Your Smartphone's USB-C Port Can Do More Than You Think

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For the majority of smartphone owners, the port at the bottom of their device is just for charging. Most people hook their phone up to a charger at work or before bed, but ignore it the rest of the time. If you're feeling spicy, you may connect a dongle for wired headphones or the aux cord in the car. But here's the thing: your iPhone or Android device is a computer, and its charging port is USB-C, which means it has all the same functionality as your work computer.

Go ahead, try it out. Plug in a USB flash drive, a game controller, or a little LED lamp. All of them will work. This might not blow your mind  — most readers probably know what a USB port is  — but the applications are a lot more wide-ranging than you may think, and there are a variety of uses for your phone's charging port. From content creation and sharing your internet connection to indulging in some VR, here are just a few of the most useful things you can do with your smartphone's USB port.

If you spend time on social media, you may have noticed that some content creators record using tiny microphones clipped to their clothes or (incorrectly) held in the hand. These are lavalier microphones, similar to those used on late-night television, and a good one can massively increase the quality of audio you record. Given their popularity among creators, several brands now make lavalier microphones designed for mobile content. They most often connect to the phone with a wireless USB-C receiver.

My personal choice has been the Saramonic Air, which I've been testing since late June. I've tested dirt-cheap alternatives that sound horrible, along with more expensive options from DJI and Rode, which sound excellent. There are a number of sub-$100 wireless microphone kits from those brands, which also appear to be well-reviewed, but I haven't tested them. The Air holds its own against other premium kits. It includes a wide array of accessories such as two wind muffs and a charging case, though you can get a version without the two more traditional line mics. 

You don't need to be a creator to find use for a portable wireless microphone. I most recently recorded the ceremony at a family wedding, tucking a transmitter into the betrothed's suit and dress. Even with heavy wind, the recording came out well thanks to the Air's noise-canceling mode. I've even used it for Zoom meetings when I'm someplace noisy and want others to hear me over cafe chatter.

Most people already know that the USB-C port on their smartphone can be used to transmit audio. Plug in a 3.5mm headphone dongle with an integrated DAC, and you're in business, reliving the glory days of the headphone jack. But what you may not know is that other USB audio equipment will also work with your smartphone. Mobile microphones are one example, as we discussed above, but you can even use professional mics with an adapter, MIDI instruments, or pro audio interfaces.

The Shure MVX2U is a compact digital audio interface that lets you connect the best microphones for home studios to your phone via USB-C, and it has a permanent spot in my travel bag. Meanwhile, a simple USB-C to USB-A converter will allow you to connect USB MIDI devices, such as keyboards and pad controllers. And whenever I'm not in the mood to boot up my PC to play music through my Yamaha studio monitors, I use the same USB converter to connect my phone to the Native Instruments Komplete Audio 6 audio interface that the speakers are attached to.

If you're on an iPhone, you should be aware that near-lossless Bluetooth audio using codecs like Sony LDAC or Qualcomm aptX is only available on Android, making wired audio even more important if you prioritize quality. However, you can buy a tiny USB-C dongle that solves this problem. Examples include the FiiO KA11 and Questyle QCC Dongle Pro, though I have not tested these products myself. Once plugged in, you can connect wired headphones to the dongles for higher-quality audio.

Depending on your phone plan, you may have access to hotspotting. That means you can share your phone's Internet connection with your laptop or other devices. Usually, this is done by turning your phone into a Wi-Fi hotspot. But in areas where there's an oversaturation of wireless signals from other devices, you may find a faster or more stable connection by directly connecting your phone to your computer over USB. A wired connection can also be better for gaming, and it is more secure.

Both Android and iOS support wired tethering. On iOS, you can enable it by opening your Settings app, tapping into the Cellular section, and tapping Set Up Personal Hotspot. You can then connect the iPhone to a computer (both Mac and Windows are supported), and it should immediately recognize the Internet connection. On Android, you can swipe down from the top of your screen to access Quick Settings and tap the Mobile Hotspot toggle. Once plugged into your computer, there are a few more steps due to Android's security policies. Open Settings on your phone, head into Connections, then tap on Mobile Hotspot and Tethering, and enable USB tethering.

VR as a product category has died down somewhat as smart glasses take center stage, and most full-size headsets are trying to be all-in-one solutions. But did you know that you can hook up a more affordable VR system to your phone, projecting its display into the virtual world?

There are a few ways to rig your phone up to a VR headset, but the Meta Quest 3 is probably the most popular device with this capability (the Quest 2 is also supported). The only catch is that you'll need to use USB 3.0 SuperSpeed cables and a UVC or UAC-compliant video capture card that attaches to the HDMI cable running into your phone. From there, you can use the Meta Quest HDMI Link app to get everything working. In my experience, it's great for bingeing Netflix in bed, but having to unencumber yourself whenever you need to run to the bathroom or grab a snack gets annoying.

There are also standalone VR displays on the market from companies like Xreal and RayNeo. Unlike the Quest and similar headsets, these are glasses with VR displays inside that you can connect to any device with a video output. They're a bit expensive, given that all they do is put an enormous screen in front of your face, but it's not hard to see the appeal for frequent fliers and mobile gamers. SlashGear's Nadeem Sarwar tested the Xreal Air 2 glasses and mostly liked them, though he slightly preferred the RayNeo Air 2s (which have since been followed up by the 3s and 3s Pro).