Making one plug work in another socket
An adapter lets a plug work in a socket it was never made for. Phone adapters earn their keep in three situations: the change from Lightning to USB-C on the iPhone, the loss of the round headphone socket from most phones of recent years, and the need to plug a USB stick, keyboard or card reader straight into a phone. This part of the shop has four ranges, one for each of those jobs and one for the small converters that change a cable's plug.
The four ranges
- USB-C to headphone adapters let wired headphones with the round 3.5mm plug work with a USB-C phone that has no headphone socket. See USB-C to headphone adapters.
- OTG adapters (OTG stands for On-The-Go) give a phone a full-size USB socket for a memory stick, a keyboard, a mouse or a game controller. See OTG adapters.
- USB-C to Lightning adapters go between the two plugs Apple has used, so a Lightning cable, accessory or pair of headphones can work with a USB-C iPhone, or the other way round. See USB-C to Lightning adapters.
- Converters are small plugs that change a cable's end, between USB-A, USB-C and micro-USB, sold singly or in sets. See converters.
Which one you need
Start with what you want to plug in, then the phone. Look at the phone's socket: a rounded oval is USB-C, a narrower slot with a flat bar inside is Lightning, and a smaller socket wider on one side than the other is micro-USB. Then look at the plug on the thing you want to use. The adapter needs the phone's plug at one end and the accessory's socket at the other. Some adapters are made for charging, some for data and some for sound, so read the listing for what each one carries: an adapter that passes power may not pass sound. The guide to which charging cable your phone needs covers adapters in a section of its own.
Adapter or new cable?
An adapter adds another joint, and a joint can work loose, so for the cable you use every day a single cable with the right plugs at each end is usually better. Adapters are best kept for occasional jobs and for the bag: a converter on the end of a USB-C cable for an old micro-USB torch, or an OTG adapter for moving photos to a memory stick. If the job is everyday charging, see charging cables.
Questions people ask about phone adapters
Can I use my Lightning headphones with a new iPhone?
Yes, with a Lightning to USB-C adapter that carries sound. Check that the listing says it supports audio, as not every Lightning adapter does.
Will an adapter slow my charging?
It can. The phone, the charger, the cable and the adapter together set the speed, so an adapter rated for less than the rest holds the whole chain back. The guide to fast charging explains.
How long does delivery take?
Delivery is included in every price and tracked to your door. Each product page says when it usually arrives.
More to look at