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USB-C Pin Assignments and Specifications for Type-C Receptacle

User question

What are the USB-C pin assignments and specifications?

Artificial Intelligence Response

Direct answer to the question

USB Type-C is a 24-contact, reversible connector system. The pinout is fixed, but the capabilities are not: a USB-C port may implement only USB 2.0 + charging, or it may also implement USB 3.2, USB4, USB Power Delivery (PD), and Alternate Modes such as DisplayPort. In other words, USB-C defines the connector, not automatically the data rate or power level. (usb.org)

USB-C receptacle pin assignment
(front view, looking into the device receptacle)

Pin Signal Function Pin Signal Function
A1 GND Ground return B12 GND Ground return
A2 TX1+ SuperSpeed transmit pair 1 B11 RX1+ SuperSpeed receive pair 1
A3 TX1− SuperSpeed transmit pair 1 B10 RX1− SuperSpeed receive pair 1
A4 VBUS Bus power B9 VBUS Bus power
A5 CC1 Configuration Channel 1 B8 SBU2 Sideband Use 2
A6 D+ USB 2.0 pair, position 1 B7 D− USB 2.0 pair, position 2
A7 D− USB 2.0 pair, position 1 B6 D+ USB 2.0 pair, position 2
A8 SBU1 Sideband Use 1 B5 CC2 Configuration Channel 2
A9 VBUS Bus power B4 VBUS Bus power
A10 RX2− SuperSpeed receive pair 2 B3 TX2− SuperSpeed transmit pair 2
A11 RX2+ SuperSpeed receive pair 2 B2 TX2+ SuperSpeed transmit pair 2
A12 GND Ground return B1 GND Ground return

This mapping comes from the USB-IF Type-C receptacle table. The official naming is TXp1/TXn1, RXp1/RXn1, Dp1/Dn1, etc.; the table above uses the more familiar +/− notation. (usb.org)

Key points

  • VBUS/GND: four power pins and four ground pins share current and reduce resistance. (usb.org)
  • CC1/CC2: detect attach/orientation, advertise current, carry USB PD communication, and can provide VCONN on the unused CC pin. (usb.org)
  • D+/D−: USB 2.0 data path up to 480 Mb/s. (usb.org)
  • TX/RX pairs: used for USB 3.2 and USB4 high-speed data. (usb.org)
  • SBU1/SBU2: sideband lines for Alternate Modes and USB4 sideband signaling. (usb.org)

Detailed problem analysis

USB-C is best understood as five signal groups sharing one connector:

  1. Power rails: VBUS and GND
  2. Configuration: CC1 and CC2
  3. Legacy data: USB 2.0 D+/D−
  4. High-speed lanes: TX/RX differential pairs
  5. Auxiliary lines: SBU1/SBU2 (usb.org)

1) Power pins: VBUS and GND

USB-C provides four VBUS contacts and four ground contacts. In a compliant implementation these are bussed together so the connector can carry higher current with acceptable contact heating and lower effective resistance. The Type-C spec’s DC requirements list 40 mΩ maximum initial low-level contact resistance and a contact-current test based on 5 A collectively on VBUS, plus current on the other contacts as applicable. (usb.org)

A subtle but important point is that VBUS is not supposed to be treated as “always present” in a native USB-C attachment. The USB-IF text states that VBUS is present only when a valid Source-to-Sink connection over the CC channel has been established. That is why CC handling is mandatory in a correct USB-C design. (usb.org)

2) CC pins: the “brains” of USB-C

The Configuration Channel pins, CC1 and CC2, are what make USB-C reversible and role-aware. They are used for:

  • cable attach detection,
  • plug orientation detection,
  • source/sink role establishment,
  • Type-C current advertisement,
  • USB Power Delivery communication,
  • VCONN supply to active/e-marked cables on the unused CC pin. (usb.org)

Without USB PD, Type-C still supports current advertisement levels beyond legacy USB default power. USB-IF material shows the power precedence as:

  • Default USB power,
  • USB Type-C Current @ 1.5 A,
  • USB Type-C Current @ 3.0 A,
  • USB PD at the highest precedence. (usb.org)

USB PD communication itself is carried over the CC wire using BMC signaling. That PD channel is what negotiates voltages and currents beyond the default 5 V attachment behavior. (usb.org)

3) USB 2.0 lines: D+/D−

USB-C keeps backward compatibility with USB 2.0 by providing two D+/D− positions in the receptacle, one for each plug orientation. The USB-IF receptacle table labels them Dp1/Dn1 and Dp2/Dn2. However, in a cable there is typically only one USB 2.0 wire pair, and the receptacle side handles the flip condition. The official Type-C note explicitly says that B6 and B7 should not be present in the USB Type-C plug. (usb.org)

That point corrects a common oversimplification: a “24-pin connector” does not mean a standard cable always contains 24 independently wired end-to-end conductors. For USB 2.0 operation, the cable implementation is intentionally simpler. (usb.org)

4) SuperSpeed / USB4 lanes

The four high-speed differential pairs are:

  • TX1+/−
  • RX1+/−
  • TX2+/−
  • RX2+/− (usb.org)

These lanes support:

  • USB 3.2 Gen 1 = 5 Gb/s
  • USB 3.2 Gen 2 = 10 Gb/s
  • USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 = 20 Gb/s
  • USB 40Gbps / 80Gbps product classes in newer USB-IF guidance. (usb.org)

USB-IF’s 2022 USB4 Version 2.0 announcement also states support for up to 120 Gb/s in one direction while retaining 40 Gb/s in the other direction for asymmetric operation. (usb.org)

5) SBU pins and Alternate Modes

The SBU1/SBU2 pins are reserved for low-speed sideband functions. USB-IF material identifies them as Sideband Use, and notes that for USB4 they are used for SBTX/SBRX sideband signaling. When Alternate Modes are supported, USB PD Structured VDMs are used to discover, configure, and enter/exit those modes. (usb.org)

In practice, this is how protocols such as DisplayPort Alt Mode are enabled over the USB-C connector. The key engineering takeaway is that Alternate Mode is not automatic just because the connector is USB-C; the product must explicitly support it and negotiate it over PD. (usb.org)


Current information and trends

As of May 7, 2026, the publicly searchable USB-IF material still points to the familiar public Type-C Release 2.0 pin table for the receptacle layout, while USB-IF compliance updates reference later base-spec updates such as Release 2.1 and a Type-C r2.3 ECN for contact-current clarification in March 2025. The pinout itself is stable; what has evolved more recently is certification policy, high-power support, and cable labeling. (usb.org)

The two most important modern changes are:

  • USB PD 3.1 / EPR, which enables certified USB-C power up to 240 W,
  • newer USB-IF performance branding, including USB 80Gbps products and cables. (usb.org)

USB-IF compliance policy also now requires certified USB-C to USB-C cables to be marked with their power capability and, except for high-speed USB 2.0-only cables, their data-rate capability. (compliance.usb.org)


Supporting explanations and details

Specification summary

Item Practical meaning
Connector type 24-contact reversible connector
USB 2.0 speed Up to 480 Mb/s
USB 3.2 speeds 5, 10, 20 Gb/s
USB performance branding now used by USB-IF 5, 10, 20, 40, 80 Gb/s
USB4 v2 asymmetric mode Up to 120 Gb/s one-way / 40 Gb/s reverse
Type-C current levels without PD Default USB power, 1.5 A, 3.0 A
USB PD current Up to 5 A
USB PD 3.1 EPR Up to 240 W
Durability 10,000 mating cycles minimum
Initial contact resistance 40 mΩ max

This summary is compiled from USB-IF specification excerpts, product-guideline documents, and compliance updates. (usb.org)

Important cable reality

A USB 2.0 Type-C cable physically does not support USB 3.2 or USB4 signaling, and its TX/RX and SBU signals are not implemented. So two devices with USB-C connectors may still link only at USB 2.0 speeds if the cable is the limiting element. (usb.org)


Ethical and legal aspects

From a compliance perspective, USB-IF states that a product with a USB Type-C connector shall only use USB-defined signaling methods to negotiate power over that connector. In other words, proprietary charging tricks over CC are not acceptable for certified USB-C products. (compliance.usb.org)

For safety and user transparency, certified cables are expected to carry appropriate power and performance markings. This matters especially for 240 W / EPR applications, where cable quality, e-marking, and certification are not optional from a responsible engineering standpoint. (usb.org)


Practical guidelines

  • Do not assume “USB-C” means high speed, video, or 240 W. Check the implemented protocol set and the cable rating. (usb.org)
  • For a USB 2.0-only product, a compliant USB 2.0 Type-C implementation can omit the SuperSpeed and SBU functions. (usb.org)
  • For PD or active/e-marked cable support, the design must properly handle CC/VCONN behavior. (usb.org)
  • For Alternate Modes, use PD discovery/entry and provide Billboard support where required by the USB-IF rules. (usb.org)
  • For 240 W designs, use certified 240 W cables and expect explicit power markings. (usb.org)

Possible disclaimers or additional notes

One nuance in public USB-IF search results is that the most easily accessible full pin table is still associated with the August 2019 Release 2.0 Type-C document, while more recent USB-IF compliance pages reference 2021–2025 updates. That does not create ambiguity in the pin assignment itself; it mainly affects certification requirements, cable classes, contact-current clarifications, and product labeling. (usb.org)


Suggestions for further research

If you want to go deeper, the next useful documents to study are:

  • the USB Type-C Cable and Connector Specification,
  • the USB Power Delivery Specification,
  • the USB4 Specification,
  • and, if relevant, DisplayPort Alt Mode over USB-C materials. (usb.org)

Brief summary

  • USB-C uses a fixed 24-contact pinout with power, ground, CC, USB 2.0, SuperSpeed, and SBU pins. (usb.org)
  • The CC pins are central: they determine orientation, negotiate power roles, carry PD signaling, and can provide VCONN. (usb.org)
  • The connector alone does not guarantee USB 3.x, USB4, video, or high power; those depend on the implemented features and the cable. (usb.org)
  • Modern certified USB-C ecosystems now span from USB 2.0/480 Mb/s up to USB 80Gbps, and from default 5 V attachment up to 240 W with USB PD 3.1 EPR. (usb.org)

If you want, I can next provide either:

  1. the USB-C plug pinout,
  2. a minimal USB-C sink/source schematic, or
  3. PCB routing rules for USB-C SuperSpeed pairs.

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Disclaimer: The responses provided by artificial intelligence (language model) may be inaccurate and misleading. Elektroda is not responsible for the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of the presented information. All responses should be verified by the user.