What to know

  • The new iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro devices come equipped with a USB-C port, not the Lightning port that has been on iPhones since 2012. 
  • To power the iPhone 15, you may need to purchase Apple’s USB-C power adapter for fast charging. 
  • If you don’t plan on buying a USB-C power adapter, you can check out these USB-C to USB-A cables that can plug into your old Apple adapter to charge the iPhone 15. 

Why should you buy a USB-C to USB-A Cable for your iPhone 15?

With the introduction of the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro, Apple is finally switching from its proprietary Lightning port to the industry standard USB-C port. What this means is that you can no longer plug in your existing Lightning cable to the iPhone 15 to charge it or connect it to other devices and accessories. 

Although the new line of iPhone 15 devices would come with a USB-C to USB-C cable out of the box, this cable will only be usable if you already have either the 18W or 20W USB-C power adapters. That’s only possible if you had bought these USB-C power adapters separately or had got them by purchasing other Apple devices like iPads or MacBooks. 

In case you’re upgrading to the iPhone 15 from an iPhone 11 or an older model, chances are that you only have a 5W power adapter with a USB-A port. If you don’t plan on buying Apple’s USB-C power adapter (available for $19) right away, then the only ways you can charge the iPhone 15 with the 5W USB power adapter is by using Apple’s USB-C to Lightning Adapter or by purchasing a USB-C to USB-A Cable. 

At $29, Apple’s USB-C to Lightning Adapter might not be an affordable option. So, all you’re left with is to look for a USB-C to USB-A cable that you can use with your old Apple Power adapter. 

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Best USB-C to USB-A Cable to use with your old Apple adapter on iPhone 15

If you plan on using your old 5W USB power adapter to charge the iPhone 15, you can check out the following USB-C to USB-A cables to get the job done. Regardless of which cable you purchase, you’ll be able to charge your iPhone 15 as well as connect it to other USB devices.  

1. Amazon Basics USB-C to USB-A Cable

Amazon’s own AmazonBasics brand has a USB Type-C to USB-A 2.0 Male charging cable that is available in different lengths (3-feet, 6-feet, and 9-feet). The cable supports up to 15W of power output which is more than sufficient if you’re going to use it with a 5W power adapter. Available in Black or White colors, you can purchase this cable individually or in a 5-pack combo for a discounted price. 

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2. Amazon Basics USB-C to USB-A Nylon Braided Cord

This cable is another offering from AmazonBasics but unlike the variant mentioned above, this one is a Nylon Braided cord that makes it even more durable and flexible. This Nylon-braided cable also supports USB-A 3.1 Gen 1 Fast Charging and is backwards compatible with USB 3.0 and USB 2.0, thus making it compatible with other devices you own. You can purchase this cable in four different length variants (1 feet, 3 feet, 6 feet, and 10 feet) and four color versions as well (Dark Grey, Silver, Red, and Gold). 

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3. Belkin 3.3ft USB-C to USB-A Cable

Belkin’s accessories are quite popular among Apple users and its BoostCharge USB-C to USB-A cable is among the most affordable cables out there. Belkin offers this cable in both PVC and Nylon Braided styles and you can purchase either of them in 3.3 feet or 6.6 feet sizes. There are additional combos that you can choose to purchase multiple cables or one with a power adapter included. 

4. Anker 6ft USB-C to USB-A Cable

Anker offers its own Nylon Braided USB-A to USB-C cables that support up to 15W fast charging and up to 480Mbps data transfer speeds. You can purchase these cables in Black, Red, or Silver variants, all of which are available in a 2-pack combo in 3-feet or 6-feet lengths. 

5. OtterBox USB-A to USB-C Cable

OtterBox has USB-A to USB-C Cables available in 1 meter, 2 meter or 3 meter lengths. You can buy these cables in the Standard (PVC) version or a Premium (braided) version, the latter may be significantly more expensive. All cables are bend-tested at 3,000 times for dependable use and come with a limited lifetime warranty. 

6. CableCreation USB-C to USB-A Cable

CableCreation offers both long and short cables as part of its USB-C to USB-A cable lineup. To be precise, these cables are available in a bunch of different lengths – 0.5 feet, 0.8 feet, 1 feet, 1.6 feet, 2 feet, 4 feet, 6.6 feet, and 10 feet. All of these cables are Nylon braided and come in these colors – Space Gray, Blue, Red, Black, Gold, and Rose Gold. 

7. JSAUX USB-C to USB-A Cable

For $8.99, this USB-C to USB-A Cable comes in a 2-pack, meaning they’re more affordable than others on this list. These cables from JSAUX are all nylon braided and come in Red, Black, Blue, Green, and Grey colors. You can buy any of them in lengths of 3.3 feet, 6.6 feet, or 10 feet.  

8. AINOPE USB-C to USB-A Cable

These USB-C to USB-A Cables from AINOPE come with an L-shaped angular USB-C port which will be helpful when charging your iPhone 15 while gaming or watching videos. The cable comes in 6 sizes – 0.5 feet, 1.6 feet, 3.3 feet, 6.6 feet, 10 feet, and 16.5 feet; all of which are nylon braided and available in a host of colors – Grey, Blue, Black, Red, Space Grey, Purple, and Rose.  

9. etguuds USB-C to USB-A Cable

For just $6.99, etguuds’ USB-C to USB-A 2-pack cable is by far the most affordable offering in this list as it only costs $3.50 a piece. A reason for that could be that these cables are only available in short lengths – 0.5 feet, 1 feet, 2 feet, 3 feet, and 3.3 feet and in 8 different colors – Grey, Black, Blue, Red, White, Gold, Pink, Purple. 

10. Baiwwa Nylon Braided USB-C to USB-A Cable

This USB-C to USB-A Cable is nylon braided and is available in longer versions of 15 feet and 20 feet. This cable is available in Grey, Black, Blue, and Red colors. 

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