The Raspberry Pi 5 introduces a dedicated debug UART connector with a 3-pin header. With the previous Pi models, you will need to use GPIO pins for serial connection. The new UART connector frees up the serial pins for other purposes.

You can connect the board to a USB port of a PC using this USB-to-UART cable. The UART port is always active and enabled. It allows you to have access to early boot and firmware information as well as Linux console after booting. This is especially useful for development and debugging. This module uses CH340 USB to UART bridge chip with 1.8V~3.3V working voltage.

If you are using Windows, you can use program like Putty to make a serial connection to your Pi 5. Check which COM port the cable is connected to in Device Manager and open a new Serial connection in Putty and change the speed (baud rate) to 115200. Open the connection and a new window will appear. Hit 'Enter' and you will be connected to the board.