Thunderbolt 3 Adapters

Originally published in 2017. Updated in January, 2026.

Thunderbolt technology was developed by Apple and Intel as a high speed interface, and has been included on Apple machines for quite some time. It has had a major change with the 3rd iteration, becoming the same physical port as USB Type-C. This created a universal port which handles many different tasks and protocols through the same interface. Much easier!

Here’s a list of helpful adapters you may need with your Mac.

Apple Thunderbolt 3 to Thunderbolt 2 Adapter

This adapter turns one of your Thunderbolt USB-C ports back into a Thunderbolt 2 port allowing you to connect legacy Thunderbolt 2 peripherals. This also carries the Mini DisplayPort for displays requiring this connectivity.

Apple USB-C to USB Adapter

A simple one. Turning one port back into a USB-A form factor at USB 3 speeds. Perfect for your keyboard, mouse, or external storage.

Apple USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter

Apple’s Digital AV Adapter not only includes an HDMI port, it also includes a power passthrough USB-C port if that’s how you charge your MacBook, plus a USB-A port too for wired accessories. Particularly useful if you have an HDMI monitor which includes a built in USB hub, giving you a single cable to connect it all in to your Mac.

Did we mention that this also works with your USB-C equipped iPad?

So, while there may be ‘value’ alternatives to these Apple adapters available via popular online market places, they typically lack all of the features offered by the original Apple option, and certainly lack the full support of Apple and their operating systems to get the most out of your hardware.