The best ways to charge your MacBook Pro if you want a faster, lasting charge

Depending upon the age of your MacBook Pro, you'll charge it with either a magnetic charging cable or newer USB-C cable.
To make sure your Macbook Pro is charging, check for a charging indicator at the top-right of the screen.
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There's nothing worse than the realization that your MacBook Pro hasn't charged overnight and you're now starting the work day with a dead battery.

Here's everything you need to know about charging your MacBook Pro , no matter how old it is.

Check out the products mentioned in this article:

Apple Macbook Pro (From $1,299.00 at Apple)

How to optimally charge your MacBook Pro

Depending upon the age of your MacBook Pro, there are two ways to charge it:

Modern MacBooks (made in 2016 or later) use a standard USB-C cable for charging. You can plug the cable into any of the USB-C ports on your MacBook and then connect it to your power outlet.
If you have a MacBook Pro sold before 2016, it'll feature Apple's proprietary magnetic charging cable. The cable should automatically snap into place when you align it near the charging port on your MacBook.

For best results, you should try to use the official Apple-made charging cable that comes packaged with your laptop.

Your MacBook will charge more slowly if it's turned on, or you're actively using it while it charges. For the fastest charge, turn the laptop off or put it to sleep.

And once your MacBook is charged, unplug it. Keeping a device plugged in while it's already at maximum charge can wear out the battery.

How to tell if your MacBook Pro is charging

If you have an older MacBook Pro with a magnetic charging cable, the square piece that plugs into your computer will have a light on it. While the computer is charging, this light will be orange. When the battery is completely charged, this light will turn green.

If there's no light at all, check to make sure the power adapter is plugged in.

macbook charger Malyshev Alexander/Shutterstock

Modern USB-C-powered MacBooks don't have a charging indicator on the charging cable, because any USB-C cable will work. Instead, the easiest way to tell if you're charging is to check your laptop screen and look for the battery status indicator at the top-right of the screen.

If all you see is a battery level indicator, the laptop isn't charging. If the battery icon has a lightning bolt in it, it's charging.

How to charge your MacBook Pro 2 Dave Johnson/Business Insider

If your charging cable is properly connected but your MacBook won't charge, it's possible the power adapter or the cable itself has failed and needs to be replaced. There could also be an issue with your MacBook's battery.

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