If you own multiple Apple mobile devices, including an iPad and iPhone, or live in a house with several generations of these products, you will likely want to know whether you can use the chargers interchangeably.
So, can you use an iPad charger for your iPhone? You can charge your iPhone with an iPad charger since both are Apple devices, and Apple approves of this use compatibility. The iPad charger will work well with your iPhone 5 and later models, and you do not need to worry about damaging your devices. The difference between an iPad and an iPhone charger is their size, weight, and price.
Also, the iPad charger will provide more power than the iPhone charger. The charging rate will differ depending on the wattage, but these changes will not damage your devices as Apple devices are designed such that they will take in the necessary amount of power to charge the devices and not too much to damage them.
The iPhone and iPad feature different size adapters and wattage ratings. This raises the concern as to whether you should carry multiple adapters, or you can use one for the two devices.
You can charge your iPhone using an iPad charger. According to Apple, its chargers are safe across all devices that accept the Lightning cables. This is possible since their devices feature systems that ensure they only draw the correct amount of power necessary to charge quickly, yet not too much to damage the devices.
Your iPhone will charge as normal using the iPad charger, and once full, it will stop charging. This is because the iPhone’s battery technology features an intelligent charge controller, such that it will draw the power it needs, and charging will stop once the battery is full.
A standard iPhone charger will handle 1 amp, while an iPad charger will handle up to 2.1 amps. Using an iPad charger on your iPhone will reduce the charging duration up to half the usual time with a regular charger.
When charging your iPhone up to 100%, you will save an hour of charge time for iPhone 6 and above. Older iPhone models will draw 5W power regardless of the charger, unlike the new models. On the other hand, charging with an iPad charger may not significantly affect the charging time.
If you want to enjoy fast charging benefits when charging your iPhone with an iPad charger, consider 18W and above USB-C Power Adapters. The 18W charger will take about one hour twenty minutes to charge your phone, and the 20W charger will take up to an hour to fully charge your device. The iPhone models you can charge using an iPad charger will depend on your charger model. If you do not remember your charger model, check the top or bottom of the adapter for the wattage.
While you can charge your iPhone using an iPad charger, you can also charge the iPad with an iPhone charger. However, since the iPhone charger is for smaller devices, you expect a slower charging time. Thus, like in iPhone, you can use high wattage adapters to enjoy fast charging speed. An 18W iPhone charger will take up to two hours to charge your iPad while a 20W adapter will take about an hour and a half.
Is the iPad Charger Safe or Bad for the iPhone?
Apple products will cost you, but this cost is incomparable to the quality of their products. To avoid high maintenance costs, you will want to preserve them to prevent damages beyond the warranty cover or period. The charging system is the most sensitive unit in your iPhone and knowing if an iPad charger is safe for your phone or not is necessary.
iPad chargers are safe for your iPhone, and Apple approves its use. In fact, for the last two generations, Apple’s iPhones do not come with chargers, and the expectation is that you will use your older chargers on these devices. Even with their safety in use, there is a difference between iPad and iPhone charger wattage.
The iPad charger features a 12 watt, while the iPhone has 5 watts. Using an iPad charger will speed up the charging process but will not harm your iPhone since Apple products are designed in such a way that they will take charge at recommended rates. Using a lower or higher wattage charge will only affect the charging speed and not the device.
The general assumption for most people is that using a powerful iPad charger to charge your iPhone may stress your device over time and shorten its lifespan. While this is true for other brands, it is not the case with iPhones.
Apple has standardized its charger voltages, and the power will correspond with the charging speed. Melting will only occur on the charging cable with no effect on your device if the adapter and device you are charging have higher watts than the charging cable.
Thus, you do not need to worry about charging an iPhone using a cable that can handle 20W and is connected to a 100W adapter, as the cable will only need to carry 5W. On the other hand, if you take a 20W cable to power a 100W device, the cable will melt due to the excess heat, as the power that gets in and out is more than it can handle.
Can I Use My iPad Charger To Charge My iPhone 13?
It is becoming popular for companies to ship their smartphones without charging accessories in recent years. Apple dived into this trend with the release of the iPhone 12, and the iPhone 13 is not an exemption. The iPhone 13 package contains the USB-C lightning cable only. If your iPhone 13 is not your first Apple device, you probably have other adapters lying around and wondering whether you can use them to charge it.
If you have an iPad charger, you can use it to charge your iPhone 13. This is given the charging compatibility across Apple devices. iPads come with 10, 12, 18, and 20 wattage power adapters in their box. If you already have an iPad charger, you can use it with your iPhone 13, but the 18W and 20W chargers are the only ones that can support the output through the Apple USB –C cable. With these in place, plug your iPhone 13 and charge normally.
Apple assumes that most of its customers buying the iPhone 13 already own the proper accessories necessary to charge its battery, and not including the charger in their package cuts back on e-waste. This option also makes their package light and small, allowing Apple to ship up to 70% more boxes in a single pallet.
If you are among the few who may not have an iPhone 13 compatible adapter, you can rely on other charging alternatives and get the job done. The USB-C adapter from Apple is the easiest choice and will deliver up to 20W charging speed using your iPhone 13 cable. Given that the iPhone 13 maxes at 20W charging speed, you do not need to buy an adapter that is more powerful than this.
Besides, the iPad charger, iPhone 13 is also compatible with Qi wireless charging pads. You can charge your iPhone 13 wirelessly with the Qi charging pads with a 7.5W charging speed. However, wireless charging options are slow, and the speed will drop further with thick iPhone cases.
Apple’s strategy of the non-inclusion of the charger during the purchase of the iPhone 13 is debatable. It is unlikely that they will change this strategy soon, as their last two iPhone generations did not include chargers, unless with a drastic change in the future. This is annoying for some people but is also the current market position, and you should be ready to use what you have without expecting free chargers, at least not from Apple.
Does Charging Your Phone With an iPad Charger Hurt It?
Many myths surround charging a smartphone. Some say charging should be slow, overnight charging ruins the battery, and others believe that sticking to your phone charger will ensure good performance throughout its lifespan. Read on as I help you understand whether you can charge your phone with an iPad charger and whether this action will hurt your phone.
Apple does not restrict its charger use on other brands, nor do other brands limit the use of Apple’s chargers on their products. Thus, you can use your iPad charger on your phone without fear that something bad will happen. Even then, there is a compatibility issue with other chargers on Apple products, and Apple discourages its users from using other brands. Using counterfeit chargers poses safety concerns due to an unregulated power supply that could damage the devices.
Before diving into using an iPad charger for your phone, it is important to understand the charger specs that matter when making this decision. The watt (w) is the common feature on your charger, and it shows how much energy the charger can input into your phone at once.
Laptops and tablets have higher wattage, explaining why your phone charger will not work with your laptop. The speed at which your phone goes from zero to full is dependent on the watts from the charger and the maximum watts your phone can take.
This, you can find out through a quick search on the internet. Therefore, if you want to charge your phone’s battery fast, you should go for a charger that supplies as many watts as your phone can handle at once.
Adhering to the technical differences between your iPad’s charger and the phone is necessary to ensure charging at the maximum speed. For instance, your Apple power adapter could be lower than your phone’s battery capacity.
Thus, despite being a powerful adapter, your charger may not have enough power, which is why you should choose a powerful charger that matches your phone. In this case, you should also go for an Apple-branded USB-C cable for maximum effectiveness. Still, if your phone charges slowly using the Apple adapter, consider a universal unit.
Despite being a powerful charger, the above differences explain why an Apple iPad charger might charge your phone slowly. You should avoid the lower wattage versions as they are not powerful enough to charge your smartphone, which can accommodate up to 120W.
Using low wattage iPad charges will slow down the charging process, forcing you to leave your phone to charge for hours. Finally, when choosing an iPad charger to charge your smartphone, consider chargers supporting the USB-Power Delivery, as they will allow you to charge your phone at maximum power. With these chargers, you can charge at 30W, which is the upper range that most smartphones can handle.
While an older iPad may charge your phone slowly, it is still a safer way to charge your phone than the knock-off chargers. Knock-off chargers are way cheaper, and their make does not meet industry standards.
They also lack the technological and physical requirements for safe usage. Using these chargers will damage your battery and cause dangerous explosions in extreme cases. However, in recent times, smartphone companies are making their batteries with a built-in chip that regulates the input from these chargers, hence reducing the above risks.
Wrap Up
Apple products are safe to use across their devices, and you can use your iPad charger to charge your iPhone and vice versa. Since iPads feature a more powerful charger than iPhone, it is advisable to use an iPad charger on your iPhone to enjoy fast charging.
This compatibility explains Apple’s failure to include a charger in its iPhone 12 and 13. Apple assumes that its iPhone 13 users seek an upgrade and most probably have an Apple product they purchased before with their charger. This reduces e-waste and increases Apple’s sales given their smaller package sizes.
Equally, Apple’s iPad chargers are also safe to use on smartphones and will charge your phone safely. With most smartphones having a higher wattage intake, you should use chargers that match this to ensure fast charging. Finally, as much as possible, avoid knock-off brands that do not match industry standards as they may damage your devices.
