So, you just unboxed a shiny iPhone 14, or maybe you’re looking at that empty box and wondering where the rest of it went. It’s a weird feeling. You spend all that money and the one thing you actually need to give the phone life is... missing. Honestly, it’s been a few years since Apple stopped including the power brick, but it still catches people off guard.
Basically, if you’re asking what charger does the iPhone 14 use, the answer is both simple and kind of annoying. Your phone has a Lightning port. Not USB-C. That didn't happen until the iPhone 15. So, if you have a pile of old Apple cables, you’re probably in luck, but there’s a catch with the speed.
The Cable in Your Box (And the One You Need)
Inside that slim little white box, you’ll find a USB-C to Lightning cable.
This is where it gets confusing for some. The "Lightning" end goes into your phone. The "USB-C" end—the small, rounded rectangular one—goes into the wall plug. If you have those old, flat-faced USB-A bricks from five years ago, this new cable won't fit them. You've basically got two choices: buy a new USB-C wall adapter or keep using your old USB-A to Lightning cables.
Both work. Really.
Don't let a salesperson at a carrier store tell you that using an "old" charger will explode your battery. That’s just not true. It’ll just be slow. Like, really slow. If you use the ancient 5W square brick, you'll be waiting hours for a full charge.
Fast Charging: The 20W "Sweet Spot"
To actually get your iPhone 14 from 0% to 50% in about 30 minutes, you need a brick that supports Power Delivery (USB-PD). Apple recommends their own 20W USB-C Power Adapter.
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But here’s a pro tip: the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max can actually pull a bit more juice. Independent testing from sites like Chongdiantou and ChargerLAB showed the iPhone 14 Pro Max can hit peak speeds of around 26W to 27W if you use a beefier charger, like a 30W MacBook brick.
Does it make a massive difference? Sorta. It shaves off a few minutes at the beginning of the charge, but once your battery hits 80%, the phone throttles the speed way down anyway to protect the battery’s health.
- iPhone 14 / 14 Plus: 20W is plenty.
- iPhone 14 Pro / Pro Max: A 30W charger is technically "better," but a 20W one is just fine for most humans.
Wireless Options: MagSafe and Qi
If you hate cables, you’ve got options. The iPhone 14 has MagSafe. It’s those magnets hidden in the back of the phone that snap onto chargers.
MagSafe is great because it aligns perfectly every time. If you use an official MagSafe charger (or a Qi2 certified one), you can get up to 15W of wireless power. If you just toss it on a random "Qi" wireless pad you bought at a gas station, you’re likely capped at 7.5W. It’s slow. It’s convenient for a nightstand, but it’s not for when you’re in a hurry.
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One weird detail: if you have an iPhone 14 and you’re using a MagSafe charger, you still need a 20W or higher USB-C brick to plug that MagSafe puck into. If you plug a MagSafe cable into a weak power source, it won't give you that 15W speed.
Can I Use My iPad or MacBook Charger?
Yes. Absolutely.
You can plug your iPhone 14 into a 140W MacBook Pro charger and it will be perfectly safe. The phone is smart. It only takes the power it can handle. It's like a person drinking from a firehose—the phone only "swallows" what it needs.
Using a higher-wattage charger won't "fry" the battery, though fast charging in general generates more heat than slow charging. Heat is the real enemy of battery longevity. If you charge your phone overnight, honestly, using an old 5W slow charger is actually better for the long-term health of your battery because it keeps things cool.
What to Look For When Buying
If you're shopping for a new block, look for GaN (Gallium Nitride) chargers. Brands like Anker, Ugreen, and Belkin make these. They are much smaller than Apple’s bricks but pack the same—or more—power.
Specifically, look for the MFi (Made for iPhone) certification on cables. This means Apple has vetted them. Non-MFi cables are cheaper, sure, but they often stop working after an iOS update or, worse, have crappy voltage regulation that can actually mess with your touch screen’s sensitivity while charging.
The Final Verdict
Your iPhone 14 needs a Lightning cable. To get the fastest speeds, pair that with a 20W or 30W USB-C wall adapter.
If you have old chargers around the house, use them! They won't hurt anything. Just know that if you’re at 5% and need to leave the house in 20 minutes, that old USB-A cable isn't going to do much for you.
Check your drawer for any brick with a small, oval USB-C port. If you find one, you're golden. If not, grabbing a 20W Anker Nano or the official Apple 20W plug is your best bet to keep that iPhone 14 humming.
To get started, check the wattage printed in tiny grey text on any power bricks you already own; if it says "20W" and has a USB-C port, you don't need to buy a single thing. If you only see "5W," it's time to upgrade to a USB-C Power Delivery (PD) adapter to unlock fast charging.