WhatCable
WhatCable is a macOS menu bar utility that shows what connected USB-C cables can do, including charging, data, and display capabilities.
What is WhatCable?
WhatCable is a menu bar utility for macOS that helps you identify the real capabilities of the USB-C cables connected to your Mac. It is designed for people who want a clearer view of charging behavior, data speed support, and display-related limits without digging through technical system tools. The app updates as you connect or disconnect cables and presents a plain-language summary for each USB-C port. It can help you understand why charging is slow, whether a cable supports higher-speed data modes, and whether a display connection is being limited by the cable or adapter in use. WhatCable is built for Apple Silicon Macs and is distributed outside the Mac App Store because it relies on low-level hardware access for its diagnostics.
Key features
- Show a plain-language summary of what each connected USB-C cable supports
- Identify charging limits and help explain slow charging behavior
- Reveal supported data and transport capabilities for connected cables
- Display per-port connection status as devices and cables are plugged in or removed
- Help spot cable or adapter limits affecting external display connections
- Offer optional command-line access for terminal-based diagnostics
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Safety overview
Status: Mostly safe
WhatCable is intended to inspect USB-C connection details on your Mac, so low-level hardware access is consistent with its purpose. The app is distributed outside the Mac App Store and the publisher states that releases are signed and notarized by Apple, which is a positive sign, but you should still install it only from the official WhatCable site or the publisher's official Homebrew tap. If you use WhatCable Pro, the app stores license information locally and the service keeps activation details for licensed Macs. Review the code-signing details in Finder or Gatekeeper if you want extra assurance before opening it.
Recommendation: Keep WhatCable if you use it to troubleshoot USB-C charging, cable capability, or display connection issues on an Apple Silicon Mac. If you no longer need those diagnostics, you can remove it like any other app without affecting macOS, though you will lose its cable and port insights.
Common paths
/Applications/WhatCable.app
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