With a data cable, you can transfer data between devices. Make a backup of the photos on your smartphone on your laptop or computer, for example. You connect smartphones to your laptop with a USB-A or USB-C cable, depending on which port your laptop has. Get a cable with a Lightning connector on the other side to connect your iPhone 14 or older iPad models. Newer iPad models, the iPhone 15, and all smartphones and tablets from Samsung and other brands have a USB-C port. You connect these with a USB-C cable.