External batteries with MFI certification

MFI certification

— determines if a power bank has official MFi certification.

The "MFi" (literally — "made for iPhone/iPad/iPod") tag means that the power bank was created based on full compatibility with Apple technology and successfully passed the official test for it. Don't forget that Apple devices have fairly strict requirements for compatible accessories; non-compliance with these requirements can make the accessory unusable, or even cause a serious malfunction of the gadget itself. At the same time, Apple branded accessories are not cheap, so their alternatives are produced by many third-party manufacturers — and some of these manufacturers, in order to reduce the cost, ignore the specific requirements mentioned. Therefore, in order to minimize the risk of various troubles for portable Apple equipment, it is best to choose either proprietary solutions or accessories with official MFi certification. However, the absence of this certification does not mean that there will be problems with the device — a high-quality power bank from a well-known brand will most likely be quite suitable for an Apple gadget in this case.

Note that in the case of power banks, the specifics of MFi should be clarified separately. So, in some models, built-in charging cables have such certification, in others, wireless platforms (see "Features — Wireless Charging") for smartphones or smartwatches. But if the power bank uses a detachable cable and does not have MFi-compatible wireless charging, this feature is not indicated for it (even if the cable is MFi certified).