USB Ports Color Meanings(Blue, Teal, Black, Red, White, Orange)

Published:
Updated:

USB ports are very common in Computers and Laptops.

In Computers, you would see different color coding in the USB port from which you can get an idea of the USB version and its use.

Here I have explained in detail the meanings of the USB port Colors like Blue USB Port, Teal USB Port, Black USB Port, Red USB Port, White USB Port, and Orange USB Port.

different usb ports by colors

Blue vs Teal vs Red vs Yellow vs Orange vs Black vs White USB Port

Port TypeUSB TypeSpecificationsTransfer SpeedRemarks about the USB Port
White USB PortUSB-A or USB-BUSB 1.xup to 12 Mbps1st Gen USB Ports.
Black USB PortUSB-A or USB-B USB 2.0up to 480 MbpsMuch faster than the Black USB Port
Blue USB PortUSB-A or USB-BUSB 3.0up to 5 GbpsTwice as fast as the Blue USB Port. Excellent for large file transfers.
Teal USB PortUSB-A or USB-BUSB 3.1 (Gen 1)up to 10 GbpsIf USB 2.0: up to 480 Mbps
If USB 3.0 then up to 5 Gbps
Red USB PortSleep-and-Charge Port (Type USB-A)USB 3.1 (Gen 2) or
USB 3.2
up to 20 GbpsAlways-On port
Yellow USB PortSleep-and-Charge Port (Type USB-A)USB 2.0 or USB 3.0up to 5 GbpsHigher power or always-on port
Orange USB PortSleep-and-Charge Port (Type USB-A)USB 3.0upto 5 GbpsCharging capable or
Sometimes charge only

Blue USB Port

Blue Colored USB ports are standard, and you can see this frequently in the Desktops.

The Blue color represents the USB 3.0 Port. 

The speed of the Blue USB port is up to 5 Gbps (Gigabits per second).

This type of USB port is found commonly in desktops and laptops.

Here is the Blue USB Port, USB 3.0’s connector pinouts diagram.

Source: Wikipedia

Red USB Port

You might even find a Red Colored USB Port.

When a USB port is red, it indicates the port is USB 3.2.

The Red USB port is even faster than the Blue and the Teal Blue USB ports.

The Red USB Port transfers data stream at a speed of 20 Gbps.

You would find Red USB Port (USB 3.2) inexpensive motherboards and hence are not commonly seen.

Teal Blue USB Port

Teal Blue colored USB port is another type of USB port where USB 3.1 is present.

This Teal Blue USB Port has a speed of up to 10 Gbps, two times faster than Blue USB Ports.

This speed is breakneck and is ideal for large file transfers.

Black USB Port

Black USB Port is also known as USB 2.0.

This type of USB port is the most common USB Port ever seen.

This Black USB Port is commonly used in desktops and laptops.

This USB port was made to transmit data streams faster than the USB 1.x versions. This innovation was a breakthrough as it can transfer up to 480 Mbps, about 40 times faster than the White USB Port.

Hence, this was also labeled as “Hi-Speed”.

Yellow USB Port

A yellow USB Port is a special type of USB Port in the motherboard.

A Yellow USB Port denotes that it is an always-on Port.

This USB Port can be a USB 2.0 or even a USB 3.0 port.

White USB Port

The white USB port is the earliest specification for the USB port.

Generally, the white connectors are USB 1.x version. However, quite a few are USB 2.x compatible.

The transfer rate is slow, which is up to 12 Mbps.

Today, Macbooks have USB 3.0 ports as White USB Ports.

So, you should not always consider a white USB port means USB 1.x version.

USB Ports Color Demonstration

Here, in these videos, find the different types of USB Port colors explained with detailed specifications.

You will also get to know about what the different color USB Port looks like.

FAQ’s on USB Port Color Codes

Is USB 3.0 blue or black?

USB 3.0 Port is Blue USB Port. The Black USB Port represents the USB 2.0 USB Port.

What does a yellow USB port mean?

Yellow Port denotes always on the port on the motherboard. The Yellow USB Port can be either of USB 2.0 or USB 3.0.

Conclusion

Though we are going through different color coding for USB like Blue USB Port, Red USB Port, Teal Blue USB Port, and many more, there are several cases where these color codes are not always followed.

So, it is better to check the motherboard specification, and for the laptop, it will be denoted by the text below the port.

I hope you got a good idea about the different colors used to classify different types of USB ports.