The Best Ways to Use Spare USB Ports on Your TV or Monitor.
If you’ve looked at the back of your computer monitor or TV lately, you might have noticed a USB port or two next to the more familiar HDMI port—and this, in turn, might have made you wonder what a USB port on the back of a big screen is even for. In fact, those USB ports have many more uses than you might think.
Their exact purpose will depend on the make and model of your TV and monitor, and their primary uses typically vary. However, we can outline how to use these ports and some of the options available to you, so you can check what’s supported on your specific device.
Additional ports allow you to charge your devices.
This is crucial because it applies to virtually all USB ports on TVs and monitors: you can connect small gadgets like phones and charge them, although charging speeds and supported devices may vary, especially on TVs. At the very least, this will save you the trouble of searching for an available outlet.
High-end monitors with USB Power Delivery (USB-PD) support can sometimes charge larger devices, such as laptops, while simultaneously providing a video connection via the same USB-C cable. This is worth considering when choosing a monitor, as it helps reduce desk clutter and improves usability—for example, the Dell U2725QE 4K monitor for $620 is one such example.
Android smartphones and monitors can offer the added benefit of supporting a desktop on a larger screen, as well as charging the device. Both Samsung DeX and the recently launched Pixel Desktop Mode allow for this use, allowing you to connect a desktop or laptop via HDMI and your phone via USB-C.
Install a USB hub for neater cable management.
In addition to charging devices, some monitors also feature USB hub functionality, especially higher-end models—if your monitor has multiple USB-A ports on the back, they’re likely designed for this purpose.
Instead of connecting all your peripherals to your laptop or desktop computer, you can connect them to a monitor. This solution often looks neater and eliminates the need for a separate USB hub on your desktop—it connects to the computer via a separate USB cable unless it’s connected via a single data and video cable.
Some models even feature an Ethernet port, providing a high-speed wired internet connection for your laptop. The ViewSonic VG2456 with 1080p resolution for $260 is one such model, and they often offer excellent value for office use.
Connect external storage to view photos and videos.
This is the primary way to connect an external USB drive to a TV, including some Samsung models : you can plug the external USB drive into the back of the TV and access photos, videos, or audio files on it, provided the drive and file formats are supported. You can also do this through the USB ports on monitors using the USB hub feature mentioned above.
If you have a large local media library stored somewhere, this is a quick and easy way to display those media files on a larger screen (instead of using services like Plex ). You probably won’t get the most advanced user interface you’ve ever seen, but it will work.
With the rise of streaming and faster Wi-Fi connections, this feature is becoming less common, but it still exists—refer to your TV’s documentation for details ( Sony’s instructions are here ). A portable drive, such as the $90 WD Elements, should work, but be sure to check the requirements specified by your TV manufacturer.
Setting up a KVM switch for multiple devices
A variation on the USB hub idea is a KVM (keyboard, video, mouse) switch, which can be incredibly useful if you have multiple computers (such as a laptop and a desktop) connected to a monitor. You can connect a keyboard and mouse to the USB ports on the display and then use them to control each computer in turn.
You can purchase these KVM switches separately, but having a switch built into your monitor will reduce the amount of wiring you’ll have to manage. Once your peripherals are connected, you can typically switch between them via the monitor’s on-screen menu or a dedicated hardware button.
You may have already had this feature on your monitor without even realizing it. A good example of such a display is the $800 Gigabyte M32U 4K gaming monitor , which has a built-in button for switching between computers (plus a host of other high-end features, as you’d expect at this price).
These additional ports also support a variety of other devices.
Almost any device that can be powered by USB can be connected to one of the available ports on your TV or monitor (as long as the power supply and power consumption are adequate). You might want to add a desk fan for cooling during the summer months, or perhaps you’d like to get creative and create a smart lighting system .
For monitors with USB hub functionality, consider options like microphones, webcams, and game controllers—all of which are easier to connect to a larger screen than to a laptop (if your laptop even has any free USB ports).
It’s worth checking behind the back of your TVs and monitors to see what’s there—you might not be using these devices to their full potential. This is also something to consider when you next upgrade your equipment.