USB 1.1
USB · 4 specs
Direct Answer
USB 1.1, released in September 1998, was the first widely adopted USB standard -- 12 Mbit/s Full Speed for most peripherals, with a 1.5 Mbit/s Low Speed mode for mice and keyboards. The original USB 1.0 from January 1996 saw little real-world adoption before 1.1 quickly superseded it.
Source: USB-IF · Last reviewed Aug 28, 2026
Specs
| Released | September 1998 |
| Full Speed | 12 Mbit/s |
| Low Speed | 1.5 Mbit/s |
| Predecessor | USB 1.0 (January 1996, limited real-world adoption) |
The Version That Actually Shipped
USB 1.0 was published in January 1996, but hub-related interoperability problems and thin device support meant very few products actually shipped with it. USB 1.1, released in September 1998, fixed those issues and is generally regarded as the first USB version that reached meaningful real-world adoption -- most of what's remembered as "early USB" is really USB 1.1 hardware.
Its two speed modes served different purposes: 12 Mbit/s Full Speed for devices like early scanners and audio hardware, and a much slower 1.5 Mbit/s Low Speed mode intended for simple, latency-tolerant peripherals like mice and keyboards, which didn't need Full Speed's bandwidth or cost.