Can You Charge A Switch With A MacBook Charger? Find Out How!

When it comes to portable gaming consoles, Nintendo Switch has always been the most popular one. The console comes with a Type-C charging port. Though it matches with Apple adapters, can you charge a Switch with a MacBook charger?

Luckily, MacBook chargers can be a perfect solution to charge your Switch anytime. So, if you’ve lost the original charger, then you can juice up your Switch using a MacBook charger until you get a new one.

But there are some odds that may create difficulties while charging. So, you need to careful using a MacBook charger to charge your Switch. This will help you to maintain the health of your Switch in the future.

Quick Facts:

• Both MacBook and Nintendo Switch have C-Type USB charging cables.
• Using a MacBook charger for Switch will kill the battery slowly.
• It is preferable to buy a new charger for your Switch rather than using the MacBook charger.

Can You Charge A Switch With A MacBook Charger?

The answer to this question is a big YES. You can certainly charge your Nintendo console using a MacBook charger since both the charging ports are compatible with the C-Type cable.

MacBook laptops come with a charger that has both Fast Charging technology and a C-Type cable system. So, it can juice up your Nintendo Switch easily.

However, the time required will be much more compared to the original charger. For example, your switch will take up to 3 hours approximately to get fully charged with the original charger. But when you use a Mac charger it will take more than that.

It happens due to the difference in the power output of the MacBook and Nintendo Switch Charger. The power profile used for the Switch comes with Power Delivery (PD) technology that allows Fast Charging.

Besides, not all MacBook chargers feature the same wattage. For example, the MacBook Pro 13-inch has a different charging input than the 15-inch.

To eliminate this problem, you have to use a fast-charging cable that matches the Switch port while charging. From here on, you can carry one charger for both the MacBook and Nintendo to avoid the hassle of carrying too many cables and adapters on long trips.

Is It Bad To Charge A Switch With A MacBook Charger?

Only when you charge the Switch with a MacBook charger on a regular basis. All the electronic gadgets come with charging adapter that matches the charging profile respectively. Nintendo Switch is not different in this case.

There are lots of issues that may arise if you use a MacBook charger to juice up your Nintendo on a regular basis. Two of the major problems are discussed below:

Impact on Battery Health

The original charger of a Nintendo Switch takes approximately 3 hours to reach 100% charge (from 0%). At the same time, the MacBook charger requires more than 3 hours. This happens due to the mismatch of the charging profile. So, regular use of such chargers will deteriorate the health of the Switch battery.

Overheated Battery

The power output of the adapters of MacBook and Nintendo are different. The Nintendo Switch Charger Wattage is rated at 18-39 watts which is enough to charge the CONSOLE in less than an hour.

On the other hand, the output watt rating of the MacBook charger is rated at 100 watts which is beyond the limit of the Switch.

So, charging your gaming CONSOLE with such high wattage will heat the battery and eventually kill it along with other hardware inside.

Decrease in Battery Capacity

Due to the mismatch of charging profile and overheating issue, the battery’s charge holding capacity decreases gradually. It results in drainage of excessive charge during use and causes permanent damage to the battery.

You can use the Mac charger to charge your Switch in emergency cases like misplacing the original adapter or while on long trips indeed. But it’s not wise to charge the gaming console battery with it all the time because it will ultimately result in permanent damage to the battery itself.

How to Charge Switch With a MacBook Charger?

If you suddenly realize that the charger of your Nintendo Switch is lost, then don’t worry because MacBook chargers can juice up your CONSOLE. The maximum products of Apple come with a Type-C USB charging cable which is similar to Nintendo Switch. So, you can charge Nintendo Switch or laptop with your Type-C USB charging cable. 

But there are some techniques and steps you need to keep in mind to charge your Switch with the MacBook without any worries. These steps of charging are mentioned below:

Step-1: Check the Power Profile

First of all, match the power profile of the MacBook with the model name of your Nintendo Switch. This step is important since the Power Delivery of the devices may be different.

Step-2: Connect the Charger

Connect the 3-pin adapter to a multi-plug or wall socket and insert the USB port at the bottom of the console. If the Switch is compatible with the charger, a battery charging icon will glow on the upper left corner.

Step-3: Connect the Charger to the Mac if Needed

Another tricky way to charge your Switch is to connect both the MacBook and CONSOLE together with a single adaptor. If your MacBook is fully charged, then don’t unplug the charger. Rather connect the gaming Switch to the laptop using a C-Type USB.

This process helps in charging both devices at a time. Besides, the gaming console receives less power compared to the MacBook due to the high watt rating of the laptop. So, it also helps to maintain battery health.

Bonus Step!

Step-4: Directly Connect to MacBook if necessary

You can charge your Nintendo Switch from your MacBook directly. Simply connect the charging cable with the Switch on one end and the laptop on the other end. It allows your Switch to charge just like normal charging through an adapter.

These are some of the most effective ways to charge your Nintendo Switch using a MacBook Charger anytime.

Some Of The Best Switch Chargers

It’s not possible to charge your Nintendo Switch with a MacBook charger all the time. A trustworthy and reliable charging adaptor must be the priority for maintaining the health of your gaming CONSOLE. Otherwise, you will end up with a fatal battery issue that can damage your Switch permanently.

We have listed some of the best-recommended chargers for Switch that can serve the same purpose as the original ones:

1. Nintendo Switch AC Adaptor

It is similar to the original stock charger with perfect and fast charging technology. Though its price is a bit high, it can charge your Switch quickly. The cable and adaptor type of this charger is also very compatible with the CONSOLE.

2. Genki Covert Dock

This 30W Switch charger comes with an additional HDMI facility along with a C-Type cable that allows you to connect the CONSOLE with the TV. Besides, its compact size is very user-friendly and can be carried easily.

3. Nintendo Switch Charging Official Stand Cradle

This charger is the best solution for ultimate gamers who want to play undisturbed games. The stand cradle in this charger holds the Switch in one place and allows you to play games while charging. Since it is an official product from Nintendo, this charger is highly recommended for juicing up the battery.

4. Anker PowerPort Atom PD1

PD technology-based charging made this adapter more compatible with the Nintendo Switch. It is one of the super-fast chargers that are available in the store. But it doesn’t allow dock charging, for which this charger is mainly used on tours and to charge multiple devices at a time.

There are many more chargers that can be bought for your Nintendo Switch with similar specs and a C-Type port. But the above-mentioned chargers are mostly recommended chargers for their performance and reliability to keep your Switch in perfect condition.

Frequently Asked Questions

It’s pretty clear that Nintendo Switch can get fully charged using Mac chargers pretty often. However, people still get confused about silly matters. Thus, here are some frequently asked questions to make sure our audience doesn’t leave with any doubt.

Can You Plug A Switch into A MacBook?

Yes, you can easily plug your Nintendo Switch with the C-Type cable that comes with your gaming CONSOLE.

Connecting the Nintendo Switch with the MacBook serves multiple features. For example, you can charge your gaming console easily just by connecting the cable.

Again, you can play the PC version games of your Switch on the laptop if you add a capture card device. So, you can plug your Switch into a MacBook.

Can You Charge A Switch with A Phone Charger?

You can charge your Switch with a phone charger that has a C-Type USB cable that matches the PD of the Switch.

Although this process is not recommended at all due to the mismatch of watt rating, a phone charger gives 7-13W of power, whereas the Nintendo Switch requires up to 39W.

So, charging it with a phone charger will damage the battery slowly. But in case of emergency or misplacement of the original charger, you can easily use a phone charger for your Switch.

Can I Use a 65W Charger for Nintendo Switch?

You cannot use a 65W charger for your Switch since it produces too much current that is not compatible with the PD of the gaming console.

A 65W charger delivers 20V power, which may not work on a Switch. This is because Nintendo Switch works under 60W perfectly since it matches the PD and charging profile.

Besides, this huge amount of current that comes from a 65W charger may fire up the battery of your console. So, it is not possible to charge the Switch with it.

Can I Use Any Laptop Charger to Charge My Switch?

It is not recommended to use any laptop charger in case of charging the Switch since it may result in fatal damage to the console.

If the original charger of the Nintendo Switch is lost, then it is recommended to use Nintendo Brand, Android, or Apple chargers due to the matching of PD rating.

Other laptop charges can create many battery issues for the Switch due to the high power supply. Apart from this, many reports complain about dying or repeated booting of the Switch when charged with other laptop chargers.

Can You Charge A MacBook Pro With A Nintendo Switch Charger?

Though it is not recommended to charge a MacBook Pro with a Switch charger, it is possible to do so.

The required wattage of a laptop is almost above 60W. On the contrary, the output power supply of a Nintendo Switch is approximately 39W which is unable to charge the battery of the MacBook properly.

For this reason, the time required for a complete charge is very long and it results in battery deterioration. But you can charge your MacBook Pro with a Switch charge in emergency cases without any fear.

Conclusion

If you want to keep your Switch battery health intact, I recommend using the original adapter and cable.

If the original one is lost, then you should buy one of the recommended chargers ASAP because charging the Switch with other chargers will kill the battery slowly.

But if you want to avoid the hassle of carrying extra baggage for cables and chargers, a single charger for a MacBook can be a solution. A MacBook charger is a great substitute for your Switch original charger if charging time is of no concern.