Can You Charge iPhone 12 With An Old Charger?

You spend almost a thousand dollars buying a new iPhone 12 and suddenly you discover there is no charger in the box! Yes, that’s true.

Unfortunately, the new iPhone 12 doesn’t come with charging accessories.

Some of you may be planning to buy a new out-of-box charger with some extra price while some others are wondering whether they can use their previous charger or not.

Though there is huge confusion over this topic, yes, you can use your old charger to charge your new iPhone 12. However, it’s only recommended when the charger is in good condition.

In this blog, we will bring you the truth to wipe away your confusion about iPhone 12 and the old chargers. We will also show you some tips and ways to charge iPhone 12.

What Comes Inside An iPhone 12 Box?

When you buy an iPhone 12 or iPhone 12 Pro, the phone itself is what you get. Nothing else with the phone. Both phones are available in multiple storage sizes and you can choose according to your need.

iPhone 12 comes only with one lightning to USB-C type cable and a SIM ejector pin. But, there will be no adapter in the box to plug the cable into a power source outlet.

Why Is Apple Not Including Charger In Their New 12 Series?

The iPhone 11 and iPhone 12 are quite similar in looks. However, one major difference is that iPhone 12 does not come with a charging adapter inside the box.

Apple’s decision seems bold, but they have provided an explanation for it.

Apple believes their users are loyal to their brand and they must have used an iPhone or other Apple product previously. So, most users must have an old charging adapter.

Apple says its ultimate goal is to minimize e-waste and carbon emissions by reducing the box size and not including the charging adapter in the box.

However, Apple sells its own charging sets and adapters separately. You can always buy a new one if you want.

Is It Possible To Charge Your iPhone 12 With an Old Charger?

Yes, the old iPhone 11 charger is good enough to charge the newer iPhone 12 or 12 Pro. iPhone 12 needs a 20W USB-C power adapter to avail fast charging. The good thing is, iPhone 11 has a similar configuration charger too.

That means you can charge your new iPhone 12 with the old charger of an iPhone 11. Other models of iPhone chargers are also supported to charge the newer ones.

Though, the charging may be a little slower with other old chargers except for the iPhone 11 charger.

If you have used an iPhone before, using that existing charger is the most convenient way as you may not spend extra money to buy a new charger.

What Happens When An iPhone 12 Is Connected To An Old Charger?

Before you move further and try to charge the new iPhone 12 with an old charger, you should know the consequences first.

When you are using an old Apple charger for charging a new iPhone 12, you don’t have to worry about battery damage or other damages if the charger is in good shape and condition.

However, if you’re upgrading to the latest model, one thing to watch out for is slower charging times. That’s because the new phone requires a high-voltage charger, which might not be included if you’re using an older one.

Some users have reported that they are having slow charging issues while they were using old adapters of iPhones (older than iPhone 11).

But the new iPhone 12 will adjust with the low-voltage old charger and start charging. Though your phone is compatible with fast charging, you may adjust with slow charging.

However, if the voltage of old and new phones is still the same, you may not face this issue and things will go smoothly. And the good thing is, the iPhone 11 and 12 have similar voltage adaptability. Nothing to work about!

How To Charge Your iPhone 12 Without A Charger?

We understand your worries about charging your iPhone 12 as it doesn’t come with a charging adapter. However, if you do not have access to any older charging adapters, you can use any of the methods we will discuss below.

Charge Without An Adapter

It is possible to charge your iPhone 12 with a device that has a USB-C port. In that case, you won’t need an adapter.

A MacBook of any model can be a great charging option as well. Many iPhone users follow this method to charge their phones.

Charging your iPhone with a MacBook will drain a lot of power from your PC. So, it is good to have your MacBook connected to the socket while doing so.

Wireless Charging

No old adapters? No worries! Go for wireless charging. Apple introduced wireless charging with their iPhone 8 models. So, if you have an iPhone 8 or newer model, chances are you have used wireless charging before.

You can charge your iPhone 12 with any Qi-enabled wireless charger or MagSafe wireless charger. It’s easy and efficient when you don’t have an adapter.

Power Tower

If you prefer charging your iPhone in one designated place, you can invest in a power tower. This tower comes equipped with multiple wall outlets, as well as USB and USB-C ports, allowing you to charge your phone and other devices simultaneously.

It’s a smart device and you won’t need an adapter as well. The lightning USB-C cable is enough in this case.

Is It Safe To Use Third-Party Chargers on iPhone 12?

Some of you may be wondering about buying some cheap third-party chargers to charge your iPhone 12. Some third-party charges are good and safe but most of them are not. There’s always a chance of damage and the necessity for battery replacement during the process.

Third-party chargers that are safe, are expensive as they use high-quality materials and technology. If you have to buy a charger, we would recommend you buy it from Apple.

Many iPhone users have reported serious issues like damaging their phones after using third-party or counterfeit adapters. We think it’s ok to spend some extra bucks when you are spending that much to buy an iPhone 12. No way you should take any risks with your expensive device!

Frequently Asked Questions

We acknowledge your confusion and worries though we have described the issue elaborately. To wipe away your all confusion, we will try to come up with some possible questions and answer them in this FAQ section:

Can you charge your iPhone 12 in a car’s USB port?

Yes, you can charge your iPhone 12 in your car’s USB port. But your car must have a USB-c port to make it possible. Most cars have this facility so, we assume you can do this in your car.

Will it still charge your iPhone 12 when the lightning cable has USB-A on the other side?

A lightning cable with a USB-C connection on both sides comes with the iPhone 12. But if you don’t have this lightning cable, don’t worry; lightning cables with USB-A on one end will also charge your iPhone 12 but may not give you faster charging speeds.

What charger configuration do you need for fast charging your iPhone 12?

Power adapters are responsible for fast charging your iPhones. Any adapter that has 20W or higher power can speed up charging your iPhone 12. A 20W adapter is enough to fast charge your device.

How long does it take for an iPhone 12 to charge with an old charger?

If you charge your iPhone 12 with an old USB-C lightning cable and 20W power adapter, it will take 30 minutes to reach the charge from zero to 50%. However, if the charger is in good shape, the charging time remains the same though it’s not a new one.

Final Thoughts

As Apple is not providing you with a power adapter with your Apple 12 series, you have to find other ways of charging. The best way to charge the device is with an old iPhone or other Apple devices charger. You can continue this until the old charger loses its shape or condition.

iPhone 12 does not come cheap. And you would not want a cheap or faulty third-party charger to damage your expensive device. Try to avoid them as an old iPhone charger is still a safe option.

If you don’t have an old charger, we have shown you other ways of charging in this blog above. We hope this article will answer all your queries regarding this issue.