{"id":561101,"date":"2026-03-26T02:36:12","date_gmt":"2026-03-26T02:36:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/561101\/"},"modified":"2026-03-26T02:36:12","modified_gmt":"2026-03-26T02:36:12","slug":"5-weird-things-you-can-plug-into-your-phones-usb-port","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/561101\/","title":{"rendered":"5 weird things you can plug into your Phone’s USB port"},"content":{"rendered":"

These days, most smartphones have a USB-C port that you only use for one thing: charging. And while we’ve recently explained that the USB-C port on an iPhone, Galaxy, or Android can do a lot more than that<\/a>, it can also power all sorts of wild gadgets. Here are five things you probably didn’t know you could plug into your phone’s USB port.<\/p>\n

USB-powered bug bite healer<\/p>\n

Stop the itching before it starts<\/p>\n

\"Woman
\n Credit:\u00a0Heat it<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n

Did you know that applying gentle heat is the fastest and easiest way to reduce itching after a bug bite? By adding heat, up to around 124 degrees, you’ll reduce swelling and soothe those itchy insect bites. As someone who lives in Texas and deals with a ton of mosquitoes, I’ve used a bug bite burner for years<\/a>.<\/p>\n

And then I found a little gadget called the Heat It, a USB smartphone-powered insect bite healer<\/a>. Seriously, you can plug this tiny dongle into your USB-C port, fire up the app, and apply enough heat to reduce a bug bite without burning or irritating your skin. Sure, it’ll sting for a moment, but it’s nothing you can’t handle. After a few seconds, the heat goes away, and the itching does, too.<\/p>\n

This tiny Heat It dongle comes in USB-C or Lightning port variants and is small enough to put on a keychain, so it’s always ready when needed. Take it camping, or throw one in your emergency supply stash. You’ll be glad you did.<\/p>\n

Power a thermal imaging camera<\/p>\n

It’s more useful than you’d think<\/p>\n

\"Thermal
\n Credit:\u00a0Amazon<\/a><\/p>\n

While there are several unconventional things you can plug into a phone<\/a>, one that many people don’t think about is a thermal imaging camera. Professionals and aspiring DIYers alike will appreciate this one. If you’re trying to mount a TV and want to run cables behind the wall, something like this TopDon USB-C thermal image camera<\/a> can find electrical cables or other things to avoid while drilling.<\/p>\n

You can use one to check the temperature on heater vents, see through a propane tank, check doorways for cold air leaks in the winter, and much more. Some models even have higher resolution<\/a> or adjustable focus dials. Neat, right?<\/p>\n

Digital microscopes over USB-C<\/p>\n

Visit a new world through your phone<\/p>\n

\"Digital
\n Credit:\u00a0Plugable<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n

Similarly, you can use the USB port on your phone to power things like a digital microscope, borescopes (endoscopes) for hard-to-reach places, and more. The popular accessory brand Plugable makes a 250x magnification USB-C digital microscope<\/a> that you’ll have a ton of fun using. These are perfect for work, play, or a great way for kids to learn.<\/p>\n

I have a flexible USB-C Endoscope camera<\/a> with a built-in light that I can put into walls, behind a TV to check the ports, or use while working on my truck. It’ll even let me snap photos in hard-to-reach places. It’s more handy than you think.<\/p>\n

Anti-dust and sand plugs<\/p>\n

For your next beach day or vacation<\/p>\n

\"USB-C
\n Credit:\u00a0Amazon<\/a><\/p>\n

While this next thing isn’t as wild as a thermal imaging camera, it’s something most people never think about but should. Consider these neat USB-C dust plugs<\/a> the next time you’re headed to the beach on vacation, a water park, or anywhere else you might want to protect your phone. They’re a great way to keep your charging port free and clear of dust, dirt, lint, debris, and even water.<\/p>\n

I have a few USB-C plugs on my MacBook to keep the ports clean while traveling in my backpack, and I used one on my phone at the beach this summer. Sand gets everywhere quickly, and this little gadget can stop it in its tracks. You can buy plugs for USB-C, Lightning, Micro-USB, and more.<\/p>\n

Power a mini fan<\/p>\n

Stay cool<\/p>\n

\"USB-C
\n Credit:\u00a0Amazon<\/a><\/p>\n

How many times have you jumped on a plane or sat in a doctor’s waiting room and wished it were a bit cooler? Airplanes get hot on the runway, and some offices lack air conditioning. Luckily, you read this article and bought a little USB-powered mini fan<\/a>. Sure, it’s a bit silly, but if you’ve ever been stuck on the runway in Las Vegas in the dead of summer, you know how much of a lifesaver a tiny little fan can be.<\/p>\n

Many fans can recharge over USB-C, but this one gets power directly from your phone. They work great in a pinch, have an adjustable head, and come in some fun colors.<\/p>\n

Infinite possibilities<\/p>\n

I wanted to keep this list short, but it’s also worth mentioning that you can buy little USB-C-powered speakers that plug right into your phone, portable monitors, game controllers, and more.<\/p>\n

While slightly different, when I’ve been camping, I’ve used the USB-C port on my phone to power string lights, recharge a small flashlight, and power a USB Arc lighter<\/a> to start a campfire. You can even turn your USB-C port into a magnetic charging port<\/a>, so if someone trips on the cable, your phone won’t go flying.<\/p>\n

Obviously, battery life will always be a concern, and you’ll have to decide how much juice you want to drain from your phone to run a controller, speakers, or something like an Endoscope or a bug bite healer.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"These days, most smartphones have a USB-C port that you only use for one thing: charging. And while…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":561102,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[49,48,190,61],"class_list":{"0":"post-561101","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-mobile","8":"tag-ca","9":"tag-canada","10":"tag-mobile","11":"tag-technology"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/561101","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=561101"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/561101\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/561102"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=561101"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=561101"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=561101"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}