How to tighten a loose USB connection

Symptoms of a loose USB jack

One day I was trying to configure my new USB-MIDI adapter, and I noticed that intermittently the adapter's power-indicating LED would turn off and my computer would complain of a dropped connection. At first I thought it was a bad connection inside the adapter, maybe a loose wire,, so I opened the adapter and inspected all the soldered connections—everything looked fine. Then I noticed that when I wiggled the USB plug, the connection was intermittent. The plug, on close inspection, looked just like other USB plugs I have, and clean.

Tightening the jack

Two USB jacks. The pairs of tabs on the bottom are for grasping a USB plug. Note the second tab from the left hasn't yet been pried up.

A quick search online, "macbook pro usb poor physical connection" pointed me to https://serato.com/forum/discussion/1099009 , where comments provided me with enough courage to try improving the hold of the USB jacks inside my computer. I bent two metal tabs in the jack that press the plug so that the gold-plated tongues on the plug press against the gold-plated tongues on the jack. While working on the jack, I also cleaned it.

Tools

1. Work-light
2. Tiny flat screwdriver
3. Rubbing alcohol
4. Cotton swabs
5. Needle-nose pliers

Procedure

Prying a metal tab in a USB jack.

With the tiny screwdriver, gently pry the beveled tabs further into the cavity, but no more than a millimeter. The ends of the tabs should still be in the recess, so that they don't catch the edge of the plug. Do not be tempted to pry the gold-plated connectors themselves, since they can easily be pulled out of the fold that keeps them in.

Flattening a cotton swab with pliers

To clean the jack, flatten a cotton swab, wet with a drop of alcohol, and swab the insides of the jack.

Results of tightening the jack

When I first followed the above procedure, I found the jacks to be tighter, that they held a USB plug more firmly, but it was still possible to wiggle the plug and drop the connection temporarily.

Tightening the plug

Squeeze the USB plug slightly for a tighter fit. Caution—A malformed plug may damage the jack in the computer.

I gave the plug itself a squeeze with the pliers, so that the gap inside the plug was slightly smaller. Just squeezing with fingers is adequate; if the plug is too misshapen, it might not fit well, or even damage the jack.

Results of tightening the plug

Now the connection was very firm, and dropouts were impossible to induce. I don't know whether just tightening the plug would have worked just as well, but I think both sides will work better from now on.