What do these strange symbols on your charging brick actually mean?

If you look at the charging brick on your laptop or phone, you’ll see all kinds of little symbols. These seemingly random letters and shapes tell you about its compliance with regulatory laws, as well as information such as where and when it is appropriate to use the charger and its durability. For example, the contours of a house mean that the device was designed for indoor use only. A square within a square symbol tells you that the device is double insulated, which means it has additional protection against electric shock. The crossed out bin tells you that the device should be disposed of at an electronics recycling facility rather than your usual bin, in accordance with European Union legislation. A black bar below the bin indicates that the device was manufactured after 2005.

The letters “ETL” inside a circle mean that the product and the manufacturing plant from which it came meet minimum safety standards in the United States and Canada. The letters “UL” inside a circle stand for “Underwriters Laboratories” and assure you that the device has been tested to meet UL’s more stringent safety requirements. “RoHS” with a check mark tells you the materials contained inside, indicating that they are free from or contain a minimal amount of hazardous substances like mercury, lead and cadmium. The number 10 inside a circle of arrows means that although the device may contain toxic substances, it is guaranteed that they will not escape from the device for at least 10 years.

The letters “FC” with a smaller “c” inside the “C” mean that it complies with FCC radio communications laws. The letters “V” or “VI” inside a circle tell you its energy efficiency certification. A “V” indicates a good level of efficiency, but “VI” is better and is also required on all external power supplies sold in the United States since 2016.

So, which symbols are really worth paying attention to? One of the most important is the UL symbol surrounded by a circle and the word “Listed” because it indicates that a product has been tested by the UL organization to meet strict safety standards. Some fire insurance policies specify that you must use UL listed products in order to maintain coverage and ensure that claims will not be denied. Having this symbol is therefore favorable and generally means that you have one of the best recharge blocks.

Hazardous material indicators like RoHS and the 10-year label are also worth checking out. You should pay attention to these because they can tell you if you are encountering toxic materials or how long you can expect to use the charger before toxic substances start leaking from it. There are other safety features on power banks, but these are some of the clearest health indicators.

There are many other symbols that you will typically see on your charging brick, primarily indicating compliance with the laws of various other countries. For example, UKCA tells you that it is designed to meet UK market regulations and CE is for European markets. You can also learn more about your charger by checking the specifications listed next to these regulatory symbols, such as the charging power level.