How to charge MacBook without a charger

This article describes a variety of ways to charge a MacBook without an original charger, as well as tips for extending the battery life of your MacBook.

Forgot to bring the charger out? don’t worry! This article will guide you to charge your MacBook safely, but please note that different models of Mac charging requirements are different, and charging at will may cause damage.

Want to extend the battery life of your Mac? Try AlDente to optimize the charging cycle and set charging limits to avoid overcharging or undercharging. Available on the Setapp platform.

How to charge your MacBook without a charger

The following methods can help you keep your MacBook powered:

Charging with a power bank

If you carry a power bank with you, you can use it to charge your Mac. But please check the charging power requirements of the Mac model and the power rating of the mobile power supply first. It is best to use the mobile power supply with a recommended wattage of Apple. For example, the MacBook Air launched in 2022 and beyond requires 70W to 140W to quickly charge. You can also charge with a mobile power supply below 70W, but the charging speed will be much slower.

Charging using USB-C port

Another way to charge your MacBook without a charger is through a USB-C cable. The new Android phones, Apple iPhone 15 and the new MacBook are all equipped with this small USB port.

If you have a USB-C charging cable, you can connect it to your MacBook. But not all MacBooks support USB-C charging, only the following models support:

• MacBook (2015 and beyond)
• MacBook Pro (2016 and beyond)
• MacBook Air (2018 and beyond)

The charging speed depends on the adapter and USB cable you use. Use a 1-meter-long Apple USB-C charging cable to charge up to 60W of Mac, and use a 2-meter-long cable to charge up to 100W of Mac.

Remember, you can only use one USB port to charge your Mac battery at a time. Even if you connect multiple USB ports to the charging adapter, the Mac will only charge from the port that gets maximum power.

How to charge your MacBook Pro without a charger

The MacBook Pro consumes a lot of power and the battery may run out quickly. You can try the following:

Charging with a dock or hub

A USB dock or hub can increase the number of USB ports on your MacBook and can also be used as a Mac charger. Simply plug the USB dock into the power adapter or another computer and connect the MacBook Pro or Air to the dock through the USB port.

Charging with USB converter

If you find a USB charger, but the cable comes with a USB 3.0 plug and your Mac doesn't have a USB 3.0 port, you can use a Type-C USB converter to connect your Mac to USB charger to charge.

Charging with another computer

Another computer can serve as a backup power supply for your Mac. You can connect your Mac to another computer to charge it, just connect two machines with a USB cable. Note that when doing this, your Mac is drawing power from another computer or laptop, it is best to connect the latter to the main power supply so that both machines don't run out of power.

How to charge your MacBook Air without a charger

It takes about 2 hours to charge your MacBook Air, and if you don't have a charger, the following is the best option. These methods also work with the MacBook Pro, but it takes longer to fully charge this high-performance machine.

Charging with a monitor

Some monitors can provide power to keep the Mac running, such as Apple Studio Display. If you have a monitor like this, you can connect your Mac to the monitor to charge it, but make sure the monitor supports USB-C or Thunderbolt connections, otherwise you will need to use a USB converter.

Charging with a universal power adapter

If you need more charging methods, you can try a universal power adapter, but be careful. Remember that not all power adapters have the same voltage rating, and do not connect power adapters with voltages higher than the supported voltage on the Mac USB port. For example, some power adapters produce 12 volts, but the Mac's USB-C port only supports 5 volts. Connecting a power adapter with a voltage higher than the Mac supports may damage the battery or even cause more serious damage. Conversely, power adapters with connection voltages below 5 volts cannot charge the battery at all.

Charging with a car

It is tricky to lose power in a car, and unless there is a mobile power supply, the only way is to go through the car's cigarette lighter. Connect the USB-C cable to the charging socket and Mac to keep it powered.

Tips for extending the battery life of MacBooks

If you find that your Mac is almost exhausted, here are a few ways you can try to reduce power and keep it running:

Turn on low battery mode

You can turn on low battery mode on your Mac to save battery power. The method is as follows:

1. Select Apple Menu > System Settings.
2. Click Battery on the sidebar.
3. Find the Low Battery Mode and click on the menu.
4. Select Always, only when the battery is powered, or only when the power adapter is powered.

Turning on low battery mode will automatically reduce the screen brightness of your Mac and limit CPU usage.

You can also use Endurance to minimize power consumption on your Mac. It allows you to turn on low battery mode with just a few clicks. You can also dim the screen, slow down the processor, monitor applications that consume too much resources, and automatically hide inactive applications.

Optimized battery charging

All MacBook batteries will age after reaching a certain charging cycle. If you do not charge according to Apple's recommendations, the battery will age faster, resulting in a shorter battery life. Apple recommends keeping the battery power below 100% and avoiding full discharge.

If your Mac is running macOS Big Sur, it automatically enables optimized battery charging, which helps extend battery life. Otherwise, you can use AlDente to manage the battery charge cycle. AlDente allows you to configure charging limits and choose when to charge your Mac.

Close unnecessary browser tabs

Opening multiple tabs makes it easy for you to switch between web pages, but each tab consumes extra memory and other resources, and if you connect to a charger, your Mac's battery life will run out quickly. So, get into the habit of closing tabs you no longer need to save power.

It's best to make sure your Mac is fully charged before taking it out of your home or office. If you use the Battery app, you can easily track the battery level of your MacBook by tapping the Battery icon on the menu bar, and you can also view the battery level of other devices (as long as they are connected to your Mac).

Turn off location service

Some applications require location services to run properly, but after using the application, turn off location services, otherwise it will consume additional battery power even if it is idle in the background. The method is as follows:

1. Go to Apple Menu > System Settings.
2. Click Privacy & Security > Location Services.
3. Then turn off the location service.

If that's not enough, disable WiFi and Bluetooth to further minimize battery usage.

Use some tools to extend your Mac battery life

With multiple ways to power your laptop, “How to charge your MacBook Air without a charger?” This question should no longer bother you, even if you forget to bring the charger out. As long as you can power your MacBook via a USB-C port, you can still keep the machine running. The key is to find a power supply that provides the charging power required by the Mac.

While looking for charging solutions, you can use Endurance to minimize power consumption on your Mac. Meanwhile, applications like Batteries and AlDente help track battery life and prevent overcharging. You can try these apps on Setapp, among other apps that help you make the most of your MacBook.

Setapp offers a free 7-day trial.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a mobile phone charger to charge my MacBook Air?

Can. In most cases, a phone charger can charge a Mac, but this is not the best solution, as most phone chargers provide less power than MacBook chargers.

Can I charge my MacBook Air wirelessly?

Can't. At present, Apple has not developed a technology that supports wireless charging of MacBooks.

How to charge a MacBook with your phone?

You cannot charge your MacBook with your phone. Although the phone has a USB port and a battery, a smartphone cannot provide power like a mobile power supply.

Can I use any USB-C charger for my MacBook?

It's OK in theory, but the charger must provide enough power. For example, if you want to quickly charge your MacBook Pro, you need a 140-watt charger.

The above is the detailed content of How to charge MacBook without a charger. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!