Can you charge an old phone with a new charger?

"Do older Apple devices have the software that allows them to regulate the amount of power provided by today's more powerful chargers? Can those higher-powered chargers harm older devices?"

The answer is pretty simple.

USB chargers have to adhere to a standard of providing a proper charge for all connected devices.

Older devices likely were not manufactured at a time when USB charging could provide more power to charge them faster, so today's faster chargers should be able to provide the minimum power for devices they can't identify.

When a fast charger detects a new connection, it tries to figure out what is connected and what kind of power draw it is capable of handling. Once they negotiate, the proper amount of power is provided, depending on the available power on the charger.

If the charger has two ports and a 30-watt capacity, connecting a new iPhone and a laptop will max out the power draw and charging will slow down. It should still provide power for both devices, but only to the limit it can serve up.

If you have an old iPhone 5 and you plug it into a 100-watt charger, chances are the iPhone will negotiate with the charger for the proper amount of power. iPhones prior to the iPhone 11 came with a five-watt USB charger.

If you have an old USB device that came with a charger that you can no longer find, it is possible a modern charger will not work.

I recently purchased some motion detecting lights for my closets and they will not charge with anything more than a basic five-watt charger, so it will behoove you to keep a few older, slower chargers around just in case.

Also, if you're like me and you have dozens of old USB chargers in your desk drawers, take a minute to use a marker or label maker to label them so you know which to use.

2023 Tribune Content Agency, LLC.