iPod charging

While on holiday I am charging my iTouch from my MacBook Air. Sometimes the iTouch gives me a message that it cannot charge from this device "charging is not supported with this accessory" and sometimes it doesn't. Is there a way to ensure that it always does?

The voltage from the Air is not sufficient from the USB especially if the Touch is on or the battery is low on the Air use the charger that came with the Touch.
You did not state what model/year the Air was but newer Mac's have stepped up the voltage on USB and should charge it .

Charge iPod from Mac Air

Thanks, the problem is that sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't and after a reboot it will run for a while and then stop charging with an error message for no clear reason.

MacAir info' attached.


John F

As stated above your MBA is not supplying enough steady current via USB to charge the Touch. Unless you want to eventually take out your USB circuitry, it's probably best to use the charger that came with the Touch.

Of interest is that my Galaxy Tab can detect the charging capacity of the USB into which it is plugged. Connected to a computer or small AC-USB adapter it trickle charges, but if using the Samsung charger that came with it or an Apple USB adapter it charges at the full rate. Of interest, I found that the Flip Video charger (Flip cameras are notroriously picky about what can charge them) also works well. It would be nice if future versions of iPod Touch had the same capability (perhaps they do already?).

Supposedly the newer iPhones are capable of the same thing, however, Apple in the past has recommended that iPhones and especially newer iPads use the charger that came with them.

My iPad 3 with retina screen charges OK from my iMac but I still would rather use the charger that came with it.