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Which power adapter for watch Series 7?

The Series 7 watch comes with a charger that has a USB-C connector. Now I have a handful of different Apple power adapters from my other devices, but they all have a USB-A slot. Questions:


  • Can I use those and add a USB-C to USB-A adapter in between the new watch charger cable and the old brick?
  • If not, should I buy the 25 W USB-C power adapter or should I go for the 30 W (or even bigger)? I'm asking since Apple brags about this version of watch being able to charge much faster but I have not been able to find any info about how many amps exactly it is capable of drawing.

Apple Watch

Posted on Oct 15, 2021 8:59 AM

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Posted on Oct 15, 2021 7:08 PM

Just to add to Deggie's comments... A USB-A/C adaptor won't give you fast charging, it needs the native USB-C output on the brick. If you have a USB-A charger from an older Apple Watch it will still charge the new watch, but at the old slower speed.


There is no advantage to the 30W power brick if you only intend to use it for Apple Watch Series 7, the Apple 20W unit is more than capable. The only reason to go with the 30W just for a Watch is if you are a regular international traveller and you want to use it with the interchangeable duckheads for overseas power sockets.

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Oct 15, 2021 7:08 PM in response to Jerry_D

Just to add to Deggie's comments... A USB-A/C adaptor won't give you fast charging, it needs the native USB-C output on the brick. If you have a USB-A charger from an older Apple Watch it will still charge the new watch, but at the old slower speed.


There is no advantage to the 30W power brick if you only intend to use it for Apple Watch Series 7, the Apple 20W unit is more than capable. The only reason to go with the 30W just for a Watch is if you are a regular international traveller and you want to use it with the interchangeable duckheads for overseas power sockets.

Oct 16, 2021 12:28 AM in response to deggie

Thanks Deggie! The 25 was my typing glitch :-), I did mean 20. I am sure that the 20 W adapter will charge just fine, but being an engineer I would like to know the exact specs so that I can make a qualified decision. The latest 20 W brick from Apple is certified to deliver 5V-3A or 9V-2.22A, but I know nothing about the watch charging specs.

Oct 16, 2021 8:31 AM in response to Jerry_D

You have identified the difference when you mention the different voltage ratings and capabilities. Basically the watch charging cable negotiates with the power brick and selects the required voltage/current from the brick's available range. The 9v function is needed for fast charge. Other devices connected by a USB-C cable are slightly different because the same cable could connect any device so the negotiation is done by the device not the cable, and some of the higher rated supplies have additional voltage/current capability for even higher rate charging (which the Watch cable can't use).

Which power adapter for watch Series 7?

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