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You Can Update Your MacBook Cable for Some Reason

Jake Peterson Avatar
Jake Peterson
You Can Update Your MacBook Cable for Some Reason

I write a lot about updates, because they’re important — and fun. Between new features, bug fixes, and security patches, each update is an invitation to dive in and see what’s new. That isn’t really the case with Apple’s latest update, though: The company issued a new update for your MacBook’s MagSafe cable.

Fresh off the heels of Apple’s latest updates for your iPhone and Mac comes this strange update for the USB-C to MagSafe 3 cable. The update seems to have been first spotted by Twitter user @aaron613. YouTube creator Aaron Zollo later confirmed the firmware version of the update was 3.1.12, with a build number of 10M1543. Forget all that, because it isn’t important, as the device being updated is a wire.

Apple, you have some explaining to do. Why did you issue a firmware update for a cable? It’s not even for the power adaptor, either. This update is specifically for the USB-C to MagSafe 3 cable. Perhaps charging is now more efficient? Maybe the charging indicator is now more reliable? It could be Apple is actively messing with us, and updated the cable simply because they can. I can respect that. I just want to know for sure.

Unlike other updates, Apple never officially acknowledged this one’s existence, so there are no release notes detailing the reason for the patch. We know, for example, that iOS 16.3.1 and macOS 13.2.1 exist chiefly to patch zero-day security vulnerabilities that actively put your devices at risk. Unless someone was hacking MacBooks through the MagSafe cable, I doubt that’s the reason for this perplexing update.

Keep in mind, this applies to the MagSafe 3 cable that works with the recent MacBook Pros and MacBook Air. If your MacBook only chargers with USB-C, or uses an older MagSafe standard (2015 or earlier), this update won’t apply.

How to update your USB-C to MagSafe 3 cable

Updating your MacBook’s MagSage cable is a delicate process, and should only be handled by a trained professional with experience. However, if you’re willing to accept the risks, you can try updating your cable at home with these instructions:

  1. Take your USB-C to MagSafe 3 cable and plug it into your USB-C power adaptor.
  2. Plug the adaptor into an outlet.
  3. Connect the MagSafe cable to your MacBook.
  4. You’re done.

That’s right. All you need to do to update your MagSafe cable is plug it into your MacBook. The update process happens automatically and in the background, which is why so many of us had no idea it was even a thing to begin with. You can check the firmware version of your cable in the “Power” section of System Information under “AC Power,” which you can access by holding down the Option key, clicking the Apple logo, and choosing System Information.

If you charged your MacBook with the MagSafe cable sometime since Tuesday, you probably updated the cable already. However, if you’ve been charging via USB-C, give MagSafe a turn to issue the update. Or, don’t, and never use the cable again. Maybe someday in the future, collectors will work for MagSafe 3 cables that weren’t updated to this firmware version. Maybe that’s the point of the update after all.

[Macworld]

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