Apple Warns Against Non-Certified Apple Watch Chargers

Apple today published a support document that warns customers against using non-certified Apple Watch chargers, which could cause slow charging, repeated chimes, and reduced battery span.

apple watch charger s7
According to Apple, customers should only use chargers made by Apple or chargers that have Made for iPhone (MFi) certification with the Made for Apple Watch badge.

Apple provides images of genuine Apple Watch chargers and explains the text and regulatory markings that may be on the cable. "Chargers that are not made by Apple might have different colors, text, or other designs on the surface of the charging connector," reads the support document.

Apple also provides a list of model numbers for all of the cables that it has produced to date, and gives instructions for checking the manufacturer of a charger using a Mac.

To use this method, the Apple Watch needs to be connected to the Mac. When connected, go to System Settings and then Click on General. Choose About, and then System Report. Under USB, choose the Apple Watch charger to view the details. Watch chargers created by Apple will list Apple Inc. as the manufacturer.

Apple says that customers can ensure they are using a certified third-party charger by looking for the Made for Watch labeling or searching Apple's public database of MFi accessories.

Popular Stories

streaming black friday 2025

Black Friday Streaming Deals Include Big Savings on Disney+, Hulu, Apple TV, and More

Monday November 24, 2025 8:03 am PST by
We've been focusing on deals on physical products over the past few weeks, but Black Friday is also a great time of year to purchase a streaming membership. Some of the biggest services have great discounts for new and select returning members this week, including Disney+, Hulu, Paramount+, Peacock, and more. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a...
iOS 26 on Three iPhones

iOS 27 Will Reportedly Have Two Key Upgrades

Sunday November 23, 2025 8:48 am PST by
iOS 27 will reportedly have two major elements: quality improvements and new AI features. In his Power On newsletter today, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that iOS 27 will be similar to Mac OS X Snow Leopard, in the sense that Apple is focused on improving "quality and underlying performance" over adding new features. Gurman said there is one exception to this rule, though, as he expects...
General Black Friday Deals 25 Red

Apple Black Friday Deals Available Now on AirPods, iPads, Accessories, and More

Friday November 21, 2025 8:48 am PST by
We're only a few days away from Black Friday, which will take place on Friday, November 28 in 2025. As always, this will be the best time of the year to shop for great deals, including popular Apple products like AirPods, iPad, Apple Watch, and more. In this article, the majority of the discounts will be found on Amazon. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When...
iOS 26

iOS 26.2 Adds These New Features to Your iPhone

Thursday November 20, 2025 10:50 am PST by
iOS 26.2 is currently in beta testing. The upcoming update includes a handful of new features and changes on the iPhone, including a new Liquid Glass slider for the Lock Screen's clock, offline lyrics for Apple Music, and more. In a recent press release, Apple confirmed that iOS 26.2 will be released to all users in December, but it did not provide a specific release date. Keep reading...
maxresdefault

The MacRumors Show: iPhone 18 Pro Looks Like a Huge Upgrade

Friday November 21, 2025 9:10 am PST by
On this week's episode of The MacRumors Show, we talk through all of the new features and improvements expected to come to next year's iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max models. Subscribe to The MacRumors Show YouTube channel for more videos Apple's next-generation iPhones are less than ten months away and we already have a good idea about what to expect based on corroborated leaks, rumors,...
Apple Foldable Thumb

Foldable iPhone to Debut These Three Breakthrough Features

Tuesday November 25, 2025 7:09 am PST by
Apple's first foldable iPhone is expected to launch alongside the iPhone 18 Pro models in fall 2026, and it's shaping up to include three standout features that could set it apart from the competition. The book-style foldable will reportedly feature an industry-first 24-megapixel under-display camera built into the inner display, according to a recent JP Morgan equity research report. That...
apple news banner

Apple News Loses CNN

Monday November 24, 2025 7:56 am PST by
American multinational news company CNN has abruptly pulled its content from Apple News, Semafor reports. CNN quietly removed its stories from Apple News over the weekend and there is no longer a feed from the network to subscribe to in the app. This effectively ends its distribution agreement with Apple while the two sides negotiate new terms. Discussions are apparently ongoing and CNN's...
amazon black friday

Amazon Kicks Off Black Friday Sale With Major Discounts on Apple Accessories, TVs, and More

Sunday November 23, 2025 7:12 am PST by
Black Friday deals have begun, and Amazon is one of the best places you can find steep discounts on numerous products this week. We've already collected all of the best Apple-related deals you'll find at Amazon (and other retailers) in our Apple Black Friday Deals post, so below you'll find other discounts on devices like Anker accessories, Beats headphones, video games, TVs, and more. Note:...
Apple Shopping Event 2025

Apple Announces 2025 Black Friday Event, Here's What You Can Get

Thursday November 20, 2025 6:28 am PST by
Apple's annual four-day Black Friday through Cyber Monday shopping event is returning on Friday, November 28 through Monday, December 1 in many countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, Thailand, and others. During the shopping event, customers can get an Apple gift card with...

Top Rated Comments

iPay Avatar
26 months ago
Apple today published a support document ('https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213854') that warns customers against using non-certified Apple Watch chargers, which could cause slow charging, repeated chimes, and reduced battery span.

More importantly, it would also reduce the More Financial Income (MFI) program.
Score: 26 Votes (Like | Disagree)
coffeemilktea Avatar
26 months ago
Well darn, I guess I shouldn't have bought my chargers from some shady guy selling them out of a trench coat in a back alley. ?
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Apple_Robert Avatar
26 months ago
Always buy certified. It’s not worth the fire risk or damage to a $1K+ device.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Apple_Robert Avatar
26 months ago

But, you have AppleCare+. If your watch is damaged by a charger, they'll replace it for free.
A bad charger can cause a fire. My point stands with my previous post
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jz0309 Avatar
26 months ago
There are lots of posts in the AW forum of folks complaining about charging problems with 3rd party cables, esp fast charging, so maybe this is a good thing.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
foobarbaz Avatar
26 months ago

A bad charger can cause a fire. My point stands with my previous post
A bad power supply surely can. But a bad Apple Watch charger running on 5V?
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)