Ultimate Backup SSD has shipped in two versions, and the difference is the cable in the box. Match yours to the pictures below.
Version 1: the two-headed cable
The cable that came with the drive unplugs from the drive, and it ends in a small oval USB-C plug with a wider, flat USB-A adapter tethered to it on a short loop. The USB-C plug goes straight into a USB-C iPhone or iPad, an Android phone or tablet, or a newer Mac or PC. For a computer with the older rectangular USB-A port, push the USB-A adapter onto the USB-C plug first, then plug the two together into the computer. No Keeper Connector is needed with this version.
The most common mix-up: the USB-A adapter does nothing on its own. If it is plugged into the computer while the USB-C plug dangles loose beside it, the drive is not connected to anything and will not show up. Seat the adapter on the USB-C plug first, as in the right-hand picture. Adding a store-bought adapter on top of the loose USB-A piece does not help either — it is still not attached to the drive's cable. If your computer only has USB-C ports, you do not need any adapter at all: plug the cable's own USB-C plug straight in.
This is what the current box looks like:
Version 2: the fixed USB-A cable with a Keeper Connector
The cable is fixed to the drive — it does not unplug — and ends in a single wide, flat USB-A tip. The box also holds a small white Keeper Connector. The cable plugs into a computer on its own. To reach a phone or tablet, push the Keeper Connector onto the end of the cable, then plug the Connector's USB-C side into your iPhone, iPad or Android device. If the Connector is lost, contact our support team and we will help you get a replacement.
What plugs into what
Either way, the drive connects directly only to phones and tablets with a USB-C port. An iPhone or iPad with a Lightning port, or an Android phone with a Micro-USB port, is backed up through Manual Backup Mode, which uses a computer to complete the process.
| Your device | Two-headed cable (detachable) | Fixed USB-A cable + Keeper Connector |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone or iPad with a USB-C port | USB-C plug (adapter left hanging) | Cable → Keeper Connector → USB-C side |
| iPhone or iPad with a Lightning port | Not directly — use Manual Backup Mode through a computer | |
| Android phone or tablet with a USB-C port | USB-C plug (adapter left hanging) | Cable → Keeper Connector → USB-C side |
| Android phone with a Micro-USB port | Not directly — use Manual Backup Mode through a computer | |
| Windows PC or Mac | USB-A adapter pushed onto the USB-C plug; on a newer computer the USB-C plug alone | Cable on its own; add the Keeper Connector if the computer only has USB-C ports |
The Keeper Connector is not the same as the adapter that comes with Ultimate Backup MAX — see What is the Ultimate Backup MAX adapter?
If you need any additional assistance, please contact Ultimate Backup Support.