Talk:MagSafe/Archive 1

Earlier comments
Killed the airplane adapter compatibility with car adapter ports. It's been sitting there with Citation Needed for over half a year and pretty much everything on the web says it's NOT compatible.64.81.229.106 (talk) 07:14, 21 January 2009 (UTC)


 * Why? The airline adapter 20mm socket is the exact same one found in cars, the only difference is that a running car operates at 14.5v instead of the 15v that would be there on an airplane. But guess what the minimum charging voltage of a MacBook (Pro) is? You guessed it, 14.5 volts. Apple tells you to never use it in a car, but that's because a car with a poorly maintained charging system can put out harsh voltage spikes, and damage the computer, and has nothing to do with any incompatibility.


 * Basic understanding of these standards, (which are all, BTW, laid out in other Wikipedia articles) makes it clear that the Apple Airline adapter DOES work in cars. I've also personally used it for just this purpose. So yeah...

2001:56A:7018:A700:A88E:B464:E1A6:CDD7 (talk) 19:55, 1 July 2018 (UTC)

I must say - I find it highly amusing that Apple technology is being compared to a deep fryer. Evanbro 01:17, 12 January 2006 (UTC)
 * As well I do, especially since the article is from 2001, and this thing was released in 2006. I find it only right that information like that should remain in the article. Silly people, trying to present this as a "new" idea.  Zchris87v  17:11, 28 June 2007 (UTC)
 * According to the book Inside Steve's Brain (p. 195): MacBooks...have MagSafe power adapters which stay in place thanks to magnets. They are designed to easily detach from the power cord, stopping the computer from crashing to the floor. It's an idea Apple took from Japanese rice cookers, which have had magnetic power adapters for several years for the same reason-to prevent boiling watch from being thrown across the kitchen if a child snags the power cord. Also check out this article which includes a picture of a Japanese rice cooker: http://zichi.blogspot.com/2007/05/japan-media-pods.html

I think that this kind of connector is very very smart and genial and a very good idea! -- Frap 21:02, 16 May 2006 (UTC)
 * I think that this is certainly not the first time this kind of connector has been used. I think that almost any power supply, from the one for my IBM laptop I've had for two years to the plug for a drill I got when I was fifteen, all use the type of "technology" that when pulled on, disconnects. I think it is pure genius to use a magnet mere inches from a hard drive.  Zchris87v  17:09, 28 June 2007 (UTC)
 * Not to worry, Zchris, I wouldn't think. It takes a WHOLE lot more magnetic power than that to flip bits on an HD platter.  There's a reason the drives themselves use neodymium magnets. Malenkylizards (talk) 16:52, 22 October 2009 (UTC)

I didn't. Removed. --71.230.73.113 01:20, 23 May 2006 (UTC)

Patent state
A note about whether the innovation is patented would be nice. --ToastieIL 13:27, 30 August 2006 (UTC)

Request for clarification
"tendency to fray"? I find it hard to believe that it uses bare multistrand... so what's meant by that? 86.11.124.189 19:11, 9 October 2006 (UTC)

It means that the cable wears out at the laptop end, and stops working despite being properly connected. I'm about to get my third power adapter for my Macbook Pro and am worrying about what will happen when the warranty expires. 144.133.74.239 03:47, 17 March 2007 (UTC)

Pinout needed
Pinout needs to be added to this thing, somebody must have docs by now. 213.118.142.27 22:29, 26 January 2007 (UTC)
 * ✅: Made using info in article, please tell me if I have made any errors. Max Naylor 19:17, 5 May 2007 (UTC)

I came here looking for info on pin 3, the "charge control pin". It appears to be some kind of tiny push-button electrical switch, but I'm not sure about that. Maybe someone who knows what this pin does could write a line or two about it. Thanks. --Loqi T. (talk) 23:43, 6 July 2008 (UTC)

I suspect the third pin to be for LED indicator, as connector cable has only two wires, positive and ground. So the mid pin could be connected to two LED diodes which are connected with opposing anode and cathode on the middle pin and ground. As such positive voltage on middle pin would lit one and negative the other LED. (Bodlay, 3. March 2011.) —Preceding unsigned comment added by 84.52.163.98 (talk) 17:37, 3 March 2011 (UTC)

There's actually a fair bit going on inside the adapter and the control pin. An Apple laptop is capable of retrieving a power adapter ID and serial number using the IOPSCopyExternalPowerAdapterDetails function in the IOKit framework. Apple's laptops will also refuse to accept power from adapters that do not report a correct serial number. (A friend of mine needed to update software on his older MacBookPro4,1 before it would accept the latest line of adapters). --pzich (talk) 04:57, 23 May 2011 (UTC)

The power adaptors may well communicate with the MacBook itself, but it's not through the middle pin. There is no electrical connection from the middle pin to the inside of the adaptor, so the middle pin cannot be used to report serial numbers, or to turn on/off the charger. Communication (if it is there) would be modulated on the power line, or it's also possible the MBP4 rejected the older charger simply because of a different no-load voltage or other electrical response. Speaking from the experience of having repaired many, many chargers with frayed cables. Daedalus2097 (talk) 17:32, 18 August 2011 (UTC)

@Daedalus2097 - I've dissected the internals of a magsafe jack. There is most definitely an IC in there connected to the center pin.

Furthermore, I've removed a section of the article on it's function, as the power adapter cable is only two conductor (see http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/HyperJuice+Magic+Box+User+Guide/5542/2 ). As such, any communication between the power adapter and the laptop must be coupled on top of the main power connections, not routed through a separate wire, as would have to be done for the middle pin to be involved in controlling charging.

As far as I can tell, the center pin basically is just used for controlling the little LED on the plug, and reading out a serial number and adapter type stored in the IC *in the plug only*. It does not communicate with the actual power brick. 184.187.163.42 (talk) 06:59, 24 April 2013 (UTC)

The center pin protocol has been analysed and documented. It's 1-Wire. See http://www.righto.com/2013/06/teardown-and-exploration-of-magsafe.html 24.85.180.193 (talk) 11:43, 1 November 2013 (UTC)

Stuck pins
There is a growing problem of these connectors getting "stuck pins". The male connector's pins are spring-loaded with tiny springs, and over time can get stuck down, causing lack of contact. My own laptop, now just over 1 year old, just started experiencing this. Apple has a page documenting the phenomenon, and newsgroups suggest that some people have gone through several power bricks (at $100 a pop) due to this issue. I myself need to visit the Apple store to see if they'll work with me since I'm barely over the warranty... --207.67.104.231 20:10, 6 March 2007 (UTC)
 * The above comment is mine -- evidently I wasn't logged in when I posted it --Rehcsif 21:54, 7 March 2007 (UTC)

Magsafe Licensee?
I removed the following snippit from the main page due to the non-encyclopedic/speculative nature. Also the image does not have proper license tags. --Rehcsif 04:04, 3 April 2007 (UTC) ''Given Apple's Patent on the Magsafe, The folks at BatteryGeek.net appears to have the license for the magsafe as they are selling this magsafe with their External battery & Car adapter. ''

Fair use rationale for Image:Apple magsafe pins.jpg
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BetacommandBot 06:14, 27 October 2007 (UTC)

Another criticism
Should it not also be noted that due to the ease of detachment, use of the laptop without a battery present can become rather problematic? As any accidental nudge to the cable or connector will cause the laptop to instantly power off. My MacBook battery exploded and I was forced to use it without a battery for a week, it was a pain. --Delta-NC (talk) 23:50, 27 October 2008 (UTC)

Correction/Addition
In the Feature section it states "[...]Though the 60 W MacBook and 85 W MacBook Pro MagSafe connectors are identical, Apple recommends using only the adapter provided with the machine.[...]" However, a label on the box of the 85W power adapter indicates that it is intended for use with the Macbook Pro AND the Macbook. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 137.138.83.203 (talk) 14:16, 28 October 2008 (UTC)

MagSafe Attracts Sand
I had my MacBook Pro in my backpack which happened to contain a bit of sand. The power connector got jammed with ferromagnetic sand. I'm obviously not the only one. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 130.92.9.56 (talk) 08:33, 2 September 2009 (UTC)

Distinct lack of the definite article
Since when was Wikipedia an outlet of Apple's heinous marketing speak which drops the "the" from any Apple product? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 81.129.249.120 (talk) 11:14, 26 September 2010 (UTC)
 * Since the invention of proper grammar :-) - Mardus /talk 04:24, 17 June 2020 (UTC)

Right angled plug
I removed the following section:

Since the release of the 2010 MacBook Pro, Apple now ships the 60 W and 85 W chargers with right angled MagSafe cord, similar to those used by MacBook Air and Apple LED Cinema Display. The right angle design directs the cable perpendicular to the screen of the computer placing less strain on the cable and reducing the likelihood of cable damage.


 * It doesn't. :-( Anihl (talk) 18:03, 14 May 2011 (UTC)

The switch was made because the previous plug would cause the MacBook Air to not sit on a desk properly. Also, my late 2009 WhiteBook came with the right-angled plug. --Wjlafrance (talk)

"Palindromic"
What you're really referring to is called rotational symmetry. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 79.206.222.166 (talk) 08:48, 25 November 2011 (UTC)

Use of higher wattage chargers
I was curious as to whether an 85W would work for an older machine that shipped with a 60W (seemed logical), and found an Apple page that confirms it, so I replaced the "Apple recommends" language with real information and a reference. Stuart H. Alden (talk) 17:14, 27 December 2011 (UTC)

L-shaped connector can only be fitted in one orientation?
"(however, the L-shaped version of the connector can only be fitted in one orientation without blocking neighboring ports, such as USB)"

Is this true? My L-shaped version works in either orientation. I've never seen anyone plug it in to purposely block ports. Just turn it upside down and it won't block any ports. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 198.154.114.202 (talk) 15:57, 13 June 2013 (UTC)


 * Who said anything about "purposely"? Read it again, Ben.182.247.155.228 (talk) 02:06, 8 February 2016 (UTC)

T-Shaped connector?
The picture on the left identified a first generation magsafe connector as being 't shaped' (since changed) - Why? I've never heard that expression used to describe a cable before. Across google there are a number of mentions of this phrase related to magsafe, but I didn't see anything from apple, or from any other authoritative source. It's just a phrase picked up in blogs to contrast to the L-Shaped cable. The so called 't-shape' is just a straight connector, pointing in the direction of the cable. There are loads of similarly shaped connectors for all manner of different things, most notably the iPhone to USB cables, which also have a very wide connector but aren't ever called T-shaped. What's more, the description doesn't even fit the picture because the angle doesn't show the part of the cable which the description relates to. It essentially says 'Here is a T-Shaped connector' and shows a picture of something that is in no way shaped like a T. Not even arguably. It just shows the end of regular connector. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 86.161.119.17 (talk) 13:51, 12 August 2014 (UTC)

Comparison photo needed
A free version like or  would be nice to clearly show the difference between MagSafe and MagSafe 2. -- Beland (talk) 02:30, 20 March 2015 (UTC)

Switch to L-shape connector because of lawsuit? Why did they change back?
I seem to remember that the reason they originally introduced the L-shape was because of the class-action lawsuit related to inadequate stress relief. Which then begs the question, why did they move back to it for MagSafe 2 (Was the MagSafe 1 patent was about to run out?) Or did Apple find a better rubber supplier - "iRubber" perhaps? (* And I'm an Apple fan too - who has 3 or 4 fraying-cable MagSafe adapters) Jimw338 (talk) 15:33, 5 October 2016 (UTC)

Failure to connect
Failure to connect is a common problem; i.e. no light on the connector, and partial or no charging. The magnetic surface of the connector may be damaged. To fix, take a snap off blade knife, & run the back of the blade across the mating surface of the connector to remove any bumps. Had trouble with mine for months; just tried this now, worked immediately. ;-)
 * (Preceding good-faith addition was moved here from article, because of unencyclopedic tone and lack of reference to WP:RS) Reify-tech (talk) 18:26, 13 January 2017 (UTC)

External links modified (January 2018)
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Green My Apple - the reason for the disintegrating cables.
The cables disintegrate over time, typically six months, because of the type of plastic used. Greenpeace ran a campaign called Green My Apple, which pressured Apple into switching to PVC free cables. http://members.greenpeace.org/sites/greenmyapple/ 194.207.86.26 (talk) 09:38, 28 April 2019 (UTC)

Move article to MagSafe (MacBook) or MagSafe (Mac)
With the new release of MagSafe technology for iPhone 12 series, I would assume a good number of people (but not a supermajority) would be looking for the iPhone 12 MagSafe technology. It might be in best interests to create a disambiguation page at MagSafe, and create a separate page for MagSafe for Mac to disambiguate it from MagSafe for iPhone.

Please tell me what you think here! KevTYD (wake up) 19:19, 13 October 2020 (UTC)

I agree, the new MagSafe will probably be more popular and should be the main page, the old one should be moved to MagSafe (MacBook) or something similar Unbeatable101 (talk) 20:34, 13 October 2020 (UTC)
 * It could be merged into a single article, like Apple QuickTake. -  C HAMPION  (talk) (contributions) (logs) 22:10, 13 October 2020 (UTC)

"MagSafe" listed at Redirects for discussion
A discussion is taking place to address the redirect MagSafe. The discussion will occur at Redirects for discussion/Log/2020 November 11 until a consensus is reached, and readers of this page are welcome to contribute to the discussion. The Incognito Guy (Browsing privately) 07:03, 11 November 2020 (UTC)

"Magsafe" listed at Redirects for discussion
A discussion is taking place to address the redirect Magsafe. The discussion will occur at Redirects for discussion/Log/2020 November 11 until a consensus is reached, and readers of this page are welcome to contribute to the discussion. Shhhnotsoloud (talk) 10:28, 11 November 2020 (UTC)

Article title / primary topics / disambiguation page
Please see the discussion at the Talk page for MagSafe (smartphone charging and accessory interface) (and leave this forwarding link here indefinitely).

Jim Grisham (talk) 05:33, 18 August 2021 (UTC)