While the growing pains of adopting USB-C are still present and you may need pricy extra dongles to connect your devices to your MacBook, it's easy to convert one USB-C port into a variety of ports with the right equipment. Connect your device to the proper spot on your adapter, hub, or docking station.Plug your adapter, hub, or docking station into your Mac laptops USB-C ports.If your dongle doesn't need its own power source, you can skip this step. Make sure your hub or docking station is powered on.Make sure your Mac laptop is powered on.How to connect your accessory to your MacBook using an adapter, hub, or docking station If you require high-speed connections, a docking station is going to best suit your needs. For the most part, they're meant to be stationary to give your desktop workflow more versatility and convenience. They usually have their own power supply and can charge your laptop and mobile devices while also providing fast data transfer and 4K or 5K display support. Then use your TV as a second screen via an HDMI port, an excellent USB-C hub is the way to go.ĭocking stations are designed for multi-display use with charging support. If you want to transfer photos from your camera, have your USB mic plugged in. Hubs usually come with multiple different connections, making them better for people who need to connect a lot of accessories. Hubs are bigger dongles that are meant to hook up multiple devices at once. If you're looking to connect your USB podcasting microphone, a USB Printer, or just want to use your existing Lightning cable with your MacBook, an adapter may be the best choice. There are three main types of dongles you'll be able to use with your MacBook - adapters, hubs, and docks.Īdapters are typically smaller dongles that are only meant for a single purpose - like a USB-A to USB-C adapter - and thus are better for people who only need to hook up once device at a time. Do you use an SD or microSD card to transfer data?.Do you need a wired internet connection?.It's worth asking yourself a few questions to figure precisely what adapters you may need. Here's a look at what you need to connect older devices and how to hook them up to your MacBook! Decide what adapters you might needĭepending on how you work or play, you'll need different adapters to hook up different devices. There are plenty of cables, dongles, and adapters available to help you connect all your favorite accessories to your MacBook. I know that some of you are looking around the room at all your existing peripherals and probably feeling a little dismayed that you won't be able to connect them directly to your MacBook.

The only ports you'll find on the MacBook lineup are USB-C / Thunderbolt 3.

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