How to Charge a Laptop Without a Charger (2022)

Have you ever been in a situation where there’s no available power source and your laptop’s about to die? Maybe you forgot your laptop charger at home, or worse, your charging port isn’t working at all.

If you need important files from your laptop but have no way to boot it up with a charger, thankfully, there are multiple solutions that can bring your laptop to life once again!

In this article, learn about the six quick ways to charge your laptop without a charger. You might even find the perfect long-term solution to your dead battery dilemma!

Please note that you can use similar methods to charge your chromebook without a charger.

Table of Contents

6 Ways to Charge a Laptop Without a Charger

These solutions make it possible to charge your laptop without a power source. If your charger or charging port isn’t an option, try booting up your laptop with the 6 following options:

Find Spare Battery

This tip is an industry secret that seems obvious, but not many people take advantage of it. 

Laptop manufacturers love selling spare parts, including batteries! If you’re on the road and don’t have an available power source, you can easily keep your laptop running by investing in a second battery.

If you’re wondering how to charge a laptop battery without laptop charging ports, invest in an external battery charger. This device plugs directly into the power socket.

A convenient way to prepare for long trips is to charge your main battery with your laptop charger and charge your spare battery with an external battery charger.

External battery chargers are often specific to a brand and line, so make sure to buy one that matches your laptop model.

Use a Type-C Cable

USB-C ports offer high-power connectivity, conducting much more power at higher speeds than a USB-A connector. Laptops with built-in USB-C ports will allow you to charge your laptop via a USB-C cable.

If you’re wondering how to charge a laptop battery with a USB-C cable, all you have to do is make sure that the USB-C cable has a plug adapter. Plug that end into an outlet and the other end into your laptop. 

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If you’re looking for a reliable USB-C adapter, the Anker Premium 60W adapter can simultaneously deliver up to 30W of power to up to five USB-C devices at full-speed. Four of those power ports have an intelligent design that automatically recognizes device type to boost charging speeds. You can even use your phone to charge the laptop battery through the USB port.

Charge your Laptop with a Power Bank

Another easy way to charge your laptop without a charger is with a portable power bank. All you have to do is connect the power bank to your laptop’s USB-A or USB C port. 

USB-A power chords are generally less powerful, so you’ll want to invest in a powerful USB-C power bank that’s 8 volts or higher if you’re going to use your laptop while it’s plugged in. Most laptops need 8 volts to 12 volts to charge, and most power banks can only offer 5 volts.

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The OmniCharge 20+ 20000mah is one of the best options for a laptop power bank. It’s compatible with a wide variety of laptops, including 60W USB-C laptops and other 100W AC-compatible outlets, making it great for most laptops and tech gadgets. The OmniCharge 20+ also features DC in/out, two USB A ports, and passthrough charging that allows you to charge the power bank while simultaneously charging other devices.

Charge your Laptop with an UPS Power Supply

A UPS (uninterruptible power supply) includes a battery which can power a laptop, as well as offering surge protection. We have a handy Laptop UPS Runtime Calculator which lets you determine how long you will be able to power your laptop.

Use your Smartphone

Especially in an emergency, using your cellphone as a backup power supply can be a true lifesaver. All you have to do is use a USB-C cable and connect one end to your smartphone and the other to your laptop.

Navigate to your USB’s power settings, and select the option to supply power to another device. You should expect the power from your phone to drain quickly as your laptop boots up.

Your smartphone doesn’t hold as much power as a power bank, so there are some drawbacks to this method:

  • You won’t get more than 30 minutes of laptop power
  • Having a dead phone can be more of a hassle in some situations

While not a great long-term solution to a dead battery, it’s still a handy trick that can get you out of a tight spot. 

Invest in a Universal Power Adapter

Do you have an old laptop and charger that’s no longer in production? 

It doesn’t mean that your laptop is now a brick. You can invest in a universal power adapter. This AC/DC device comes with multiple interchangeable pins, which is great for supporting a wide variety of laptop brands.

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  • AC Input: 100-240V 50/60Hz 1.0A, DC Output: volt 3V 4.5V 5V 6V 7.5V 9V 12V - amp 0.5A 1.0A 1.5A 2.0A 2.5A Max. 3.0A
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Universal power adapters work just like your original charger, allowing you to use your laptop while it charges. With that in mind, remember to monitor your voltage and amperage to avoid overheating your system or batteries.

These are also readily available online, so you could easily replace them if you’ve lost an essential piece.

Charge your Laptop with your Car 

Here’s the perfect solution to charging your laptop while you’re on a road trip! 

USB car charger and an AC adapter.
  • Car charger with one USB-A port (12 Watts) and one built-in-cable USB-C (18 Watts). Charges up to 2 devices at a time
  • Apple MFi Certified ensures complete compatibility with iPhone 14/13/12/11/X/XR/XS/8/7/6/6s/5/5s/5c, iPhone Pro 13/12/11, iPhone Pro Max 13/12/11/XS, iPhone Plus 14/8/7/6/6s, iPhone SE 1st Gen/2nd Gen/3rd Gen, iPhone mini 13/12, Apple iPad, iPad Air, iPad Mini, iPad Pro, iPod Touch, iPod nano, Beats Pill+, Samsung Fold Z/ Galaxy S22/ S20/ S10/ S9/ S9 Plus/ S8/ S8 Plus/ S7/ S7 Edge/ S6/ S6 Edge/ S5/ Note 20 10 9 7/ 930QCG/ Google Nexus 6P/5X, Google Pixel 3/3XL/2/2XL, HTC One M9+/M9/A9/M8/E8, Motorola Razer, Moto Z, Huawei Mate10, P30/ P20, Blackberry, Nokia, Sony, LG U, LG G Stylo, LG G6/G5/G4/G3, LG V30/V20, PH-1, and any other USB outlet devices
  • Plugs into your car, truck, or van’s cigarette lighter (DC adapter) to deliver a strong charge
  • Delivers an 80% charge in just 35 minutes on the USB-C port. Charges up to 4x faster than standard chargers
  • Safety features include an automatic stop, vibration absorption, and a fireproof construction. Safe to use with wi-fi, bluetooth, and radio

All you need are a  USB car charger and an AC adapter. USB-A to USB-C adapters works great for USB car charging.

To charge your laptop using your car battery, here’s what you should do:

  1. Turn on your car engine
  2. Plugin the car charger
  3. Plugin the USB-C connector to your laptop

Most of the time, you won’t even need a USB car charger since most cars nowadays have a USB port.

Conclusion

While some people would argue that it’s unsafe to use a laptop charger that’s not from the official manufacturer, the methods on our list are great for booting up your laptop when you’re in a pickle.

Especially when you’re planning a long business trip, consider charging your laptop with any of these methods if you don’t have a charger or power source available.

Let us know which method you’ll try!