Since the beginning of time – or at least since the first laptopcomputer – laptops have shipped with a charger. Typically, these chargers are unique to their brands, and require an AC power source. But what if you don’t have access to AC power? If you need some vital information that’s stored on your laptop, a dead battery can effectively put your data out of reach.
Every laptop is built with an internal battery. To get the battery charged, you’ve just got to supply it with some electricity. Most of the time, we plug our laptop into a power outlet in our home, and the electricity travels through the cable and into the battery.
A laptop charger is arguably the most effective way to transfer power to your laptop battery, but there are other ways to do it, too. All you need is:
A power source
A way to transfer the power to the battery
Use a USB Type-C Battery PackDepending on what model of laptop you own, you might be able to use a USB Type-C battery pack. While older USB Type-A ports only supported one-way power, USB Type-C ports support both inbound and outbound power. If your laptophas a USB Type-C port, you can use a USB Type-C battery pack, just like you’d use for your cell phone.
Use Your Cell Phone
As a last-ditch charging method in an emergency, most current smartphone models can be used as a backup power supply. Obviously, your smartphone battery doesn’t hold nearly as much charge as your laptop battery. This leads to a couple of significant drawbacks to the cell phone charging method.
Invest in a Universal Adapter
n this situation, a universal adapter might be the best answer to your problems. These are AC/DC adapters that come with multiple interchangeable tips, and they generally support a wide variety of brands.
And if you’re in the habit of losing things, you can usually buy individual tips to replace any that have disappeared. On some models, you can even connect to your car’s 12-volt cigarette lighter, which allows you to be truly mobile.