How to Add USB-C to Any Windows PC

• The simplest solution is a USB-A to USB-C adapter, as it is affordable and convenient for individual devices.

• Larger docking stations can add multiple USB-C and USB-C ports, making them ideal if you need to connect multiple devices.

• Desktop users can use PCIe expansion cards to add USB-C ports.

Is your Windows PC missing USB-C? Or maybe you only have one USB-C port and want more. There are many ways to add the latest connectivity standard to your desktop or laptop. Here are a few of my favorite ways to connect USB-C to any Windows PC.

Sometimes the simplest solution is the best

If you only need to adapt one USB-C device to your computer, I recommend using a USB-A to USB-C adapter. Purchasing a set of these adapters from Amazon is relatively affordable at under $5 each, and they are convenient to keep on separate devices to use in your system. The adapters simply plug into a USB-C cable that comes off of, say, a webcam, and connect it to a standard USB-A port on your desktop or laptop.

However, while these adapters are good for single devices that you leave connected all the time, if you frequently plug and unplug USB-C cables, there may be a better option for you.

To get started, I’d recommend using a USB-A to USB-C adapter like I mentioned and pairing it with something like an Anker dock. It costs less than $20 and has two USB-C ports, as well as several USB-A ports. This is a simple solution that allows you to add two USB-C ports to your computer and position them more conveniently than your PC’s USB-A ports.

Adapters connected to adapters may also be a good solution

However, for an ideal solution that works with both laptops and desktops, I would recommend using a 13-in-1 dock like this one from Anker, paired with a USB-A to USB-C cable. While the A-C cable won’t give you the HDMI functionality of this dock, it will still use all the other ports on it. This gives you two USB-C ports, three additional USB-A ports, Ethernet, and microSD and SD ports on your desk. And all this through a single USB-A cable to your PC.

If you have a system with zero USB-C ports are the best (albeit most expensive) option. It adds maximum versatility and also gives you a lot of features that you can use in the future. For example, this particular dock supports 85W charging via USB-C, so if you connect a compatible laptop to it, the dock will not only handle all the data requests, but also handle the system’s power needs.

Additionally, if your desktop has at least one USB-C port and you connect using it, you will also be able to use two HDMI ports (if your desktop has USB-C with an alternate DisplayPort output).

And if you need plenty of USB-C ports, Plugable just announced a massive new hub that turns one USB-C port into ten. Yes, you read that right. One USB-C for ten. Just use the aforementioned USB-A to USB-C adapter and the new Plugable hub will give you ten USB-C ports with ease.

Desktop users get even more expansion options with PCIe expansion cards

The best solution if you have a desktop computer is to add a PCIe expansion card. Adding an expansion card works with any desktop computer that has an empty PCIe slot. For one USB-C slot, StarTech offers a PCIe expansion card that provides a USB-C port at 20 Gbps. StarTech also gives you a PCIe card with four external USB-C ports as well as an internal USB-A port.

Or, if you don’t mind ditching the name brand, this expansion card is only $26 on Amazon and provides two USB-C and two USB-A ports on the back of your system. In addition to this, it provides both a USB 3.0 header and a front-panel USB-C header, which can be used in your case if your motherboard does not have one.

If you need something that can provide more power, there are PCIe cards that provide power. And ports. For example, this PCIe card provides 30W charging through two ports and 45W charging through the other two. All four ports provide a maximum throughput of 10 GB/s.

And for those with newer systems, there are even Thunderbolt 4 adapters that can be installed in the PCIe slot on the motherboard. They are a bit more specialized and require a Thunderbolt connector on the motherboard to operate. But once installed, you’ll get two Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports on the back of your system.

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USB-C is a standard that is becoming more popular every day. While most modern PCs have some form of USB-C, older systems may not have it. And if your old computer doesn’t have USB-C, it’s likely missing other modern features. Luckily, you can simply add any number of useful PCIe cards to your desktop and get even more options than before.