Why some USB ports are yellow (and less common than others)

Yellow USB-A ports usually mean Always On charging, but the particulars are up to the manufacturer.

By Thomas Godwin Nov. 14, 2026 4:15 pm EST luisleyra/Shutterstock Add Engadget on Google: Google Discover

A yellow USB port usually marks an "Always On" port, meaning it will continue to charge your device once you turn the computer off. It's one of several colors on USB-A ports, but none are an industry standard. 

For example, the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) recommends one insert color, a specific blue, to help people tell the difference between USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 ports. However, this is just a suggestion, not a mandate. Every other color, yellow included, is a convention manufacturers can follow or not.