Issue: Apple MagSafe wireless chargers and AirPods are no longer charging when connected to a Windows laptop’s USB-C port after a recent update.
Background:
Apple MagSafe wireless chargers and AirPods used to work with Windows laptops, but Microsoft broke compatibility with a late 2021 update. Even reinstalling the OS won’t fix the issue.
The issue seems to be specific to Dell laptops. Other laptops with Windows 11 seem to work fine, even though they may give an error message saying “USB device not recognized”.
Workaround:
To fix the issue, you can disable a HID device in Device Manager. This prevents Windows from detecting the Apple device, which allows power delivery to continue.
Steps Windows 10:
- Open Control Panel and then Devices and Printers
- Right-click on the Apple MagSafe Charger (or AirPods) and select Properties.
- Go to the Hardware tab.
- Select the HID-compatible-vendor-defined device (the first one usually works).
- Click Properties.
- Click Change settings (if applicable).
- Go to the Driver tab and Disable the device.
- Unplug and replug the MagSafe charger or AirPods.
Steps Windows 11:
- Open Settings
- Under Bluetooth & devices click “View more devices” and then scroll down and click “More devices and printers”
- Right click Apple MagSafe Charger and open properties
- Go to the Hardware tab.
- Select the HID-compatible-vendor-defined device (the first one usually works).
- Click Properties.
- Click Change settings (if applicable).
- Go to the Driver tab and Disable the device.
- Unplug and replug the MagSafe charger or AirPods.
Your Apple device should now start charging.
Why does this work?
Apple devices only need power from the laptop to charge. They don’t need the drivers to be working. For some reason, Windows is disabling power delivery to the device after the update. This is why the device charges during computer boot time, but stops charging as soon as the login screen appears.
By disabling the HID device, you are preventing Windows from detecting the Apple device. This allows power delivery to continue, even though Windows doesn’t recognize the device.
Microsoft’s response:
Many users have reported this issue in Microsoft forums and on Reddit. However, Microsoft has yet to fix the issue, even after 1.5 years.
It is unclear why Microsoft has not fixed this issue yet. However, it is likely that they are aware of the issue and are working on a fix.
In the meantime, you can use the workaround described above to fix the issue.
This worked for me when running Windows 10, but since upgrading to Windows 11 my case still won’t charge after applying the fix, an ideas?
Have you tried the additional steps for Windows 11?
My HP with 10th Gen Core i5 won’t allow a right click access to the Apple MagSafe Charger Device. Is there another way to see the device and get to Hardware?
Try Device manager. It should show up somewhere in there.
First thank you for your advice.
The Apple Mag Safe Charger appears under Bluetooth View Other Devices, but it did not allow right click access.
Your reply encouraged me to try accessing other listed components such as my HP printer and HP additional monitors and they are similarly unresponsive to a right click.
So, I then went to Desktop> Control Panel>Hardware and Sound>Devices and Printers where the Apple MagSafe Charger appears under “Unspecified” from there your process worked exactly. The first HID-Compliant vendor defined device was the one. It showed three options. It then required Clicking on the Change Settings button which has a Shield in front of it. Afterwards when one follows this route the Bluetooth & Devices>Devices shows the Apple MagSafe Charger as “:Driver error” but it is charging my iPhone, which is what I wanted.
I am not very skilled at this and your instructions were clear and your follow up.excellent. Thank you.
Thanks for the detailed update and glad it worked for you.
@mkerala: Thanks for this short but sweet workaround. It had been bugging me for several months now.
Funnily, my laptop is a 6 months old Dell XPS 15 9520 running W11pro. So it appears to still affect new laptops too.
Thanks for sharing the info. My new laptop is from Mi. The old one I had this issue was also Dell. So may be it is specific to Dell devices?