How long is too long for a USB cable? By Robin Bea Oct. 31, 2026 12:15 pm EST hodim/Shutterstock Add Engadget on Google: Google Discover

One of the best things about USB is that you rarely need to think about it. Sure, there are some differences between USB generations, but no matter what, if you plug a USB cable into a compatible device, it will work without issues, as long as the cable isn't too long, that is. Of course, you're unlikely to need an extremely lengthy USB cable — unlike, say, HDMI cables — but if you ever do, there are limits to USB cable length that you should be aware of.