When you’re on the go with your MacBook, running out of battery can be a real inconvenience, especially when you have important work to get done. While having your MacBook charger on hand is the best way to ensure your device stays charged, there may be times when you find yourself without it. In such cases, you may be wondering if you can use an iPhone charger or any phone charger to power up your MacBook.
In this article, we will discuss whether or not you can use an iPhone charger to charge your MacBook and what you should consider before doing so.
Understanding Your MacBook’s Power Requirements
Before using any third-party charging adapter, it is important to understand your MacBook’s power requirements. If you own an older MacBook model that uses a power adapter with a magnetic connector, a phone charger will not work. However, if you own one of the newer MacBook models that use a USB-C power adapter, then you may have a variety of charging options.
Identifying Your MacBook’s Wattage Requirements
The most optimal way to charge your MacBook is to use a power adapter that can produce the minimum wattage provided by the charger that came with your device. If you own another Apple product and have its power adapter handy, you can quickly check it for compatibility through a label on it that lists its wattage capabilities. If the number on it matches or is higher than the wattage number that’s on your MacBook’s original charger, then you should be good to go.
To check if the Apple power adapter you have is actually working, you can plug it into your laptop and check your MacBook settings. While long-pressing the Option key, click on the Apple menu and choose System Information. From the left panel, go to the Hardware section and choose Power. You’ll know if the Apple adapter you’re currently using has enough power to juice up your MacBook by looking in the AC Charger Information section. Next to Charging, it should say Yes.
Charging Options for USB-C-Compatible MacBooks
If your MacBook came with an Apple brand USB-C power adapter, technically you can use any USB-C power adapter and a USB-C cable to charge it, including those used for non-Apple mobile devices. However, using your MacBook’s official charger and leaving it plugged in while the laptop is in use is the best way to ensure the device retains a battery charge. If you are in a pinch, you can certainly try using whatever USB-C power adapter you have on hand, but keep in mind that if your phone charger’s adapter provides a wattage lower than what your MacBook requires, it may take forever to charge or may not even work at all.
It is also important to note that when you don’t use the official charger that came with it, your MacBook’s ability to hold a charge for a long period of time is on a case-by-case basis and is often not a guarantee. To ensure that your emergency third-party USB-C power adapter and cable combo is actually working to the best of its ability to charge your MacBook, connect it to your device and plug it into a power outlet, and then go through the steps in the previous section to see if the machine is actually charging.
Using an iPhone Charger to Charge Your MacBook
The short answer is yes; you can use an iPhone charger to charge your MacBook. However, there are a few things you should consider before doing so.
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Foremost, it is important to know that I do not design iPhone chargers to charge MacBooks. The wattage provided by an iPhone charger is much lower than what your MacBook requires, which means that it will take much longer to charge your device, and sometimes, it may not even work at all.
