6 Easy Ways to Charge Your Phone Without a Wall Charger
You’ve parked yourself at a coffee shop for the afternoon to crank through a deck for tomorrow’s meeting. You’re hitting a good flow when you glance down at your phone and see the dreaded warning: low battery.
And this isn’t just an, “Oh no, I can’t scroll Instagram” situation. You need your phone to pay for your next coffee, to tap on the subway to get home — this is your lifeline. You quickly scramble, digging up a USB cord, but, of course, no plug. Then you look around. Even a plug won’t help you. Outlets are few and far between, and every single one is occupied.
Luckily, there’s a backup plan. You can charge your phone without a charger, and there are five easy ways to do so.
How to Charge a Phone Without a Charger
Here are five simple options for charging your phone when you don’t have a wall charger.
- Plug a USB-C into a laptop.
- Use a USB car charger.
- Plus a USB into a portable battery pack.
- Power up with a solar charger.
- Use a wireless charging pad.
- Find a public charging station.
Plug a USB-C into a laptop.
If you have a USB cord, you have options. Casey Profita, CEO and founder of Gophermods, explains that his top choice to charge a phone without a charger would be a USB-C connected to a laptop. “It gives a strong 5V and a quick 15W, meaning it charges your phone faster,” Profita says. However, he adds that not all laptops have USB-C ports.
“Other laptop ports also give up to 5V, but with less power, so they’re slower,” he explains. But, in a pinch, as long as it plugs into a laptop, it’ll get the job done, at least enough to get you home.
Keep a charger in the car.
If you’re often on the road, the most convenient option might be to keep a charger in the car. If you have a USB jack within your car, then you can plug a cable directly into that. Otherwise, if you have an automobile auxiliary power outlet or cigarette lighter, then you can plug in with a car charger. Charge your phone every time you’re driving to a destination, and you’ll never find yourself with a low battery again.
Use a battery pack.
“Battery packs operate at a bit lower than 5V, charging your phone slower, but more convenient than being tethered to your laptop,” Profita says. All you’ll need is a USB cord to plug into the battery pack, though keep in mind that they don’t necessarily charge quickly.
The other key to remember is that a battery pack must be charged to use it. While they’re small and convenient to carry around, remembering to charge it can be a nuisance — especially if you’re someone who already struggles with keeping your phone charged.
Leverage the sun to charge your phone.
Did you know you can get solar panels for your phone? That’s essentially what a solar charger is, which draws power from sunlight to charge your phone. You’ll put the solar panel in direct sunlight, then plug your phone in. The sun will power the solar panel’s battery, which then charges your phone. This is a great way to charge your phone if you know you’re going to be outside for a long period of time and removed from any electrical options for charging.
Place wireless chargers around your home.
If you simply get annoyed by running around the house looking for a charger, plug wireless chargers in every room. That way, you can set your phone down on the charging pad whenever you’re in one place for a few minutes, get a little bit of charge, then move onto your next destination.
Find a public charging station.
If you’re in an emergency situation without any kind of charging device to speak of, try searching for a public charging station. Many transportation facilities will have them, like airports, train stations, and bus stations. Some malls, stores, or hotels may have them too, and you can also try asking reception if there is a spare charger you may be able to use. Coffee shops and libraries are good spots to ask, too — even if they say no, they may be able to point you in the direction of a solution.
When using any charger besides your own, though, just be cautious, as it is possible to install malware into USB charging stations.