Does fast charging (PPS) depend on the device?

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Alexome Author

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Does fast charging (PPS) depend on the device?

For my Apple iPad 9.7" 6th Gen, I use the 10 W power adapter that came with it.

For the Lightning Charging Case of my AirPods (2nd generation), I use a generic 5 V, 1 A power adapter.

How do I know what voltage and currrent the devices expect?

As for the iPad, I conclude that it takes 5,1 V, 2,1 A, as that is stated on the 10 W adapter.

As for the AirPods, I conclude that it takes 5 V, 1 A, as that is stated on the inside of the charging case.

I recently bought a PPS fast charging charger for use with the iPad mini 6th generation.

When I look over Apple's product pages, the fast-charging capability is stated for iPhones, but not for iPads (I couldn't find any official specifications that would mention fast charging).

I'd like to know, in general, whether a device has to have hardware supporting any of the fast charging technologies (such as PPS), or whether that capability solely depends on the charger.

As a use case – When I use a 30 W fast charger for my AirPods 2 or iPad 6, will these (older) devices be able to negotiate the voltage and current, or is it expected that the adapter/charger does this for them?

Posted on Jul 12, 2022 3:36 AM

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LotusPilot

Community+ 2025

Level 10

301,766 points

Jul 12, 2022 4:52 AM in response to Alexome

Your iPad Pro 9.7” is one of the few “Pro” models that does not support Fast Charging.

Recent models of iPad with a USB-C port - and all recent models of iPad Pro - do support Fast Charging. Apple devices that support fast charging require use of a USB PD (Power Delivery) Power Adapter. Other fast charging standards (e.g., “QC” Quick Charge) are not supported by any model of iPad or iPhone.

Standard USB Power Adapters all use 5V charging - with various current outputs. Most models of iPad require at least 10-12W (i.e., 2.0-2.4A @5V) to reliably charge. The USB PD standard allows compatible source (Power Adapter) and sink (device requiring power) to negotiate a higher voltage for charging - this allowing more power to be transferred without increasing the cross-sectional area of the charging cable. When a USB PD capable Power Adapter is used with a non-PD capable device, its power output will default to the standard 5V USB-bus voltage.

Your AirPods are not USB PD compliant - neither is your iPad6 capable of charging at greater than 12W (2.4A @5V) charging rate.

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Does fast charging (PPS) depend on the device?

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