13 Cool Gadgets To Plug Into Your TV's USB Port

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Most TVs are standalone devices, in the sense that you do not need to plug any external accessories or peripherals into them to use them. Modern TVs have capable operating systems that can run streaming apps, services, and games. But if you have an older TV, you can always plug in a streaming stick or box like the Apple TV 4K, Amazon Fire TV Stick, or Google Chromecast. However, these devices plug into the HDMI port of the TV. Have you wondered why most TVs have USB ports? Some may use them to charge smartphones or other accessories, but there's more to these USB ports than supplying power to connected devices. To explore the various uses, we scoured the internet and found several cool gadgets that plug into your TV's USB port.

While some of these devices enhance the functionality of your TV, others alter the aesthetic or improve existing features. From a gaming controller that lets you play cool games on the Play Store to LED strip lights that give your TV an amazing backdrop, here are 13 cool gadgets that are sure to impress you when plugged into a television. As a cherry on top, most gadgets on this list are affordable, so you can pick up multiple accessories to load up your TV's ports with interesting items.

One of the most basic accessories that you can add to a smart TV is a USB flash drive. The intent here is to add more storage to your TV, which otherwise comes with extremely low built-in storage. Most smart TVs, even in 2025, may have 16 or 32 gigabytes (GB) of storage, which is quite low. Adding external storage allows you to transfer and store offline media files that can be viewed on the large screen. Apart from media files, you can also use a USB drive to copy files to the TV that you can then install as Android apps or games if you have a Google TV.

The reason we recommend the SanDisk 128 GB Ultra Fit USB flash drive specifically is that it operates at USB 3.2 speeds, while occupying very little space on the USB port. If you have multiple devices plugged in, this is an important factor to consider. You can also connect external SSDs or hard drives if you already have them at home. However, at just $14 for 128 GB of extra storage, getting a dedicated drive for your TV makes a lot of sense.

We mentioned how the SanDisk USB drive is recommended over other options primarily because it occupies less space. That is because most manufacturers cram two or three USB ports close to one another, resulting in one of the ports getting blocked by large USB-A connectors. If you want to avoid such a situation, it's advisable to pick up an adapter like the Vienon 4-in-1 USB 3.0 hub. It converts one USB-A 3.0 port into four USB-A 3.0 ports. There are a few advantages to a setup like this. The most obvious one is that the additional USB ports allow you to plug in multiple accessories like those mentioned on this list.

On top of that, the hub makes the ports a lot more reachable than they are by default. Most, if not all, TVs have USB ports on the rear. This makes it hard to access the ports if you plug devices in and out often. A dongle like this one brings the port closer to you, so it's easier to attach and detach devices. There are multiple cable lengths available, so pick the one that's ideal for you, depending on the size of your TV.

RGB lighting is quite popular among gamers and it's often found on gaming PCs and peripherals like keyboards and mice. However, those are not the only places where RGB lighting looks cool. Adding lights to the rear of your TV can create an effect that enhances the experience of watching content on the TV. You can do so using the Kantutoe LED lights that can be stuck to your TV's rear panel. The idea is that the lights shine outward and bounce off the wall to create a cool halo light effect around the bezels of the TV. It works best when the TV is mounted on a wall, and the color of the wall is white. Of course, you can still install it regardless of whether those two conditions are met, but the effect won't be as impressive.

Once you install the lights, all you have to do is plug the connector into the USB port on the TV to power it. There's an included remote to control the colors and brightness of the lights. If you don't want to use the remote, though, you can connect your phone to the lights via Bluetooth and control them using the companion app. For just $10, it's an excellent way to make your TV look a lot cooler.

Lots of people may not be aware of the fact that if you have a Google TV, a Chromecast device, or an Amazon Fire TV stick, you can use the onboard app store to download not just more apps but even games. The Google Play Store on Google TV, especially, has several cool games, including an extremely popular title — "Hill Climb Racing". While it's definitely fun to play these games on a large screen, using the TV remote to navigate can be a pain. A quick hack to make the gaming experience a lot more enjoyable is to use a wireless gaming controller, like this one from 8BitDo.

The 8BitDo Ultimate 2C wireless controller uses a USB dongle that can plug straight into a TV. Once you do that, fire up a game that you downloaded and start playing with comfort. You also get a lot more programmable buttons that can be assigned to perform different functions in the game. If you or your kids play games on the TV, getting a controller is a massive upgrade.

Not everyone plays games on the TV. But almost everyone uses their TV to search. It could be browsing the web, a new catalogue of shows, or your favorite streaming app for that one new show your friend recommended. While all of these tasks can be performed using the included remote, it's quite a tedious process. Using the small arrow keys to flip through pages or type on the screen can be cumbersome and boring. If you often find yourself in such a situation, getting the Logitech K480 Plus keyboard can be game-changing.

The keyboard helps with easy typing when you want to look for a specific term on YouTube or Netflix. But it doesn't end just there. The trackpad on the side can be used as a mouse for easier navigation and selection. So when you want to scroll through different categories, you just have to swipe your fingers on the trackpad instead of jamming them on your remote's arrow keys. There's a USB receiver in the box that needs to be plugged in to the TV to use the kyboard. As a bonus, though, the keyboard can also connect to your computer or tablet via Bluetooth.

Apart from watching movies and shows, a TV is a good source of other forms of entertainment. For instance, we mentioned how you can use a controller and play games on your TV. Similarly, a TV can be used to sing along to your favorite tracks with the help of the Moyleaf karaoke machine. It's a standalone machine that takes the form of a speaker. There are a few controls on the speaker itself, along with an RGB LED that lights up around the circumference of the speaker. The stars of the show, however, are the two included mics.

Once you connect the machine to your TV, you can play karaoke tracks while singing along with the mics. If you're hosting a house party or simply want to have a fun time by yourself, singing along to your favorite ballads and jams, this is an excellent and straightforward way to enhance a living space. It also has a built-in battery, so you can carry it with you when you go camping and use the Bluetooth functionality to play tracks via your phone. The advantage of using it with a TV is that you can read the lyrics of the song on a large screen.

Despite most gadgets and accessories moving to USB-C, many modern-day TVs still have USB-A ports. This means that if you only have USB-C cables and accessories, you won't be able to plug them into your TV. Imagine needing to charge your phone using your TV's USB port, but you only have the USB-C cord that came with the phone in the box. For such situations, it's best to have a few Xiwxi USB-A to USB-C adapters lying around. This pack of four retails for around $10, and is a steal for what it offers.

The adapters have a metallic construction for durability. They plug into any USB-A port and convert it to USB-C. You can then plug in any cable, accessory, or gadget of your choice to the TV, even if it has a USB-C connector. Since there are four in the box, you can use them in tandem with the 4-in-1 USB hub mentioned above — especially if the majority of your gadgets have a USB-C input.

We mentioned how you can plug multiple types of storage devices into your TV, like a USB flash drive, an external hard drive, or even an external SSD. Another type of storage device that can be interfaced with a TV is an SD card. It could be a standard-sized SD card or a microSD card. That said, most TVs don't have a built-in SD card reader. So, you will need the SmartQ C368 USB 3.0 card reader that plugs into the USB port of your TV. There are a plethora of card readers available, but this one from SmartQ stands out with its three slots: one for an SD card, one for microSD, and one for a CF card.

The versatility is useful since you may want to read the contents of a card from a gaming console, a camera, or a smartphone. This one supports all of those. If you're a photographer and wish to view your photos and videos on a large TV, this one's a no-brainer — especially at just $10.

Cooling fans are usually helpful for reducing the temperature of a desktop PC when used internally, or something like a laptop when placed underneath. While the primary use case for these SCCCF dual 120mm USB cooling fans is to cool laptops when gaming or running intensive tasks, they also prove helpful in reducing the temperature of your TV and the consoles that generate heat in its vicinity. Some TVs may tend to run warm when placed close to a window or a source of light, and this can impact the performance of the TV in the long run. It can also lead to overheating issues, which isn't good for the TV's backlighting.

If your TV is placed in such a way that there's a lot of sunlight falling on it, or you live in a region where the summer is extremely hot, it's a wise idea to install a pair of cooling fans facing the rear of the TV. Mount the fans on opposite ends, and plug the controller into the USB port. When you're not using it with the TV, you can also repurpose it to use with your laptop.

The Heylacoolx laser pointer is useful for those who give a lot of presentations on a TV. Generally, this means being involved in the corporate division of a company or running your own business, where you brief your colleagues or employees. Presentations may require the presenter to highlight specific aspects of a slide accurately. In such situations, equipped with the Heylacoolx laser pointer, all you have to do is point the remote at the TV, and a laser pointer will appear on the screen. Note that this is a digital pointer that replicates an actual laser beam. A digital beam is more evidently visible on a TV screen as opposed to a physical one.

Apart from being a laser pointer, this remote can also be used to mark up images and slides. Circle a number to add an annotation, or highlight a piece of text to select it. Other controls include zooming in and out, switching slides, taking a screenshot, and more. The Heylacool laser pointer is extremely useful in office spaces or schools, while it may have limited application in personal settings.

Since the laser pointer can't be used at home, we found yet another gadget that's similar in terms of the way it works but differs in terms of functionality. The Easytone air mouse remote control is exactly what the name suggests — an air mouse. In simple terms, it's a mouse for your TV that you hover in the air to control instead of using it on a flat surface, like a standard mouse. Once you plug the USB receiver into the TV, you just have to move your hand around and watch the cursor on the TV move as per your hand movements.

Navigating around the different menus of the TV is simple using an air remote like this one. You don't have to rely on pressing the small buttons multiple times on the standard remote that came with your TV. It's also arguably more convenient than the trackpad accompanying the Logitech keyboard mentioned above. You can also use the mouse cursor to type on the on-screen keyboard. Other features include a back button, home button, media controls, and a D-Pad for manual navigation. As a bonus, you can also use it to play games like Fruit Ninja!

Let's first get it out of the way that a lightbar like this one is primarily intended to be used with a monitor. That said, the Quntis Light Bar Pro+ can also be used with a small 32-inch TV. Mount the light bar on top of your TV and connect the cable to the USB port to power it. Then, use the included controller to turn on the light and set it to the required level of brightness and color temperature. For those wondering, a monitor light bar helps reduce eye strain by focusing the light on the monitor screen, which reduces glare. If you watch a lot of TV at night, this is a useful addition.

Another good use case for a light bar like this is to illuminate the area below it. If you use a TV as your monitor, you may want to illuminate the keyboard, mouse, and other elements of your desk below the TV. Using a light bar instead of a generic lamp directs all the light only in the required direction, which helps you focus better.

The final accessory on this list is a webcam — a device that not a lot of people would have thought could be used with a TV. Since most modern TVs run capable operating systems, you can install apps like Zoom or several other free alternative video conferencing tools via a web browser like Chrome. Then, connect a webcam like the Logitech C920X HD Pro, and you can hop on a video call with your friends and family. If you have a large gathering, and you want to speak to other members of your family who aren't present, using a TV is an excellent way to go about it.

Seeing friends and family on a large screen may make you feel that you're closer to them, as opposed to using a smartphone or a tablet with a smaller display. Make sure to use the keyboard or the air mouse, though, to make your video calling experience even more seamless.

One of the primary requirements for a gadget to be included in this list was that it must perform a unique function apart from just getting charged or drawing power from the TV. This is exactly why we haven't added accessories like a USB cable to charge a phone, or a streaming device that plugs into the HDMI port and only uses the USB port to draw power. Instead, we've included adapters, dongles, and flash drives that either extend the functionality of the USB port or add some value in terms of external storage for the TV from which you can stream videos, movies, or TV shows. A few other gadgets, like the air remote and the laser pointer, don't necessarily add features to the TV but instead work in tandem with it to improve the overall experience.

We've also added some niche accessories, such as cooling fans, that are helpful if you live in regions with a tropical climate or have placed your TV close to a window where direct sunlight falls on it. In such cases, the TV can get rather hot, so a pair of cooling fans can help bring the temperature down. The lightbar can come in handy for those who use smaller TVs like monitors, especially during the night. Overall, these gadgets are designed to add value in some way to various types of users.