Apple’s MacBook Air is one of the most popular laptops, thanks to its sleek design, powerful M-series processors, impressive battery life, and (somewhat) reasonable price. It also leverages the popular USB Power Delivery (USB PD) standard for charging, which lets you charge it using any compatible third-party USB-C charger. More importantly, the USB PD standard negotiates the connection between the charger and the MacBook Air and learns how much power the laptop can accept. Therefore, charging a MacBook Air using a 100W outlet or even a more powerful wall adapter is perfectly safe, provided the adapter is USB PD compatible.
The power supply will only send as much power to the MacBook Air as it can safely handle. However, this also means that charging your MacBook Air using a 100W or higher power brick doesn’t necessarily mean it will charge faster. Different MacBook models are designed for different fast charging speeds, and plugging in a more powerful adapter makes no difference.
How fast can a MacBook Air charge?
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Although Apple doesn’t explicitly list charging speeds for different MacBook Air models, the company does mention the power required for a power adapter to enable fast charging. According to the company, MacBook Air models released in 2022 or later (primarily with an M2 or newer chip) require at least a 67W power adapter for the 13-inch model and a 70W power adapter for the 15-inch model for fast charging. These numbers are roughly in line with third-party testing by ChargerLab that showed MacBook Air models max out at around 70-72W. So if you have a 70W or higher USB PD compatible power adapter, you’ll be able to charge your MacBook Air at maximum speed. The older MacBook Air M1, however, is limited to 45W charging.
It is important to remember here that besides the power adapter and the MacBook Air model, the USB cable you use for charging is equally important. Using the MagSafe cable that came with your MacBook Air is usually your best bet; However, if you don’t have it on hand and want to use a USB-C to USB-C cable for charging, make sure it’s a high-quality 5A cable, as these support charging at over 60W. Otherwise, your charging speeds could drop.
While fast charging is a good thing and helps you charge from zero to 50% in about 30 minutes, you don’t necessarily need it to charge your MacBook Air. According to Apple, a 30W power adapter is sufficient for 13-inch MacBook Air models (with USB-C or MagSafe), and a 35W power adapter is sufficient for the 15-inch variant.
