Can You Use a MacBook Power Adapter to Fast Charge Your iPhone? Is It Safe?

The iPhone doesn't come with a power adapter, so you might be eyeing up your MacBook adapter instead. But is it safe to use?

With Apple opting to remove power adapters from iPhone boxes, you may be wondering if you can use a higher-powered USB-C adapter (such as that for the Mac) instead of purchasing a separate 20W adapter for your iPhone. But is this safe?

You'll be pleased to learn that this is perfectly safe. And, in fact, you can use MacBook chargers to fast charge your iPhone!

Below, we'll discuss which iPhones and iPads you can charge using a MacBook or similar third-party charger.

Apple used to ship an 18W USB-C power adapeor with the iPhone 11 Pro models. However, with the iPhone 12 series, Apple opted not to include a power adapter to be more environmental-friendly (and also maybe to save shipping costs).

If you have recently picked up an iPhone (or are planning to buy one soon), you can choose to buy an Apple 20W charging adapter for fast charging separately, which will cost you around $20. However, you can also choose to use an existing MacBook charger you may have in your house.

Fast charging has become a major requirement for many users in recent years. Fast charging allows you to replenish your device's battery quickly, with some devices allowing you to charge up to 50% of the battery within 30 minutes. The minimum requirement for a fast charging adapter is around 20W, but you can also use a more powerful MacBook USB-C charger to fast charge your device.

Related: How Does Fast Charging Work and Which Phone Charges Fastest?

The good news is that all modern iPhones and iPads work with the more powerful MacBook USB-C chargers. Depending on the MacBook they came with, these adapters vary from a 30W adapter for the MacBook Air, to a 96W charger for the 16-inch MacBook Pro.

While this may seem a bit risky at first, it is perfectly safe to use any of Apple's USB-C chargers, as it is your iPhone that determines how much power it receives, not the charger.

Apple says that the following iPhones and iPads are compatible with 18W, 20W, 29W, 30W, 61W, 87W, and 96W adapters for fast charging:

Apple also notes that you can use its USB-C to Lightning cable, which is included in the iPhone or iPad box, with a "comparable third-party USB-C power adapter that supports USB Power Delivery." This means that any USB-C adapter that delivers an appropriate wattage should work.

Thus, you can use any of Apple's official MacBook adapters or any third-party adapters to fast charge your iPhone.

One benefit of the major technology companies moving to USB-C is simpler power cable management. For example, I can charge my MacBook, iPad, GoPro, and more using the same MacBook Pro charger. This saves having to keep track of extra adapters and cables.

Hopefully, we'll see the iPhones also switching to USB-C soon, which will make cable management even easier.

Shujaa Imran has over 10 years of experience writing troubleshooting guides for iOS, macOS, and Windows. He loves to help people out with their tech problems, as well as introduce new efficient methods for improved productivity. Apart from his technology passion, he is currently a commercial pilot and flight instructor based in the UK. You can follow his flying journey on his YouTube channel (iTechno8), where he frequently posts aviation content. Shujaa also has a bachelor's degree in Biotechnology (completely unrelated to everything else!)