Here’s what you should and shouldn’t plug into your monitor’s built-in USB ports

If you have a relatively modern monitor, chances are it has one or more USB ports. Surprisingly, these items are often overlooked as users spend money on USB hubs and docking stations. If you too have never explored your monitor’s USB ports, it’s high time you do, as they can really streamline connectivity, shorten cables, reduce desktop clutter, and improve your workflow. Common devices you can plug into your monitor’s USB ports include wired keyboards, mice, controllers, webcams, microphones, speakers, USB hubs, and even USB drives.

At the same time, it’s important to understand the limitations of your monitor’s USB ports. For example, if the monitor does not support USB passthrough, peripherals such as storage drives, keyboards, and mice will not work when plugged in. The good news is that most modern monitors with multiple USB ports also act as a USB hub. Simply connect the monitor to your PC using the USB upstream cable or USB-C cable that comes with the monitor. However, some devices don’t work best with your monitor’s USB port. This includes SSDs and other devices that benefit from a direct, high-speed connection to the PC.

Before continuing, check if your monitor supports USB passthrough and that you have configured it accordingly. In the absence of either, your monitor’s USB ports will have limited functionality.

Keyboards and mice are some of the most common devices connected to the monitor’s USB port. They are ideal for the port, given that they are low-bandwidth devices and consume little power. So if your keyboard and mouse are the reason your desktop seems too cluttered, consider plugging them directly into the monitor’s USB ports. Even if you use wireless devices with a dongle, plug the adapter into the port. Additionally, if the monitor’s USB ports are closer to your keyboard and mouse than the ports the dongles were originally plugged into, this can make the connection more reliable.

You can also plug your wired game controllers into the monitor’s USB port. This is the most convenient location since the cable and connection are always nearby. And if you enjoy competitive gaming, the reliability of wired connections can improve the overall gaming experience. All of these devices are lightweight in terms of data transmission and power consumption, making them ideal for your monitor’s USB ports.

The advantage of using your monitor’s USB port instead of the laptop’s is that even when you change laptops, you don’t need to swap or rearrange a lot of cables. This way there are only one or two.

Webcams and microphones, among other peripherals, sometimes have shorter cables, and running them to the PC’s USB port or those on your laptop can be a hassle. That’s why it makes sense to plug them into your monitor’s USB ports, as they remain fully functional. Regardless, webcams are typically mounted above monitors or your laptop screen, making this arrangement all the more convenient. And if you regularly change webcams and microphones, the process is faster since the monitor ports are relatively more accessible than those on the desktop.

Other than that, you can connect speakers to your monitor’s USB ports, as long as they rely on a USB connection for power and audio. They work the same way, as if the speakers were directly connected to the PC. That said, it’s important to remember that you shouldn’t plug professional-grade microphones or speakers into the monitor’s USB ports; they generally work best when connected directly to the PC. But for everyday use, the configuration will be more than sufficient.

If you have USB-powered LED lights, lamps, or portable fans on your desk, these can also be connected to the monitor’s USB ports. This is actually a smart move since these are low power devices and are not affected in any way by the data transfer speed. So even if your monitor’s USB ports don’t offer the best transfer speeds, they can be used to power small LEDs and fans. Again, these devices are usually positioned around the monitor, so connecting them to its USB ports can save a lot of clutter on your desk.

However, you need to ensure that the power output of your USB port meets the requirements of the connected device. If it is a USB 2.0 port, it can output up to 2.5W (5V, 0.5A), while USB 3.0 ports have an output power of 4.5W (5V, 0.9A). If the device requires more power to operate, it may not turn on or operate reliably. This is why it is important to check the power consumption and voltage requirements beforehand.

SSDs and other high-speed storage drives are among the devices that should ideally be connected directly to the PC instead of the monitor’s USB ports. This is also something you should never plug into a gaming monitor. This is because the monitor’s USB ports can act as a bottleneck, reducing transfer speeds. Modern SSDs, for example those certified as USB 3.2, can easily deliver up to 20 Gbps, but when connected to a USB 3.0 or USB 2.0 port on a monitor, transfer speeds suffer. This may not be noticeable for small, casual file transfers, but for content creators and professionals who transfer large amounts of data every day, SSDs should be plugged directly into the system.

Apart from this, there is also a risk of data corruption, especially if the monitor loses power or goes into sleep mode. When a monitor goes into power saving mode, it typically cuts power to the USB port and all active file transfers are abruptly terminated, which could corrupt the data on the disk.

The same goes for high-speed flash drives. However, if your monitor supports it, you can directly plug in a USB drive to stream media files. Additionally, you may need to connect the USB drive to your monitor’s USB port to update or reinstall the monitor’s firmware.

Unless you have an expensive high-end monitor with high USB power, say between 27W and 140W (as is the case with the Dell U5226KW), your smartphone or tablet will charge very slowly when plugged into the monitor’s USB ports. This is because older generation USB ports cannot provide the power required for fast-charging devices, even if you use the right cables. However, if your monitor has a USB-C port with Power Delivery, that could change things. You should of course check the port’s power rating using your monitor’s manual.

Remember that for most mid-priced monitors, USB ports are best suited for low-power devices such as webcams, microphones, speakers, lights or fans, not anything that requires higher power output. If trickle charging works or you just want to maintain optimal battery levels throughout the day, the monitor’s USB ports will do the trick. But for fast charging, it is better to rely on wall adapters or ports with the required power rating.