Show HN: USB Connection Info – Mac Menu Bar App to Avoid Cable Confusion
apps.apple.comLike many of you, I've collected a drawer full of USB-C cables over the years. And like many of you, I've experienced the frustration of plugging in a "fast" external SSD, only to see abysmal transfer speeds. Recently, I got a new SSD, excited to finally get some quick backups going. Plugged it in, started copying, and watched the progress show hours for a few GB. My immediate thought: DOA drive, or worse, I was scammed.
After some head scratching and cable swapping, I discovered the culprit: a USB-C cable that was only negotiating USB 2.0 speeds. It looked identical to my other cables, but its internal wiring was effectively throttling my transfer rates. It's a common problem, made worse by the visually similar USB-C cables despite their vast range of capabilities.
I knew macOS's System Information panel could show me the current USB connection speed, but digging through that every time I connected a new device or swapped a cable was just too much friction for my workflow. I figured there had to be a better way.
So, I decided to build it. I've developed several Mac apps in Swift before, but this was my first dive into menu bar applications and background processes. It was a fun challenge to integrate with the system in a lightweight, background application format.
The result is USB Connection Information. It's a small menu bar app that displays the active USB connection speed for your devices at a glance. It shows speed, USB version, wattage, device manufacturer, and more. No more guessing, no more deep dives into system panels. My goal was simply to solve a recurring annoyance I faced, and I hope it can help others avoid similar headaches!
It's now available on the Mac App Store, supporting macOS 13.0 and forward.
You can find it here: https://apps.apple.com/app/id6747853674
I'm keen to hear your thoughts, feedback, and if this is a problem you've faced too!