So you now have a new device (computer, iPhone, iPad) with USB-C ports. You know, the ones that look like a small, rounded corners connector, not the larger rectangular connector.

But did you know that not all USB-C cables are the same?

If you need to use a USB-C cable to power your device, the USB-C cable must support both power and data. Thunderbolt 3 cables aren’t supported, even though they will work just for connecting to something like to an external display or to an external drive that has its own external power. So if your external drive is a newer personal portable drive with the new USB-C port, be aware about using the right cable (Thunderbolt 4) to power the drive.

What you need to know:

Connecting external drives:

https://mactakeawaydata.com/connect-external-hard-drive-to-mac/

Thunderbolt 3 vs Thunderbolt 4:
https://us.anker.com/blogs/hubs_edu/what-is-the-difference-between-thunderbolt-3-and-4

John Carter Sr.