✗ B2 SSTXp2 A10 SSRXn2 Blue[d] 13 SDPn4 Shielded differential pair #4, negative ✗ B3 SSTXn2 Jump up ^ USB 2.0 type-C cables do not include wires for SuperSpeed, sideband use, or as great power capacity. Jump up ^ VCONN must not traverse end-to-end through the cable. Some isolation method must be used.

Windows 10 and Windows 10 Mobile supports USB 3.1, USB Type-C, alternate modes, billboard, power delivery, audio accessory and USB Dual Role support.[19] Windows 8.1 added USB type-C and billboard support in an update.[20] OS X supports USB 3.1 and USB Type-C.[21] Android Marshmallow works with USB 3.1 and USB Type-C.[22] Chrome OS supports USB 3.1 and USB Type-C starting with the Chromebook Pixel 2015 and supports alternate modes, power delivery, and USB Dual Role support.[23]

Notebooks[edit] First notebooks that support Type-C:

Apple's 2015 MacBook (having only a single port),[1] Google's second Chromebook Pixel, ASUS Transformer book T100HA. Dell XPS 13 & 15 HP Elite x2 1012 G1 Razer Blade Stealth Razer Blade (2016) As of 2016-06-20, Geizhals lists 606 USB 3.1 Type-C notebooks for Germany.[24]

Tablets[edit] The first tablet computer to accommodate a Type-C cable is the Nokia N1.[25] ASUS also announced its 8-inch Android tablet, ZenPad S8 with Type-C connector.[26] Google's Pixel C tablet uses a Type-C connector[27] Smartphones[edit] Asus ZenFone 3 BLU Vivo XL and BLU Vivo 5.[28][29][30] General Mobile GM 5 Plus. Huawei P9. HTC 10.[31] Lenovo ZUK Z1 also use a Type-C connector and is the first phone to feature SuperSpeed along with Type-C port.[32] Lenovo Zuk Z2 Pro. The first smartphone that accommodates a Type-C cable is the Letv Le Superphone.[33] The LG G5, which was announced on February 21, 2016, also has a Type-C connector.[34] Meizu PRO 5 and PRO 6. Microsoft Lumia 950 and 950 XL.[35] Motorola Moto Z and Z Force. Nextbit Robin. Nexus 5X and Nexus 6P announced by Google on September 29, 2015 also have Type-C connectivity.[27] OnePlus 2.[36][37] OnePlus 3 Xiaomi Mi4c. Xiaomi Mi5. ZTE Axon 7. HDDs and SSDs[edit] LaCie announced a mobile drive.[38][39] SanDisk launched a line of SSDs that connect via SuperSpeed+ Type-C.[40] CalDigit launched a portable storage line of HDDs and SSDs that connect via SuperSpeed+ Type-C.[41] Flash drives[edit] Sony[42] Monitors[edit] ASUS portable monitor [43] Cables[edit] Some noncompliant cables with a Type-C connector on one end and a legacy Standard-A plug or Micro-B receptacle on the other end incorrectly terminate the Configuration Channel (CC) with a 10kΩ pullup to VBUS instead of the specification mandated 56kΩ pullup, causing a device connected to the cable to incorrectly determine the amount of power it is permitted to draw from the cable. Cables with this issue may not work properly with certain products, including Apple and Google products, and may even damage power sources such as chargers, hubs, or PC USB ports.[44][45][46]