Don’t know if you can use your MacBook charger? Running low on battery, and you need to know if a high voltage charger is safe for your phone? Don’t worry. I’m here to help you.
I will say and educate you on all there is to know about iPhone chargers, MacBook chargers, what fast charging is, and the recommended charger to use to achieve fast charging between Apple devices.
Want to know more about iPhone & MacBook chargers? Maybe you want to learn how to “fast charge” your iPhone? Make sure you read the rest of the article to understand it better.
But before that, do you want to make your iPhone the best it can be? With these helpful and stylish accessories, you can improve your phone’s functionality at a reasonable price. Check the latest pricing for the best iPhone accessories on Amazon below.
Can I use a 61W MacBook charger for iPhone?
iPhones can charge at a maximum of 29W (14.5V 2A), it is acceptable to use a 61W MacBook charger to charge an iPhone, but the iPhones voltage will cap off at 29W.
I have no problems using the MacBook charger with my iPhone. According to Apple, you can fast-charge iPhones 8 and above in around 30 minutes using an Apple USB-C to lightning cable. You can grab one on Amazon here and one of the below adapters, including a 61W MacBook charger.
Using your 61 W MacBook charger will not harm your iPhone’s battery, as the iPhone can only handle 29W of power.
But do you want to know WHAT harms your iPhone’s battery? Then, take some time to read my Complete Guide to Charging iPhones to ensure that all your unanswered questions are answered.
For added advice from Apple on safely fast charging your iPhone check their support page.
Can I Charge My Phone With a 61w Charger?
A 61W MacBook charger can charge iPhones at a lower voltage of 5W. iPhones can only charge at a maximum of 29W (14.5V 2A), but Apple says it is perfectly safe to phone an iPhone with a 61W charger.
Apples cables and adapters are compatible with each other. The wattage to fast charge your iPad and a few select iPhones is 30W. Fast charging is done via the USB-C type cable that Apple provides.
Although the recommended wattage for fast charging is 30W, this doesn’t mean that 18W chargers are outright obsolete and unusable. Instead, when using an 18W charger, you’re forced to charge your phone and other devices at a slower rate.
The 61W adapter has three variable voltages that are bound to change with whatever device you’re using to charge devices.
| Recommended Voltage | Apple Device |
| 1. 5 Volts | AirPods Pro & iPhones |
| 2. 9 Volts | iPads |
| 3. 20 Volts | MacBook |
The great thing about these cables and adapters is that they automatically select the correct voltage and take the required current to charge a device.
Curious about what cables you can and cannot charge your iPhone? To know for sure, please read my detailed iPhone cable guide.
Can I Use a 60w Charger for iPhone?
A 60W MacBook charger can charge iPhones at a lower voltage of 5W. iPhones can only charge at a maximum of 29W (14.5V 2A), but Apple says it is perfectly safe to phone an iPhone with a 61W charger.
Voltages and wattages can be confusing for most people. Sometimes, we think that using a high wattage charger for a small device like an iPhone can cause short-term and long-term damage, and we don’t want that.
Using a 60W charger on your iPhone will make sure that it’s in a fast charge state. The cable can output 60W, but when connected to an iPhone, it’s capped around 30W for safety measures and charging regulation.
Throughout the years, one of the iPhone’s main issues has been its low battery levels. If you’re planning to buy a new android phone and struggle between choosing an Android over an iPhone, then you should head on to my article on on why iPhones are number 1 know to learn why you should stick to iPhone.
To give some context about Apple’s battery issue, here’s a detailed table where you can see the mAh (Milliampere/Hour) or the battery’s capacity from 10 of their latest releases.
| The iPhone Model | Battery Capacity in terms of mAH (Milliampere/Hour) |
| iPhone 11 | 3,969 mAh |
| iPhone XS Max | 2,775 mAh |
| iPhone 11 Pro Max | 2,815 mAh |
| iPhone 12 | 3,687 mAh |
| iPhone 12 Pro | 2,815 mAh |
| iPhone 12 Pro Max | 3,687 mAh |
| iPhone 13 Mini | 2,406 mAh |
| iPhone 13 | 3,227 mAh |
| iPhone 13 Pro | 3,095 mAh |
| iPhone 13 Pro Max | 4,352 mAh |
Since the new iPhone series have a larger battery capacity with more processing needs, the recommended wattage Apple advised to fast charge the iPhone 12 series and above is by using a 20W USB-C PD charger. It’s not a huge step up from using an 18W charger, but you’ll see an increase in charging speed regardless of how minor the improvements are.
Can I Use a MacBook Charger for iPhone?
Apple USB power adapters for iPad and MacBook will charge iPhone, iPod, Apple Watch, AirPods, and other Apple products. Just connect the device to the power adapter with a USB to Lightning cable, 30-pin to USB Cabe, or Apple Watch charger that came with your device.
To know more about how Apple made it possible for multiple devices to charge with the same cable with no problems. But, first, we need to understand how the USB-C Power Delivery works.
At first, it may sound not very clear, but it’s straightforward. The USB-C PD is a new protocol specification added in Apple devices to achieve faster and flexible charging compatibility between Apple devices.
There are numerous ways people find the USB-C PD setup more helpful than other competing brands with Apple’s iPhone franchise. Here are some of the reasons why:
- The USB-C connector is reversible, so you don’t need to worry about wrongly plugging in the head of your charger into your phone (that can run the risk of breaking internal charging pins or even the charger itself).
- Devices can both charge and discharge using the same port.
- And most importantly, your devices tend to charge up faster than the early versions of chargers, which is like night and day.
Now that we know why USB-C Power Delivery is suitable, we should note how they do it. The basic gist of how USC-C PD works is that it enables the devices to negotiate a power contract on how much wattage input a specific device needs.
The charger and the device discuss how much power the source can support and how much power the device can handle. This ensures that whatever wattage of cable an appliance uses, it still charges as long as it’s compatible with the USB-C PD cable.
Note: It’s important to note that not all USB-C ports support the USB-PD series of cables, nor will all USB-C devices charge with the same USB-C chargers.
That’s why you need to stick with what Apple gives you to make sure that you’re not risking your iPhone, iPad, or MacBook to a power failure because you used some counterfeit charger that you bought online for a low price.
With all things considered, with a 60W charger, you should find yourself with fast charging speeds when charging an iPhone.
Ever wondered when you should replace your iPhone? What are the seven tell-tale signs that an iPhone needs to be replaced? I suggest you read my dedicated article to know for sure.