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Can You Charge A Macbook With A Cell Phone Charger?

Can You Charge A Macbook With A Cell Phone Charger
Can You Charge A Macbook With A Cell Phone Charger

Can you charge a Macbook with a cell phone charger? Chargers are now a part of our lives and we always have them in our bags. When we are in a hurry, we sometimes forget the charger of our laptop or tablet and look for alternative charging solutions. In this post, can you charge a Macbook with a cell phone charger? We will look at the answer to this question. If you have a smartphone charger or power bank, that works too.

Can You Charge A Macbook With A Cell Phone Charger

Can Macbook Charge With Cell Phone Charger?

In most cases, you can charge a MacBook with a cell phone charger, but there are some important considerations to keep in mind: These;

  1. Compatibility: The charger needs to have the right connector that fits your MacBook’s charging port. Older MacBook models typically use MagSafe or MagSafe 2 connectors, while newer models use USB-C.
  2. Power Output: The cell phone charger should provide enough power to charge your MacBook. MacBooks generally require higher wattage chargers than cell phones. Using a low-power charger might result in slow charging or may not charge the MacBook at all.
  3. USB-C Chargers: If you have a newer MacBook with USB-C ports, you can use a USB-C charger that meets the power requirements of your MacBook. Many modern cell phones also come with USB-C chargers that can potentially be used to charge the MacBook.
  4. Safety: It’s crucial to use high-quality chargers from reputable brands to ensure safety and prevent any potential damage to your MacBook.
  5. Charging Time: If you use a lower-powered charger intended for cell phones, it may take significantly longer to charge your MacBook compared to using the original MacBook charger.

For the best and safest charging experience, it’s recommended to use the official charger that came with your MacBook or an Apple-certified third-party charger that matches your MacBook’s power requirements.

How To Charge Macbook Without Charger?

Charging a MacBook without a charger can be challenging, as the charger is specifically designed to provide the correct voltage and wattage required by the MacBook’s battery. However, in some cases, you can try the alternative methods below.

  • USB-C Power Delivery (PD) Power Bank
  • USB-C Laptop Dock
  • USB-C to USB-A Cable with a High-Power USB Port
  • Power Outlet Adapters

Can I Charge My IPad With Macbook Charger?

Yes, you can charge your iPad with a MacBook charger. It’s generally safe to charge your iPad with a MacBook charger. However, be aware that using third-party or non-approved chargers may pose a risk to your device. Apple recommends using official chargers or Apple-approved accessories for compatibility and safety.

Charging Android With MacBook Charger
Charging Android With MacBook Charger

Charging Android With Macbook Charger

They’re generally compatible, as both the MacBook charger and Android devices typically use a standard USB Type-C or USB Type-A charging port. But it’s worth noting that, despite being compatible, Apple and Android have different power delivery standards and charging profiles.

As a result, the charging performance may not be optimized for all Android models. Some devices may not support fast charging when using a MacBook charger. For the best charging results and to extend the life of the Android device, we recommend using the chargers recommended by the manufacturer. Use original cables to maximize the device’s charging efficiency.

Macs With A USB-C Port

Although the USB-C connectors are the same, the voltage distribution is not the same, and the mobile phone charger delivers a nominal voltage of 5 V, while the Mac requires a much higher voltage. You must use a USB-C PD (Power Delivery) compatible charger (e.g. Apple’s 20W USB-C power adapter). It can be quite slow depending on the watt count (only applicable to Macs with a USB-C port).

If you are doing something intensive on your Macbook, the power consumption can reach 10 watts, but you can use it for browsing the web, watching videos, viewing photos, etc. – New generation laptops are optimized to consume as little power as possible. This prolongs the life of the battery.

How to Measure Power Consumption On Macbook?

It is possible to measure power consumption using software that runs on the Macbook and reads the Macbook’s sensors. For example, if we just surf the web, send e-mails or look at pictures, we usually consume around 4 to 5 W. Watching a Netflix or Youtube video that requires constant computing power consumes 7 to 8 W of processing power.

With average use, Apple says the battery lasts for about 10 hours, which is an average consumption of 54.5 W. Today’s cell phone chargers vary considerably in power. Older devices consume about 5 W, while newer modern chargers consume about 18 W. If we take into account the power consumption, the question of Whether you Can Charge a Macbook with a Mobile Phone Charger becomes a little thought-provoking.

According to these data, the 5V 2A charger easily meets the average power consumption for typical use. Depending on the model, the MacBook Pro requires at least about 65 watts from a USB-C charger, close to 100 watts for 16-inch models, and 140 watts from an original Apple power supply for fast charging.

Conclusion

The iPhone’s charger is very weak, and Apple recommends that you do not use a smaller power supply than the one that came with the device. If you ask if you Can Charge a Macbook with a Mobile Phone Charger for this, you should think about it again. 

We don’t want you to have problems with your device. Therefore, it is recommended that you contact Apple (support.apple.com) for more technical information.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it OK to charge a Mac with a phone charger?

Phone chargers may not provide enough power, thus causing slow charging. Also not recommended to charge a Mac with a phone charger, as it may damage the Mac.

What happens if I charge my laptop with a phone charger?

Charging your laptop with a phone charger may not provide sufficient power, resulting in slow charging or potential damage to the laptop.

Can Macbook be charged with any USB-C?

Yes, MacBook can be charged with any USB-C charger.

Can I charge my Macbook Pro with a 20w charger?

Yes, you can charge your MacBook Pro with a 20W charger.