We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article. Learn More

Should You Charge Macbook through a USB-C Hub?

You love your Macbook. If you have a Macbook, you most probably have a USB-C hub. But, The question is should you charge Macbook through a USB-C Hub?

Some USB-C hubs have a USB-C port that can be used to charge your Macbook. Apple has a reputation for not being compatible with third-party accessories. So, You may have the question Should you charge the Macbook through that multi-functional USB-C port of the Hub?

The answer is complicated. Before that, you should know some facts about Macbook and the third-party hubs.

usb c hub

What type of Hub has a USB-C Charging port for Macbook?

Not all USB-C Hub has a charging port. However, In modern days, all premium quality hubs have one dedicated or a charging capable port.

There are some differences. Some cheap hubs have just charging capable ports (PD ports). That doesn’t have other functionalities. This PD (Power Delivery) port is OK if you don’t need that port for anything else.

However, Top class USB-C hubs for Macbook have a multifunction USB C port. That port has capacity for media display, data transfer, up to 100W charging, etc.

should i charge macbook through usb c hub

Should I Charge Macbook through USB-C Hub’s Port?

In most cases, yes. You can charge your Macbook through a premium quality USB-C hub. Many people have been doing it for years without any problems. Also, some people suffer from various issues. I have done little research on this and found some alarming information.

Based on that findings, here are some key points you should follow.

1. Don’t pass charging power through USB-C Hub for newer Macbook Immediately

Apple releases a newer generation Macbook every year. If you buy a new Mac within the very first month or two months of the release date, don’t charge it through the USB-C Hub.

Though it is not very common that a USB-C hub can break your Macbook, you still should be careful. In 2020, Apple released its first Apple Silicon-based Macs. I found several people reported that their Macbook became dead after charging it through the USB-C Hub’s multi-functional ports.

You may think that it happens because these Macs were very different one than the X86 Macs. But, It was not the case. It was a software bug. With the release of macOS Big Sur 11.2.2, Apple had fixed it.

In the past, we saw that similar things happened. So, based on that, it is ideal for charging your newer generation Macbook directly without a USB-C hub within a couple of months or even three or four months. After being sure that it won’t create a problem, you can safely charge your Macbook through the USB-C Hub.

2. Use Best Quality Hubs

Except for the above scenario, it is safe to charge your Macbook Pro through the multi-functional port of a USB-C hub. But, there are still other things to take care of. You should not use a cheap Hub to do it.

There are countless incidents of misfortunes just because of cheaper or unknown brands’ hubs. For your convenience, we have created a list of the best Hubs.

Read: Top 5 Best USB-C Hubs for MacBook

So, What do you understand after getting all these information? Is it safe to charge MacBook through a USB-C Hub? Yes, it is. But, You should do it with some extra care. Mainly, you should follow these two pieces of advice mentioned above.

If you have any opinion on this, you are more than welcome to input in the comment box.

Leave a Comment