Amazon designed and developed Kindle, a device that allows you to browse, buy, download and read e-books and other digital print forms. Depending on the model, your Kindle’s battery can last between four and ten weeks on a single charge. If you have been using your Kindle and it runs out of power, you might wonder if you can use your iPhone’s charger to charge it.
So, can I charge my Kindle with my iPhone charger? You cannot use your iPhone charger to charge your Kindle because it does not have a port that supports an iPhone charger. All models of Kindle use either a USB 2.0 Micro-B port or a USB-C port. None of these ports can support an iPhone charger because they are designed to be used exclusively on iPhones. If you want to charge your Kindle, you should buy a USB 2.0 charger or a USB-C charging cable, depending on your Kindle model.
If you have several devices and you use them often sometimes, it is easy to misplace an accessory to one of the devices. When you misplace your Kindle charger and it runs out of power, you may be unsure whether you can use other compatible chargers.
When you read an e-book or a magazine on your Kindle, and it shows the battery is low, you will have to connect it to a charger if you want to continue reading. If you cannot find your Kindle charger, you might have to stop reading your magazine or e-book until you get a charger. If you have an iPhone charger near you, you might wonder if you can use it to charge your Kindle.
You cannot charge your Kindle with your iPhone charger because it does not have a charging port that supports an iPhone charger. Kindle devices have a USB 2.0 Micro-B or USB-C port and need a charger that can be plugged into these ports to charge it.
Lightning Chargers
The iPhone uses lightning chargers, which cannot be used on any other device that does not have a lightning port. The lightning port and cable is a proprietary created and designed by Apple Inc.; hence, no other device from a different company can use it. Kindle is designed and marketed by Amazon; hence, it cannot use iPhone chargers unless Apple allows other companies to use their accessories.
The first Kindle device was released on November 19, 2007, and Amazon has released more than fifteen models, the latest being Kindle Paperwhite. All these Kindle models use the USB 2.0 Micro-B input (all models from 2007 to 2020) and USB-C port for the Kindle Paperwhite 5.
If the Kindle model you use requires a USB 2.0 or USB-C charger, you need to get a cable matching the input. If you have an iPhone charger only, you have to go and find a supported charger.
Do not attempt to force the iPhone lightning charger to work on your Kindle; if you damage the pin connectors on the lightning charger, it will not work on the iPhone, and you have to buy another charger for your iPhone.
Many people have criticized Apple for refusing to use USB 2.0 or USB-C ports on their iPhones. Many smartphones from other companies such as Samsung, Huawei or Sony use USB 2.0 or USB-C ports; hence, you can use a charger from a different phone to charge any other phone.
Apple has claimed that changing to a universal port like USB 2.0 would create a large amount of electronic waste. Still, some people have argued that Apple does not want to give up their lightning port unless other companies are willing to buy its design. Therefore, until Apple switches to USB 2.0 or USB-C ports on their iPhone, you will not be able to use their charger on any other third-party device.
Charging a Kindle with an iPad Charger
Kindle is a nice device that allows you to read books, magazines and other print documents electronically. It eliminates the need to buy and carry physical books everywhere you go. Like any other mobile device, it will have a low battery, and if you only have an iPad charger, you might wonder if you can use it.
You can charge a Kindle with an iPad charger if it has a compatible charging port. If you have a Kindle Paperwhite 5, you can use an iPad charger with a USB-C connector to charge. Apple has designed and developed an iPad that uses USB-C chargers.
These iPad models include the iPad Pro 11-inch (the 1st generation or a later version), iPad Pro 12.9 inch (the 3rd generation or later version), iPad Air (the 4th generation or later version) and iPad Mini (the 6th generation).
Other iPad models have a lightning port; hence you cannot use their charger to charge your Kindle. If your Kindle has a USB 2.0 port, you cannot use your iPad charger to charge it; it does not matter if your iPad has lightning or USB-C port.
Apple designed the first iPad models with a lightning port; hence, you could only use a charger with a lightning connector to charge it. After a few years, Apple decided to design new iPad models with a USB-C port after users began to complain about being forced to use lightning chargers.
USB-C Chargers
If your iPad has a USB-C port, you can use a USB-C charger from a third party to charge or connect your iPad to another device. Due to this development, you can use your iPad charger to charge your Kindle. However, since only one Kindle model has a USB-C port, the USB-C iPad charger can only be used with the Kindle Paperwhite 5.
You should note that charging devices have specifications; hence, you should not use just any charger. Using a different charger on your Kindle might damage its battery or the charging system. If you need to charge your Kindle and cannot find its charger, you should turn it off and try to find the charger.
If you cannot find the charger and have to use your Kindle, you can check the power specifications on the iPad charger to see if it matches the requirements of your Kindle. If the voltage specification is too high, the charger could damage your Kindle. If the voltage is too low, it will take too long to charge your Kindle.
If your Kindle’s battery is depleted and cannot recharge, you should test the charging cable first. Use it on another compatible device to check if it is working. If it does not charge the device, the problem could be the charger; you need to get another one.
Try to reset your Kindle by pressing and holding the power button for at least twenty seconds. Plug it back into the charger and let it stay undisturbed for thirty minutes. If it does not charge after thirty minutes, contact Kindle customer support for help.
Charging a Kindle with a Samsung charger
Most people have several devices that they use to do different tasks. You can have a Kindle to read books and a Samsung smartphone to make calls, browse the internet and text. If your Kindle has a low battery and you only have your Samsung charger, you might wonder if you can use it to charge the Kindle.
You can charge a Kindle with a Samsung charge if both devices use the same charging port. Kindles and Samsung phones use the universal USB 2.0 or USB-C ports. If you have a USB.20 Samsung charger, you can use it to charge all Kindle devices apart from the Kindle Paperwhite 5.
The Kindle Paperwhite 5 has a USB-C port; hence it can only use a Samsung charger with a USB-C connector. However, you should be careful when using a Samsung charger on your Kindle. Samsung chargers have different voltage ratings depending on the device; hence if they do not match your Kindle’s charger, they can cause damage.
Many smartphone manufacturers prefer to use universal USB 2.0 or USB-C ports on their devices. Having a universal port allows users to use any USB 2.0 or USB-C charger from any company.
For example, suppose you have a smartphone from Samsung with a USB-C port. In that case, you can use a USB-C charger from any other smartphone manufacturer such as Nokia, Huawei, Tecno, HTC and Haier, among others. The only smartphone manufacturer that does not use USB 2.0 or USB-C is Apple, and many people keep urging Apple to start using them.
Power Specifications
Even though you can charge your Kindle using a Samsung charger, you need to pay attention to the power specifications on the charger. Samsung phones have different batteries; hence, they usually need different chargers to charge the battery.
Kindle chargers usually have a +5.25V and 500mA specifications; hence, you need to use a Samsung charger with the same specification. If your Samsung charger has a higher voltage rating, you might damage your Kindle’s battery if you use it. If your Samsung charger has a lower voltage than a Kindle charger, it will not damage the battery, but it will take longer for your Kindle to get a full charge.
If you bought the new Kindle Paperwhite, Amazon recommends using a 9W charger. The previous Kindle charger has a 5W rating; hence, would not charge your Kindle Paperwhite faster. If you have a Samsung charger, check if it has a 9W rating; if it does, it can charge your Kindle at the same rate as a Kindle charger.
However, if it has a low rating, it may work fine, but it will take longer to charge your Kindle Paperwhite. You can also buy any other charger with a 9W rating and use it to charge your Kindle Paperwhite.
Charging Kindle with a fast charger
Fast charging has become an increasing feature in many mobile devices where the device comes with a charger that shortens the charging time. Many people want to use a mobile device with a reduced charging time; hence, more time to use their device. If you want to charge your Kindle, you might wonder if you can use a fast charger.
You can charge your Kindle with a fast charger. Fast charging allows you to charge your Kindle quickly within a short time and use it; hence, no need to wait a long time before using your Kindle again. However, you need to pay attention to the voltage rating of the fast charger. Some fast chargers have a high voltage rating, but that does not mean they will charge your kindle even faster.
For example, if your Kindle has a 9W input and you use a 15W fast charger, your Kindle will still charge at a speed of 9W. Your Kindle needs to use the same fast charging standard as the charging device to make it work optimally.
Fast charging usually happens in two phases. When you plug in your Kindle to a power source with a fast charger, in the first phase, the charger will put out power at a high voltage, increasing the charging rate.
When the Kindle battery has received enough charge, between 50% and 60%, the charger will automatically reduce the voltage to avoid overheating or overcharging. Charging will continue at the normal rate until the battery level is 100%, keeping your Kindle safe from damage.
Fast charging is safe; therefore, you should not worry that your Kindle might get damaged if you start using a fast charger. However, you risk damaging your Kindle if you use fake or substandard fast chargers.
To ensure you use a genuine fast charger, buy it from Amazon’s official website. You can buy the Kindle Fire Fast Charger from Amazon for 13.99 USD. If you are buying a fast charger from a physical store, check the packaging for the relevant certifications.
Finally
Apple Inc. does not like to share its accessories or software with other companies; hence, you cannot use the iPhone charger to charge your Kindle. All Kindle models have USB 2.0 or USB-C ports that are incompatible with the Apple lightning connector. However, if you have a Kindle Paperwhite 5, you can use a USB-C iPad charger to charge it.
Only a few recent iPad models have USB-C ports; older versions have a lightning port; hence, if your iPad has a lightning port, you cannot use its charger on your Kindle. If you have a Samsung phone, you can use its charger to charge your Kindle if they have matching inputs. You can also use a fast charger to charge your Kindle if they are compatible.
