How to check your charger’s wattage on a Mac
Hold Option, choose Apple menu › System Information, select Power and look under AC Charger Information: Wattage (W) is what the connected adapter is rated for. In Terminal, pmset -g ac shows the same. Neither shows how much power is going into the Mac right now; BatteryGuard does, live in the menu bar.
Updated
In System Information
- Hold the Option key, open the Apple menu and choose System Information.
- Select Power in the sidebar.
- Scroll to AC Charger Information. Wattage (W) is what the connected adapter is rated for.
The same section also shows the adapter’s name, for example “140W USB‑C Power Adapter”, and whether it’s charging.
In Terminal
Either command works without an administrator password:
pmset -g ac
Shows Wattage, Current, Voltage and the adapter’s name.
system_profiler SPPowerDataType | grep -i wattage
Which adapter Apple recommends
For the best charging, Apple recommends an adapter with at least the wattage below. Any USB‑C adapter with Power Delivery still charges, just more slowly if it’s smaller.
| Mac | Recommended adapter (Apple) |
|---|---|
| MacBook Neo | 20W USB-C Power Adapter |
| MacBook Air (2022 or later) | 30W (13-inch only), 35W Dual, 67W or 70W USB-C Power Adapter |
| MacBook Air (2018 to 2021) | 30W USB-C Power Adapter, or 40W Dynamic Power Adapter with 60W Max |
| 14-inch MacBook Pro (2021 or later) | 67W, 70W or 96W USB-C Power Adapter |
| 16-inch MacBook Pro (2021 or later) | 140W USB-C Power Adapter |
| 16-inch MacBook Pro (2019) | 96W USB-C Power Adapter |
| 13-inch MacBook Pro (2016 or later) | 61W USB-C Power Adapter |
| 15-inch MacBook Pro (2016 or later) | 87W USB-C Power Adapter |
From Apple’s Use a power adapter with your Mac. For your exact model, see Chargers by Mac.
The power going in right now
The rating is the most an adapter can give. What actually goes in depends on the cable (many USB‑C cables carry at most 60 W), the port, how full the battery is and how hard the Mac is working. BatteryGuard shows it live: the watts going into the Mac, how many reach the battery and how many run the Mac.
Example readings from the app.
Questions
Is the wattage in System Information what my Mac is getting?
No. It’s the adapter’s rating. The power going in right now is usually lower and changes with the battery level, the cable and what the Mac is doing.
Can I use a charger with more watts than mine?
Yes. Apple says any USB‑C power adapter that supports USB Power Delivery can charge a USB‑C Mac laptop, and higher- or lower-wattage adapters can still charge it. The Mac takes only the power it needs.
What does “Slow Charger” in the battery menu mean?
On macOS Tahoe 26.4 or later it means the charger delivers too little power for your Mac model. Use an adapter and cable with at least the wattage Apple recommends. More on slow charging.
Sources
- Use a power adapter with your Mac — Apple Support
- Charge your Mac laptop computer — Apple Support