Deciding which USB adapters to keep can be confusing given how many varieties have accumulated as devices have shifted between connector types over the past decade. The article argues most people should sort their collection based on which ports their current devices actually use, keeping the most versatile adapters and discarding truly obsolete ones.

The most essential adapter converts between USB-C and USB-A, since USB-C now dominates phones, tablets and accessories while USB-A persists on desktops, laptops, cars and peripherals like mice and keyboards; a good USB-C hub is also worth having for expanded connectivity. Other adapters worth retaining include Lightning-to-USB-C converters for older Apple devices (pre-iPhone 15, pre-10th-generation iPad), USB-C to 3.5mm adapters for wired headphones given most modern phones lack headphone jacks, and spare USB Wi-Fi or Bluetooth dongles for desktop computers as a backup in case built-in wireless connections fail.