How to charge your phone from a laptop via USB

The weakest point of any portable device is the battery. Moreover, the older it is, the weaker it holds the charge. What to do if you need to power up your mobile device, but you don’t have a charger at hand? How to charge your phone through a laptop? Are there other ways to recharge your battery? What to do if there is no outlet nearby? Let's find the answer to these and other questions regarding recharging gadgets.

Charge your phone via laptop

How can you charge your phone from a laptop? Very simple, but there must be a cable to connect to the USB connector. If the accessory is available, proceed as follows:

Using a USB cable, connect your mobile device to the laptop connector. On your mobile phone, select “Storage” or “Media Transfer” mode.
Then, on your laptop, select your mobile device and open an explorer window. Check the status of the indicator on the mobile phone display to see if it is charging or not.
When the battery has finished charging, disconnect the USB cable.
Keep in mind that it will take longer to charge your phone from a laptop than from a standard network charger. The USB connector will provide only 500 mA of charging current, and the mains accessory will provide 800 mA. Therefore, it will take longer than when connecting a mobile phone to a power outlet.

Let's start the dive.

I am sure that almost every modern person has a smartphone, or an older push-button device for voice communication and access to the Internet. A similar statement applies to the computer (laptop), which today is present in every home and office.

Often we have to connect gadgets to a PC using a cable in order to exchange data, dump photos to a hard drive, or send the necessary files to a smart device.

In addition to this function, the connection to a computer can also be used to “replenish” the battery. For example, on my Xiaomi Redmi Note 4, immediately after connecting to the laptop, the “Charging from USB” notification appears. That is, this action is supported in the phone itself, is not blocked, and therefore is not prohibited/undesirable.

This is very convenient, because sometimes you are too lazy to reach for the outlet and get distracted from work. It’s easier to take a cord, plug the ends into the necessary connectors and keep the device at hand while waiting for charging to complete.

But still, the question is interesting -

About USB ports on laptops

The presence of a USB port on electronic devices has greatly simplified the lives of users. Essentially, the connector is intended for information exchange, but in low-power devices it is used to recharge batteries. Today, laptops use the following versions of popular connectors:

2.0;
3.0.

The throughput power of versions 2.0, 3.0 is no more than 4.5 Watts, and to recharge a laptop of average power, at least 30 Watts are required. What to do? There is an alternative - this is Type-C, a new modification of the classic USB port. A connector with a throughput power of 100 W solved all problems with one click. Type-C USB version 3.1 is not only fast, but also convenient, it will charge the most sophisticated gadget. It has a symmetrical design, which will eliminate the incident when the cable is inserted the wrong way, and its compactness allows you to take it with you anywhere.

How to charge correctly?

Finally, I would like to give a few recommendations that can change your ideas. I dug deep into the topic and compiled the following rules:

It is best to keep the charge in the range from 20 to 80%, avoiding zero or oversaturation;
If possible, the recharging procedure should be performed several times a day, “feeding” the battery in small portions;
Protect the “energy source” from high (more than +40) and low temperatures (-10). It is better to keep the gadget in a warm pocket in frosty weather;
Do not install it overnight if you are not sure that your smart device has an automatic power supply blocking system;
Perform calibration periodically.

What to do if there is no USB 3.О Type-C

If your laptop does not have a USB 3.1 Type-C port, use a special adapter. A selection of high-quality adapters for batteries are sold here. With an external power supply and cable, the question of how to quickly charge a laptop via a USB port will be resolved instantly. It is enough to connect the devices to a high-voltage network and wait until the battery is full.

If you often need to recharge your phone battery from a laptop, buy a universal Power Bank that is suitable for all models of laptops and other devices. A portable, portable model will quickly recharge the device in any place where there is no network connection. Please note: you can find a large selection of high-quality, inexpensive backup batteries at this link. How does a laptop recharge using a power bank?

A USB adapter is connected to a fully charged portable battery.
The same thing will have to be repeated with one of the USB ports of the laptop.
If everything is done correctly, the battery will begin to charge. The speed and efficiency of charging will depend on the functionality of the activated connector.

Through the program

A standard user uses third-party programs and applications when using a smartphone. If you need faster charging times, you should pay attention to them. Some effective recommendations include:

It is recommended to disable Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3G, GPRS. If you use them unnecessarily, you may experience battery drain;
The GPS function can be activated without the user's knowledge. Not every case requires geolocation activation. If not needed, you can always turn it off;
Opening and using 3D games. These applications require significant energy costs. Often 30 minutes is enough to completely discharge the gadget. To avoid this, you should not run games and applications for a long time. This will not affect the quality of the game in any way, but will reduce the load on the battery.

How to charge a laptop using an auto-inverter

Is it possible to charge a laptop using an inverter from devices used for vehicles? Yes, for example, a car inverter, a car base voltage converter, is ideal for these purposes. First, connect the autoinverter as indicated in the manufacturer's instructions. Connect your laptop to it using the appropriate USB adapter.

An alternative could be to recharge the device through the cigarette lighter socket. Adapters for cars allow you to forget about the problem of recharging if you have to spend a lot of time driving. A large selection of accessories for recharging and synchronous operation of various devices in the car is here.

Why is it harmful and dangerous to charge smartphones and tablets from a computer’s USB connector?

Do you have a smartphone? I think everyone has one now. This gadget has enslaved modern man. We have become so attached to him that we begin to feel discomfort if he is not with us. Active use of the gadget during the day reduces its charge. And in search of a charging source, we often plug it into the first USB socket that catches our eye - the connector of a laptop or desktop computer. And some people use USB radios in their cars. Is it possible to charge a phone via USB from a computer?

Electric generator to help

Portable power generators, including solar panels, are one way to quickly recharge electronic devices. They charge the battery quickly and safely, which is convenient when there is no access to a 220 V power supply. How does recharging occur? Use an adapter to connect the generator to the laptop charging socket. Check how stable the devices are after connecting to each other. If everything is fine, all you have to do is wait until the battery is fully powered and the laptop is ready for use.

Download charging acceleration for Android

One of such programs is Super Charger. This is an indispensable program for a person who cannot wait for a refill for a long time and cannot turn off the device to charge.

If you have any questions, please let us know Ask a Question

If you download the software to your smartphone, you can charge your devices in a minimum amount of time. After downloading the utility, previously running processes and unnecessary options are terminated, energy consumption is reduced and the charging time of the smartphone from the computer becomes shorter.

Why doesn't my phone want to charge from my laptop?

There are times when for some reason the laptop does not charge the phone. What is the reason?

Pollution interferes. Over time, contacts on USB device ports and cable plugs inevitably become covered with dust and dirt particles. Once accumulated, debris creates resistance that prevents the connection between the phone and laptop. It is enough to carefully clean the contacts with a match dipped in alcohol and use a toothpick, the contact will be restored.
The cable is damaged. Breaking or breaking the conductor is a common situation that arises due to kinks and external influences. Try using a different cord.
Broken USB port on laptop. It often burns out, the second reason is controller burnout. What to do? Take a working flash card or another USB device, check the functionality of the socket. If the laptop does not respond, it means the port is broken and there is no contact with the motherboard.
The phone connector is damaged. USB ports of any cellular devices are subject to frequent breakdowns. Sometimes it's enough to pull out the cord unsuccessfully for the mobile phone socket to stop working. Only urgent repairs will help here.
The portable device is in sleep mode. If you look at the laptop settings, you will see that the option to disable USB ports is usually in sleep mode. This is done to save battery power. Just change the settings and you can charge your mobile phone.

Arguments against charging from a computer:

The threat of virus infection. If you connect your smartphone to someone else's computer, you can accidentally receive a dangerous file - a virus. To insure against the problem, before connecting, open the phone settings section and select the “Charge only” mode. This function blocks the transfer of information.
Slow charging. The computer's USB connectors are not able to provide the required level of current to charge a mobile phone, so the battery charges slowly. Sometimes you need to wait several hours for your smartphone to reach at least 50 percent charge.
Battery wear. Some users have noticed that when frequently recharging from a computer, the smartphone battery begins to discharge faster. That is why phone manufacturers recommend using original chargers to fill the battery with energy.

What to do if charging is slow

Why does a mobile gadget charge so slowly? Is it possible and how to charge faster? If there is no dirt on the connector contacts, everything is fine with the laptop or mobile gadget; other reasons are to blame.

Charging current is low. As already mentioned, the USB version 2.0 port produces a maximum power of 500 mA. If the connection is via an extension cord, even less. Only innovation will save us, the Type-C connector.
Self-charging is extremely high. Activated background applications often prevent your phone from charging. They are energy-intensive, often their discharge current is much greater than the charge current. What to do? There are two options: turn off background applications, take a more powerful memory.

Use any methods to increase your phone's battery power. All methods are equivalent and safe. However, it is much easier to spend money on buying a Power Bank once and forget about the problems forever.

Understanding how charging works

Let's say your phone comes with a 5V/1A charger. This is what we usually call a "slow" charger, as most modern chargers are now much faster.

Does this mean you can't use a 5V/2.1A charger or even a 9V/2A charger (in the case of USB-C)? In fact, a charger with a higher amperage will likely charge your phone even faster, and will be able to do so safely. Essentially, all modern batteries are equipped with a chip that regulates the input voltage. In fact, chargers also support these smart features, so you should always buy high-quality chargers from reputed brands instead of cheap knockoffs.

That's why you can use a fast charger on older smartphones that don't support fast charging technology—both the charger and the battery have the necessary precautions to prevent anything bad from happening. The phone will simply charge at the normal speed it is designed for.

Very fast iPhone charging

Owners of Apple devices can also significantly speed up the battery charging process if they use useful tips.

Power saving mode helps your phone charge quickly. After all, the less energy the device consumes, the faster it will replenish its reserves. The iOS 11 model already has a quick switch button for this mode; in older iPhones, you should go to the battery settings.
If you do not use the gadget while charging, the process will go much faster. When you have to go out and every minute counts, it’s better to turn off your phone altogether.
With airplane mode turned on, you can charge your iPhone to 30-40 percent in half an hour. Indeed, in this state, network search, wi-fi, GPS and bluetooth are turned off, which affect the energy consumption of the device.
Removing the protective case from your iPhone will speed up charging significantly. The whole secret is in the heating of the battery, which occurs under additional “clothing” and requires energy to cool.
In its terms of use, Apple recommends using the original device to recharge the battery, and also using a power outlet rather than a computer’s USB connector.
If there is no other way out, and you have to use USB charging, you need to disable synchronization, which draws additional energy, and also make sure that the computer or laptop does not “fall asleep”.

The first way to speed up charging an Android phone is the original cable

Charging a smartphone is not only a matter of safety, but also of operation. Typically, manufacturers present solutions that perform much better than cheaper alternatives.

That's why you should take care of the original power supply for your Samsung or other manufacturers.

Replacing the cable is perhaps the best way to speed up charging. The process is sometimes accelerated by 5 times, which is a lot.

I have been convinced of this more than once. From 3 hours of charging after replacing the cable, the time was reduced to 40 minutes.

The second way to speed up the charging process of your smartphone is to turn off

In each smartphone model, you can check which functions are responsible for maximum battery consumption.

Most often this will be the screen itself and running applications. If you want to speed up the process, just turn it off.

In this way, the power that must be allocated for operation will help to achieve the appropriate charge level more quickly.

If you don't want to turn it off, you can turn on airplane mode. So turn off the GSM connection, Bluetooth function, Internet access and Wi-Fi.

None of the programs will update in the background and we will not receive notifications from the application.

This is enough to ensure that the smartphone does not use its power for side effects and “focuses” on charging the battery.

The fifth way to speed up phone charging time is a program

For Android phones there is a program called “Ultra Fast Charging 5X” - compatible with all your Android devices.

What the program does. It simply completes all processes with one click and this way can reduce the time by up to 50%.

It also has a “diagnostic center” for battery health. The program is easy to use.

Install and click “Optimize” - the program will take care of everything else on its own.