How to fast charge MacBook Air or MacBook Pro to 50% in 30 mins

Learn what cables and power adapters you need to fast charge your MacBook Air or MacBook Pro’s battery from zero to fifty percent battery in around thirty minutes.

Left side of the 14-inch MacBook Pro with MagSafe and USB-C ports — You can fast charge via MagSafe or USB-C. Image: TheRegisti for Unsplash

Fast charging requires devices, cables, and power adapters that are compatible with the USB Power Delivery protocol which helps devices negotiate power requirements to protect against overcharging, fire hazard, and other issues.

Also see: How to fast charge your iPhone or iPad

Table of Contents hide

1) Fast charge your MacBook

1.1) MacBook Air (2022 and later)

1.2) 14-inch MacBook Pro (2021 and later)

1.3) 16-inch MacBook Pro (2021 and later)

1.4) Older Mac laptops

2) Shopping links for Apple chargers and cables

3) Does fast charging work over MagSafe?

4) Do I need to use Apple’s chargers and cables?

5) See how much power a charger or display provides to your MacBook

Fast charge your MacBook

To quickly charge the battery in your Mac laptop from zero to fifty percent in about thirty minutes, be sure your power adapter and charge cable support the required wattage.

MacBook Air (2022 and later)

You need a USB-C power adapter that supports any of the following wattages to fast charge your 2022 0r newer MacBook Air. You can connect the power adapter to your MacBook’s MagSafe port using an Apple USB-C to MagSafe 3 cable or to any USB-C port using the included USB-C charge cable.

Apple 140W USB-C power adapter
Apple 96W USB-C power adapter
Apple 70W USB-C power adapter
Apple 67W USB-C power adapter (13.6-inch MacBook Air model only; not the 15-inch model)
Apple Studio Display + Thunderbolt cable
Apple Pro Display XDR + Thunderbolt 3 cable
External third-party monitor capable of delivering 85W + Thunderbolt 3 cable or compatible third-party USB-C cable

14-inch MacBook Pro (2021 and later)

These chargers, cables, and displays are confirmed to fast-charge the 2021 or newer 14-inch MacBook Pro:

Apple 140W USB-C power adapter + USB-C to MagSafe 3 cable or compatible third-party USB-C charge cable
Apple 96W USB-C power adapter + USB-C to MagSafe 3 cable or compatible third-party USB-C charge cable
Apple Studio Display + Thunderbolt cable
Apple Pro Display XDR + Thunderbolt 3 cable
External third-party display capable of delivering 94W + Thunderbolt 3 cable or compatible third-party USB-C cable

16-inch MacBook Pro (2021 and later)

These power adapters, cables, and displays can fast-charge any 16-inch MacBook Pro manufactured in 2021 or later.

Apple 140W USB-C power adapter + USB-C to MagSafe 3 cable
Apple 140W USB-C power adapter + 2-meter 240W USB-C charge cable for 16-inch MacBook Pro (November 2023)

Older Mac laptops

Mac notebooks manufactured prior to 2021 lack fast charging, but you can cut down on charge time by using a more powerful charging brick. For instance, the 20W power adapter that came with my iPhone takes ages to charge my 2020 M1 MacBook Pro, but using the laptop’s included 61W adapter tops up the battery much faster.

Shopping links for Apple chargers and cables

Does fast charging work over MagSafe?

MacBook MagSafe cable, USB C Thunderbolt cable, and fast charge power adapter

You can fast-charge a Mac laptop via MagSafe 3 or USB-C ports, but only using one port at a time. Don’t bother plugging in additional chargers because doing so won’t charge the computer faster.

Do I need to use Apple’s chargers and cables?

A male hand holding Ugreen's 100-watt Nexus power adapter, showcasing the charger's three USB-C ports and one USB-A port on the rear — Multi-port chargers share power across multiple ports. Image: Christian Zibreg / iDB

No. Just because Apple recommends its own power adapters and cables doesn’t mean you shouldn’t consider third-party options. You can safely use a third-party Power Delivery charger of the required wattage and either a USB-C or MagSafe cable to fast charge your MacBook.

Keep in mind that multi-port chargers like Ugreen’s compact Nexode 300W GaN power adapter share power across all of the available ports. Also, check whether a multi-port charger puts out enough power through a single port before buying it. With each new device plugged in, a multi-port charger will redistribute power across ports. If your Mac stops charging or doesn’t seem to fast-charge, unplug all other devices from your multi-port charger. A separate power adapter isn’t required when charging via the connected display.

We’ve rounded up the best USB-C cables for iPhone that can also fast-charge MacBooks. Some of the trusted brands worth checking out include Ugreen, Mophie, Nomad, Satechi, RavPower, Belkin, Anker, and others.

See how much power a charger or display provides to your MacBook

Looking at the wattage printed on the adapter itself is a good starting point. That said, you can always check System Information in macOS to find out exactly how much power an adapter is providing your MacBook Air or MacBook Pro.

Click the Apple menu  in the top-left corner.
Hold the Option key to reveal the System Information menu option, then click it.
Expand the Hardware section in the sidebar, then select Power.
Scroll down to the AC Charger Information section on the right, and note the number next to Wattage (W).

I tested three charging bricks I own, and here’s what I found:

My iPhone’s 20W Apple adapter provided full 20 watts of power to my M1 MacBook Pro.
The 61W adapter that came with my M1 MacBook Pro offers 60 watts of power.
The 33W brick that came with my Motorola phone provided just 8 watts of power to my M1 MacBook Pro, and it shows “Not Charging.”

Power provided by three different adapters to MacBook

More on your MacBook’s battery: