iPhone 15 Pro Max Anker power bank not charging 15PM due to reverse charging

[Eradik]

So I picked up my iPhone 15 Pro Max this morning, and since I wasn't going home I figured I would bring my Anker PowerCore Slim 10K PD and charge it that way. Unfortunately, when plugging it in with the USB C cable, the iPhone decides to charge the Anker instead of the other way around.

I talked to an Apple rep, who submitted it to engineering, he did some tests (plugged in an Apple Watch charger to the Anker and verified it charged properly from USB C, which it did) and took some pictures. Right now the only workaround is to use a USB A to USB C cable, as it's only the USB C port on the Anker that gets charged.

Apple currently does not have a toggle in settings to disable the reverse charging. Seems like this would be the simplest solution, or if there is someway the OS can detect it's a power bank and to not try to charge it.

Just wanted to share and see if anyone else had a power bank that maybe didn't do this, so I can get a new one?

 

[now i see it]

I've been thinking about this very possibility

 

[DeanL]

So I would say that it's because your Anker power bank is non-compliant.

When a device like yours has two-way charging, it's meant to communicate with the other device to decide in which direction to charge. The iPhone doesn't identify as a charger so the powerbank should reject that. I have a Mophie two-way USB-C powerbank that charges my iPhone no matter how low the battery in the powerbank is, therefore the iPhone doesn't seem faulty there.

The other way to control the direction of charging is the sequence of plugging. Try plugging the USB-C cable first in the power bank, then the phone and vice-versa.

 

[Eradik]

So I would say that it's because your Anker power bank is non-compliant.

When a device like yours has two-way charging, it's meant to communicate with the other device to decide in which direction to charge. The iPhone doesn't identify as a charger so the powerbank should reject that. I have a Mophie two-way USB-C powerbank that charges my iPhone no matter how low the battery in the powerbank is, therefore the iPhone doesn't seem faulty there.

The other way to control the direction of charging is the sequence of plugging. Try plugging the USB-C cable first in the power bank, then the phone and vice-versa.

Good info, thanks. I absolutely don't think the iPhone is defective. A toggle would be nice, but I do believe it's more on Anker to fix. Might have to look at a Mophie power bank instead.

 

[zakarhino]

Bloody hell that's hilarious 🤣 Imagine not seeing this thread and you're in an emergency situation. You plug in your iPhone into your USB-C power bank and instead of getting much needed juice the iPhone vaporizes its last few percent to charge the power bank 😅

 

[DeanL]

Good info, thanks. I absolutely don't think the iPhone is defective. A toggle would be nice, but I do believe it's more on Anker to fix. Might have to look at a Mophie power bank instead.

Also read the fine print of your powerbank. Some early USB-C powerbanks could only use the port for charging the bank itself, and the USB-A port was for charging the other device.

 

[Eradik]

Also read the fine print of your powerbank. Some early USB-C powerbanks could only use the port for charging the bank itself, and the USB-A port was for charging the other device.

I specifically bought a bank that charges from both. Everything else (iPad, watch, other USB C accessories) all charge correctly from the USB C port. It's just the 15 PM that wants to charge the bank itself lol.

 

[StaceyMJ86]

Also read the fine print of your powerbank. Some early USB-C powerbanks could only use the port for charging the bank itself, and the USB-A port was for charging the other device.

My kids anker power bank is just like that. Mine charge usb c and usb a.

 

[Ryan P]

Which Anker model? I have this one.

Anker Power Bank, 24K 3-Port Portable Charger with 140W Output, Smart Digital Display, Compatible with iPhone 15/15 Plus/15 Pro/15 Pro Max, iPhone 14/13 Series, Samsung, MacBook, Dell, AirPods

Anker 737 Power Bank

www.amazon.com

Have not run into any issues yet. But it can only be charged from the top port. I could see if it was empty and my phone was full *and* I plugged it into the top port, that my phone might try to charge it.

 

[grubman1234]

That's worrying since I have Anker 10k and I am going on Vacation next month..

 

[antiprotest]

Hilarious. I chuckled out loud. Thanks for sharing.

 

[hovscorpion12]

This is by design. If the iPhone has a higher state of battery, it will charge the product that its connected to.

While I don't have this particular Anker product, I do have the PowerCore Slim 10K PD from 2018. The USB-C port is only to charge the Powerbank itself. Only by using the USB-A port will charge a Cell phone.

 

[MareLuce]

oh no....

now in my backpack

 

[MartFromTrueNorth]

I did 2 tests with my iPhone 15 Pro and my Anker PowerCore Slim 10000 PD
Everything worked as expected
- When iPhone battery level is 60% and Power bank is at ~ 25%, the iPhone is not charging (because the power bank must be charging, but I don't have any visual info about this)
- After I recharged the power bank to 100%, the iPhone 15 Pro was charging