What does the battery symbol next to a USB port mean?

A battery symbol next to a USB port typically indicates that the port supports USB Power Delivery (USB PD). Introduced in 2012 , prior to the widespread adoption of USB-C , the USB PD protocol is designed to handle significantly higher power levels than standard USB ports. Following a 2021 update , USB PD can now deliver up to 240W of power, making it capable of running demanding hardware like high-end laptops and external monitors.