Yes, USB 3.0 has been designed to be backwards compatible with, and the USB 3.0 A type connectors (computer) and B type connectors (peripheral) are plug compatible with USB2.0 A type and B type cable ends.
The USB 2.0 A type female connector will also accept a USB 3.0 A type male cable end.
All that will happen if you plug a USB 2.0 device into a USB 3.0 port is that the connection will run at normal USB 2.0 speeds.
USB Cable connections
http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/10things/10-things-you-should-know-about-usb-20-and-30/1265
Hello, Do you know If a USB 3.0 flash drive or hard drive will work on USB 2.0 ports? Meaning that I will not get the extra speed but It will work as a USB 2.0 device?
Yes, all USB 3.0 devices are by definition backwards compatible with the USB 2.0 A type port in computers.
Keep in mind however that the 2.0 speed will be lower, and may be unusable for certain types of uses (like video), that some USB devices rely on USB bus power, which may not be sufficient from some USB 2.0 ports, and that software drivers for the device may still be necessary for operation.
Thank you! 🙂
i bought new hp pavilion laptop that have USB 3.0 A type female connectors but it doesn’t want to support USB 2.0 A type male cable end and flash memory
help me please solve my problem???????
Need to know more details before I can help. But being a new machine you should probably contact HP support to solve your problem. A USB 3.0 A type Female jack is the same physically as a USB 2.0 A type female jack, with the addition of some extra contacts. So if the cable end doesn’t physically fit it means that likely the male end is damaged. Make sure it is a USB port you are using, not a HDMI or a DisplayPort jack. If the plug fits but the device doesn’t respond, then you have a driver problem, a cable problem or a dead flash memory.
The USB Micro A and B jacks do differ, but a micro 2.0 male should still fit a USB 3.0 micro female.