Computer Basics · Meet Your Computer · Lesson 4 of 5

Plugs, Ports & Chargers

What each hole on the side is for, safe charging, and the TV.

What each port is for

Look along the sides of a laptop, or the back of a desktop. You will see small holes of different shapes. Each one is a port. A port is a place to plug in a cable or a device.

The shape tells you what fits. Here are the common ones:

• USB-C: a small oval. On many laptops it charges the computer, moves files and connects a screen. It fits either way up.
• USB-A: a flat rectangle. It is for a mouse, a keyboard or a flash drive. A flash drive is a small stick that holds files.
• HDMI: wider, with two slanted corners on one side. It connects the computer to a TV or a bigger screen.
• Headphone jack: a small round hole for headphones.
• SD card slot: a thin slot for the memory card from a camera.
• Ethernet: a wide, square hole for a wired internet cable. Many thin laptops don't have one.

Not every computer has every port. That is normal.

If a plug doesn't slide in easily, stop. Check the shape. A USB-A plug only fits one way up, so try turning it over. Never force it.

On the practice computer, tap each port on the side of the laptop. Read what it does. Then answer the mini quiz at the end.

Charging safely and using a TV

A laptop runs on its battery. When the battery gets low, you plug in the charger. The charger is the cable and block that bring power from the wall.

Many new laptops charge through a USB-C port. Others use their own round plug, called a barrel plug.

A few safety tips:

• Use the charger that came with the computer. Or use one the maker says is right.
• A charger that doesn't match may charge slowly or not at all. A poor one can even get too hot.
• Don't cover the charger with blankets or pillows while it works.
• If a cable is frayed or cracked, stop using it and get a new one.

To check the battery on Windows, find the battery symbol near the clock. It is at the bottom right. On a Mac, it is near the top-right corner.

Now the TV. You can show your laptop's screen on a TV with an HDMI cable:

1. Plug one end into the laptop and the other end into the TV.
2. Use the TV remote to choose the HDMI input. The button is often called Input or Source.
3. Your laptop's screen should appear on the TV.

Does your laptop only have USB-C ports? Then you may need a small USB-C to HDMI adapter.