4 Things to Know About Charging Your iPhone With a MacBook Air

It works with any USB-C device The USB-C ports on a MacBook Air can charge iPhones, iPads, AirPods, Android phones, portable batteries, and some Nintendo Switches. It behaves just like any other USB-C charger.

The battery drain is small for occasional use An iPhone draws about 5-10 watts, while the MacBook Air uses 30-40 watts under normal load. You might lose 10-15% of runtime over a few hours, which is barely noticeable if you’re plugged into the wall.

Skip phone charging if you need maximum battery life If you’re running on battery and want to stretch every minute, don’t charge your phone. But for a quick top-off or helping a friend, it’s perfectly fine.

It’s a convenience trick, not a backup battery Your MacBook Air’s battery is about 50-60Wh, while an iPhone’s is about 12Wh. You can fully charge a dead phone about four times before the laptop runs out.