USB and USB-C and MP3
 

My swell new ES350 has one USB port and one USB-C port in the center console under a nice little sliding cover. It also has 2 USB-C ports inside the center console. I have a few USB flash drives smaller than 32GB, and a few USB-C flash drives (smaller than 32GB), and well as two drives that have both the USB and the UBS-C plugs on them. (Also: all are formated Fat32, and none of the files are anywhere near 2GB.)
I put some music as MP3 files onto these drives, and when I try to play the music, I am confused by this:
any of them plugged into the standard USB port (the larger one, aka USB-3) the screen shows the directories and the files as it should. But none of them are recognized when plugged into the USB-C ports, even the drives that have both connectors on them.
Does anyone know why this is so? Is there something I can do to utilize the USB-C flash drives to play MP3 (or some other format) files?

Per the 2024 LEXUS ES250, ES350 OWNER'S MANUAL USA AND CANADA ONLY on page 273:
and one of the illustrations pointing out USB-C charging port locations specifically identifies the USB-C port front of console location next to the USB-A data and charging port location.

Also, in the 2024 Lexus ES250, ES350, ES300h Multimedia Owner's Manual on page 27, the "Connecting to the USB port" section illustration showing the location on where to connect a USB device specifically points to the USB-A port located in the front of the console.

This generation of ES has always restricted USB data capable ports to those USB-A ports located at the front of the console. Over the years as Lexus changed USB port configurations and locations from all USB-A to a mix of USB-A and USB-C ports, Lexus hasn't changed the USB data capable port restriction from the front console's USB-A port(s) location. Other than WAG speculation, only the Lexus design engineering team can really answer why they decided on keeping that restriction in place over the years of upgrading the USB ports.

GRP:
Thanks for that info. "Charging only" for the USB-C ports escaped my memory, and although we are not sure why it's so limited, it's probably some nerdy-tech turf war. With the phone wireless charging pad, I really don't need the USB ports for charging, so I'll have to find some other use for them.
Thanks again for the prompt reply; I was afraid I had formated something incorrectly.

Limit of MP3 songs in flash drive
 

The USB-A port of my 2025 ES 350 just plays a maximum of about 250 songs while my flash drive has a total of 6,000 songs. Does anyone knows how overcome this limit?

How do you have your songs arranged on your flash drive?

For both the 2019 through 2022 and 2023 and later model years' versions of the multimedia infotainment systems, the drive organization structure has limits of a maximum of 255 files per folder/directory, a maximum of 9999 files total, and a maximum of 3000 folders/directories (with 2023 and later model year documentation adding "including root").

The 255 files per folder/directory limit counts all files in the folder/directory including any operating system "hidden" files and any "not recognized as a song file" files.

The documentation on this can be found your model year's version of the XXXXX Navigation and Multimedia System Owner's Manual (title shortened to XXXXX Multimedia Owner's Manual starting with the 2024 model year). The location in the manual varies across model year versions. For 2019 through 2022 versions, the organization structure information is found in the "4-6. Tips for operating the audio/visual system" subchapter's "File information" section. For 2023 and later versions, the organization structure information is found in the "9-1. Appendix" subchapter's "Information about media that can be used" section's "Formats and specifications of USB flash drives" subsection. Specifically for your 2025 ES 350, see page 252 of the 2025 LEXUS ES250, ES350, ES300H MULTIMEDIA OWNER'S MANUAL USA AND CANADA ONLY.

What a great information, thank you! I have all my 6,000 preferred songs on only one folder, and like to play them continuously one after the other. I understood your great info unfortunately there will be no way for me to circumvent. Will try to use ipod touch or my Samsung cell S-23. Many thanks!

There is no way to "circumvent" the limit of 255 songs in a single folder, I don't think, but one easy workaround would be to create 25 (or so) numbered Directories, and populate each with about 250 songs. (Do this in a file manager quickly and easily.) This will keep them in the current order in which you now have them.
Each directory would play for about 15 to 20 hours, at which point you simply click on the next directory, which I would think would not be a big inconvenience.
6,000 songs divided by 255 songs per directory = 23.5 directories.
255 songs x 4 minutes per song = 1,020 minutes = 17 hours per directory.
Time to change directories: 30 seconds, if you go slow.
Surely there are other ways to proceed, but this seems the simplest to me.
When I got my '24 ES, I got a small size, large capacity, USB stick, and have a lot of music and audiobooks and other nice things to listen to, separated into directories and sub-directories, which are pretty easy to navigate.

Wow, this is a great idea, I will follow this way! Many thanks! I am a 78-yr. old, love music, and I am impressed with this great 2025 Lexus ES 350. The solution that you suggested is just great and I will follow it!

Hi thank you again for this great help. I followed your advice and created 21 folders with 247 songs on each one (not 255, just to be safe). It worked! I am now playing folder 02, and will keep changing to the next folder whenever selected folder plays all 247 songs saved there. Many thanks!

You are welcome - I'm glad I could be of assistance.
I'm 80 now, and I like to help out the youngsters here on the forum.

Thank you for all!