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USB-C charger interoperability

If necessary, can I charge my iPhone or iPad with the charger for my MacBook Pro and vice versa?

Posted on Jun 18, 2022 7:52 PM

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Posted on Jun 18, 2022 8:10 PM

The answer is yes “both ways” from a “safe” perspective …


… but you’ll probably find that the smaller adaptors just can’t keep up w/ your Mac’s power demand … and that it’s battery SoC will still be decreasing. (albeit at a slower rate)


The 20W power adaptor (w/ USB-PD) is certainly at THE bare minimum to even consider attempting.


The Mac might also throttle it’s performance if it “sees” a smaller power adaptor; I’m honestly not sure how that “piece” fits.

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jun 18, 2022 8:10 PM in response to Bertie57

The answer is yes “both ways” from a “safe” perspective …


… but you’ll probably find that the smaller adaptors just can’t keep up w/ your Mac’s power demand … and that it’s battery SoC will still be decreasing. (albeit at a slower rate)


The 20W power adaptor (w/ USB-PD) is certainly at THE bare minimum to even consider attempting.


The Mac might also throttle it’s performance if it “sees” a smaller power adaptor; I’m honestly not sure how that “piece” fits.

Jun 18, 2022 8:19 PM in response to Chattanoogan

Thanks for that reassurance. I would only charge the laptop while not using it, just to give it some emergency power. Sometimes you find yourself without the right connector especially with Lightning so prevalent in my various apple items. Looking forward to a standard. Oh for the days of the cassette which was a rigidly enforced standard. We’ve gone backwards since in the name of innovation I suspect.

USB-C charger interoperability

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