If you have a Nintendo Switch charger, you may have wondered at one point or another if you can use that charger to charge your phone too. After all, they both are technological devices that require chargers. So, can you charge a phone with a Nintendo Switch charger?
You can technically charge your phone using a Nintendo Switch charger. However, it’s recommended not to. It is not necessarily dangerous to do this, but it can damage the charger and phone in the long run, forcing you to buy new models prematurely. For this reason, we recommend only using your Nintendo Switch charger on your Nintendo Switch.
To find out more about charging your phone with the Switch charger, keep reading. In this article, we take a look at why you should not use a Nintendo Switch charger for your phone, the risks associated with it, and what makes Nintendo Switch chargers different from phone chargers.
Can You Charge a Phone with a Nintendo Switch Charger?
Technically, you can charge certain phones with a Nintendo Switch charger. The only phones that you will be able to do this with are phones with the same port outlet. iPhones will not work, but you should be able to charge most androids with a Nintendo Switch charger.
Now, just because you can charge your phone with a Nintendo Switch charger does not mean you should. In fact, you run the risk of damaging the charger and phone in the process, which you probably know are expensive to replace.
For this reason, you should not use a Nintendo Switch charger to charge your phone even if it technically appears to charge your phone correctly. There’s no point risking the hardware inside your phone or charger.
What Are the Risks to Charging a Phone with a Nintendo Switch Charger?
When you charge your phone with a Nintendo Switch charger, you do run a couple of risks. Most likely, the Nintendo Switch charger can break and stop charging the Nintendo Switch or anything else, for that matter. You also run the risk of damaging your Nintendo Switch. This is much less likely to happen and is relatively rare, but it is a technical possibility.
Finally, the last possible risk of using this charger for your phone is that it can damage your phone in the long run. It is unlikely to cause your phone to shut off immediately, though it is possible, but it is almost guaranteed that using the wrong charger will eat up your phone’s lifespan.
However, it should be noted that many people around the globe use their Nintendo Switch charger to keep their phone’s juice intact. These people will tell you that they charge their Nintendo Switch and phone with the same charger with no problem.
Is It Dangerous?
Overall, charging your phone with a Nintendo Switch charger is not all that dangerous. There are no additional reports of it causing a fire, electrocution, or any other situation deemed dangerous. Obviously, the chargers can cause safety risks, as can any charger, but the risks are not increased whenever you use the charger to charge a phone.
How Are Nintendo Switch Chargers Different from Phone Chargers?
Nintendo Switch adapters are used to support two different Nintendo Switch standards, including the 5.0V/1.5A Handheld Tablet Mode and 15.0V/2.6A TV mode. In comparison, most devices and adapters for other cell phones have ratings of 5.0V/1.0A. Both androids and iPhones have these ratings.
So, what do these numbers mean? The voltage refers to the speed of the current while the amp refers to the strength of the current when charging. Using the incorrect amp and voltage with the phone can result in a number of issues.
What Does This Mean?
If you charge a cellphone with a TV mode charger, it would have too high a voltage and amp, which may cause the phone to shut off, run hot, and shorten the phone’s lifespan, though you may not see any immediate side effects.
If you have a tablet mode charger, then it has the correct voltage but too high of amps for your phone. When this is the case, the adapter may overheat and ultimately die. It is for this reason that people who use a Nintendo Switch charger for their phone experience a broken charger.
Why Most Users Don’t Experience Issues
You might be wondering, “If the right amp and voltage are important, why do so many people claim using the charger doesn’t cause any damage to their phone?” Well, the answer is pretty simple. As we learned above, using the TV mode charger with a phone may not cause any immediate issues to the phone or charger.
Because phones and other devices are designed with circuits and protective means, the phones will likely be able to handle the charger for some time, though it may result in the phone getting hot. These side effects do not often hurt the phone in the short term, but it can cause some damage in the long term.
In other words, most of these users aren’t seeing any problems because most of the issues that come about are only seen after years of usage.
Our Final Verdict
Even though some people charge their phone with their Nintendo Switch charger with no issues, we generally advise against it. Even though it is possible to use this charging method safely and effectively, you always run the risk of damaging your charger in the process.
Nintendo Switch chargers can be pricey, and you don’t want to accidentally damage your phone either. For this reason, we recommend riding on the side of caution and only using your Nintendo Switch charger for Nintendo Switches. If you want to take the risk, then that is your decision.
Just remember that using a Nintendo Switch charger on your phone can cause the charger to break prematurely, and it can cause your phone to stop working prematurely as well. Even if your phone is not showing any signs of damage in the short term, it can be affected over years of use.
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