Do you forget your laptop charger at home and don’t know what to do? There is no need to worry. You can charge your laptop with a USB. But only if you know how to charge a laptop with a USB.
For instance, you are going out of town for your holidays or want to explore any destination with your friends. You take your laptop with you to make your tour more exciting. But what happens when you open your bag and find out you forget your home charger? Oops!
Nothing is impossible in this era of technology, and the arrival of USB-C connectors is a game changer for most electrical devices. You can use this connection to charge your device, like a laptop, and also transfer data that is reversible.
So there is no longer a worry about the laptop charger. I will discuss methods to charge a laptop with USB in this guide. So let’s start!
Table of Contents
Can I Use a USB to Charge My Laptop?
You can use a USB to charge your laptop, but it depends on the laptop and the USB you are using.
It is important to know that laptops require high voltage to charge, while a USB can provide up to 5 volts, that are not enough for most laptops. It also slows the rate of charging.
However, some latest models come with a USB-C port that allows charging the laptop without a charger. Connecting the laptop with a USB cable and a compatible adaptor is only needed to provide significant current.
It is good to read the laptop manual if you don’t know your laptop has a USB-C port. Moreover, you can consult any expert or customer support to know about this facility.
How Can You Charge Your Laptop With a USB-C?
It is important to check whether your laptop has a USB-C port capable of charging it. Most latest models come with this option, but checking the specifications is good.
Sometimes it is not easy to differentiate between a USB-A and USB-C. However, if no USB-C is available on your laptop, you should use another method to charge your laptop. But if your laptop has one, then follow the below steps to charge your laptop with a USB-C port.
- Confirm that your laptop has a USB port.
- After this, select a compatible USB-C charger for your laptop. It is one of the important steps because a capable charger can charge your laptop. If the USB-C charger is incompatible with your laptop, it will not deliver the right amount of power to your device.
- Most laptops require a charger that can power up to 45 watts. At the same time, some high-end laptops need a more powerful charger that can provide about 100 watts. So choosing the right USB-C charger for your laptop is important. When you find the right charger for your laptop, then you should connect it.
- There is no rocket science behind connecting your charger to your laptop. You only need to plug the USB-C cable into your laptop and the other end into the charger.
- Connect the charger to any power source, power bank, or outlet.
- When you connect the charger, you will see a notification on your laptop that indicates that your laptop is charging.
- You may also see the required time for charging your device. However, it depends on your laptop’s settings.
- Check the status of your laptop to make sure that your laptop is charging properly.
- When the laptop becomes fully charged, unplug the charger from the power source and your laptop to avoid any damage to the laptop and charger.
Is USB-C Charging Faster for Laptops?
Yes, a compatible USB-C charger can help you to charge your device faster. Generally, a USB-C charger can deliver up to 100 watts and 20 Volts of power, which is more than enough compared to the traditional USB charger that can deliver 2.5W and 5V.
It means you cannot charge your laptop with it but use it simultaneously for multiple devices. But remember that only compatible chargers can do the best for your devices.
Are There Any Drawbacks of Charging Laptop With USB?
There are some drawbacks to charging a laptop with a USB-C charger. Here are some of them:
- The USB charger may slow your laptop’s charging rate compared to your laptop’s dedicated charger.
- The compatibility of the USB charger is limited, and most chargers have no facility to charge with USB-C chargers.
- It cannot charge if the charger is incompatible with your device.
- Some of these chargers cannot give the battery enough to charge and put stress on it. It will lead the laptop to damage, especially when it comes to larger laptops.
- If the charger fails to deliver the right power supply, it will suffer the battery and damage the other part of your device.
- The USB-C port is near the laptop’s main components like GPU and CPU. It can overheat them if you use them for a prolonged time on charging and eventually damage them.
These are some potential drawbacks to using a USB-C charger. But the truth is that it is safer to charge a laptop with a USB connector because the laptop chargers don’t have any standard for supplying voltage.
So they can easily damage the laptop. At the same time, a compatible USB-C charger can convert the voltage when there is a need for the battery.
However, it doesn’t mean that it facilitates the users. Still, it facilitates the manufacturer according to their price point.
How Can I Charge My Laptop With My Phone Via USB?
Several ways can help you to charge your laptop, but one of the last things that may come to your mind is charging your laptop with your smartphone. Like laptops, the smartphone also contains a rechargeable battery.
But the best part is that you can use your smartphone as a power source and charge your laptop.
But remember that some phones cannot provide this facility. Your smartphone must come with a USB-C port to become a power source.
The USB-B port is common in most mobiles and is only for receiving power, not delivery. But it is good to avoid charging your laptop with your phone because of its small battery. However, you can deliver limited power to your laptop.
If you want to charge your laptop with a smartphone,
- You may require a double-ended USB-C cable and a fully charged phone.
- Plug in one end of the cable to the smartphone and the other to the laptop.
- You will see a notification
- You may need to choose the USB option
- This notification is also an indication to show that your laptop is charging.
- Your laptop will receive power from your phone.
If you want to charge your laptop with your smartphone, follow the instructions below to save the power.
- Turn off all wireless features like mobile data, GPS, WiFi, etc.
- Switch your laptop to airplane mode. It will turn off all extra features.
- Always use a quality and compatible cable to charge your laptop.
However, it is important to know that charging your laptop with your phone has potential drawbacks.
- You can provide limited power to your laptop.
- You may drain all of the power of your smartphone.
- Although you drain the power of your mobile, it may not increase the laptop’s battery significantly.
- It is not healthy for your smartphone’s battery.
Final Verdict: How To Charge A Laptop With USB
You can charge your laptop with USB ports and other methods like HDMI or smartphone. But they are not effective methods to charge your laptop. Using a dedicated charger with your laptop is good for charging it.
However, if you accidentally misplace your laptop’s charger, you should buy a new one instead of looking for other unsafe ways to charge it. The charger can provide your laptop with suitable power according to its capability and save the components.
Using other methods to charge your laptop may weaken the battery and reduce lifespan. I hope you may know How To Charge a Laptop With a USB.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you charge the laptop with HDMI?
Yes, you can charge your laptop with HDMI. However, it will work only when your laptop has an HDMI-IN port. But HDMI is not a good option for charging your laptop because the main purpose of the HDMI port is to share multimedia. If you use this port for charging, it may share painfully slow power and can damage your laptop’s battery.
Why isn’t my laptop charging with USB-C?
It means your USB-C charger is not powerful enough, so it cannot connect to your laptop’s charging port. Many reasons can prevent USB from charging, such as your USB cable being incompatible with your device and dust inside the USB port, which may prevent the charger from inserting it properly.
Is 5V enough to charge a laptop?
Most USB-A ports can support up to 5V current. It is more than enough to charge small devices like mobile phones but not enough to charge powerful and larger devices like laptops. There are power limitations with 5V, so it is not enough to charge a laptop.