Laptops can do much more than we need them to. In addition to all the tasks that a laptop computer should ordinarily do, they can also charge mobile phones, but with a catch.
It’s common knowledge that laptops tend to charge phones significantly slower than most regular chargers do. While charging through USB ports on your laptop may not be as fast as using a wall socket, but it shouldn’t be extremely slow unless something is wrong.
In this article, you’ll learn some of the reasons why your laptop charges your phone slowly and how to make your laptop charge your phone faster.
What Causes My Laptop To Charge My Phone’s Battery So Slowly?
The problem is usually a faulty cable. USB cables typically deteriorate over their lifespan, charging your phone at a slower rate. Changing the USB should fix the slow charging, provided it was the problem in the first place.
Laptops may also charge slowly because the USB port is a secondary power source. It wasn’t designed to charge phones; instead, it’s only to supply power to devices connected to the laptop. If you want faster charging, you should probably use a dedicated charger.
How To Make Laptop Charge Phone Faster? (Solutions)
You should generally charge your phone from a dedicated charger, but there’s no rule mandating that. Here are some of the steps to follow if you want to charge from your laptop without waiting years for the phone to charge 100%.

Check The USB And The Cable
The current output in wall socket charge is usually around 1000 to 2000 mA, while it is only around 600 – 900 mA when charging on your laptop. The current output might be lesser if you use an old USB model, which usually explains the slow speeds.
Note that not all USB ports on your laptop are optimized for charging; only the powered port will charge effectively. Check your device manual to identify powered ports. When you pay attention to these details, you’ll see an improvement in charging speed.
Disable USB Selective Suspend Setting
USB selective suspend setting is a power option that allows your system to suspend a particular port on your device without having negative effects on other ports in your device.
Since other USB ports aren’t working, the current output will be concentrated in the USB port you are using to charge, which may increase the charging speed.
Disconnect Other USB Devices And Peripherals
Another tip for making a laptop charge phone faster is to consider disconnecting other USB devices when charging your phone. For instance, if you plug in two extra external USB devices, your motherboard will be forced to disperse power among the three.

Specifications Of The USB Port
Different types of USB ports offer different transfer and charging speeds. A laptop with USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports will typically charge phones faster than one with a USB 2.0 port. They also transfer data at different rates, making it necessary to check your laptop’s USB ports before purchase.
The Maximum Capacity Of The Battery
If the battery can’t take more than a specific amperage, then the charging experience will be the same irrespective of your USB port specification.
Compatibility Of The Software
Some mobile phone brands are built to limit the load to 500 mA when they detect the power source is a USB port. However, this shouldn’t be an issue with modern devices because most smartphone brands now remove this restriction from their recent phones.
Charge Your Phone Using Laptop Via A USB Cable (Step-By-Step)
Charging your phone in a laptop via a USB cable is extremely easy. You can charge anywhere on most laptops as long there is power on your laptop and a USB cable. Here’s how to do that.
- Get a compatible and quality USB from a credible local or online store.
- Connect the USB cables correctly to your phone and laptop.
- Plug the laptop into a power outlet.
- Power on the laptop, and your phone will automatically start charging. Some laptops will charge your phone while in rest mode. If you are not at home, try to fully charge your laptop before using it to charge your phone.
FAQs
Why Does My Phone Charge So Slow On Computer?
This is usually because of a faulty or old USB port. The type of USB you use for charging can directly affect the speed. Consider getting a high-quality and compatible USB cable to increase the charging speed of your device.
How Can I Charge My iPhone Faster On My Laptop?
Use a quality Lightning-to-USB cable while using your laptop to charge your iPhone. Avoid using your phone while charging on your laptop and frequently check the charging status. All this will make your iPhone charge faster.
Does Charging Phone On Laptop Damage Battery?
They have been no proof that charging a phone on a laptop can damage your battery. However, it will drain your laptop’s battery faster than expected, but it doesn’t cause any significant damage in the long run.
Is It Ok To Charge iPhone Using Laptop?
It is okay to charge your iPhones using your laptop as long as you go about things the correct way and use a standard USB 2.0 port at least. Most iPhones come with USB to lightning cables out of the box that enables laptop charging.
How To Make Laptop Charge Phone While Closed?
To make your Laptop charge the phone, while in sleep mode with the lid closed, you will need to deselect “allow the computer to turn off this device to save power” in the device manager. Doing this, however, will drain your laptop’s battery significantly faster when it’s closed.
Conclusion
Generally, charging your phone via a laptop can cause the laptop battery to drain faster than usual. So consider plugging your laptop into a power outlet while using it to charge your phone. This will ensure your battery isn’t getting drained out too quickly; it will also increase the charging speed of your phone.
If you don’t have a charger, it’s best to get a charger as soon as possible, as the charging speeds from a laptop can’t compare to that of a phone. You can try the fixes above if a dedicated charger is unavailable.
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