2020 M1 Air and USB A to C adapters

[pumanger]

I have a 2020 M1 Air with the latest OS. I just bought two different USB A to C adapters that I can use my external hard disks with them. One adapter is a original Apple product and the other is third party. The disks do not need external power supply.

Neither one of the adapters work. The disks do not get power (no lights on the SSD disks, no spinning HDD) when using the adapters. If I use a normal USB A-C cable they work just fine.

Why do they not work with the adapters?

PS: I have some disks that require an adapter. That's why I am not always able to use a normal USB C - A cable.

 

[canuckRus]

I have a 2020 M1 Air with the latest OS. I just bought two different USB A to C adapters that I can use my external hard disks with them. One adapter is a original Apple product and the other is third party. The disks do not need external power supply.

Neither one of the adapters work. The disks do not get power (no lights on the SSD disks, no spinning HDD) when using the adapters. If I use a normal USB A-C cable they work just fine.

Why do they not work with the adapters?

PS: I have some disks that require an adapter. That's why I am not always able to use a normal USB C - A cable.

Never had problem with an adapter properly inserted. Ever considered using a hub or multiport adapter instead?

 

[pumanger]

Ok, maybe it was just a user error, but it seems that both of the adapters work just fine with all of my external disks after all.

 

[August West]

I just used an old WD Passport spinny disk to move some files from my M1 MBA to my desktop. Used one of the generic USB A - USB C adapters I got off of Amazon a few years ago and it worked flawlessly. I've got a couple of these adapters laying around they've never failed to work for me. I also use one from time to time to charge my iPhone 13 from the MBA using a USB A Lightning cable.

 

[SlipSlidinAwa]

I have a 2020 M1 Air with the latest OS. I just bought two different USB A to C adapters that I can use my external hard disks with them. One adapter is a original Apple product and the other is third party. The disks do not need external power supply.

Neither one of the adapters work. The disks do not get power (no lights on the SSD disks, no spinning HDD) when using the adapters. If I use a normal USB A-C cable they work just fine.

Why do they not work with the adapters?

PS: I have some disks that require an adapter. That's why I am not always able to use a normal USB C - A cable.

Use the OWC 6 way adapter which gets its power from the M1 Air. Works for me.