Short on purpose
A cable under a metre long is for the places where a long one only gets in the way: between a power bank and a phone in the same pocket, from a car charger to a holder on the dashboard, from a desk charger to a stand, or on a keyring as the spare that is always there. A short cable tangles less, packs into a corner of a bag and leaves no loop to catch on anything. This page lists every charging cable offered at a length under a metre.
A cable offered in several lengths is listed under each length it comes in, so the same cable can appear on more than one of these pages. Pick the length you want from the choices on its product page.
What is here
- Keyring USB-C to USB-C cables of around 13cm to 16cm that fold into a fob. One is rated for 60W charging with USB Power Delivery; others list 240W charging and fast data and video as well, so the same little cable can connect a phone to a screen or a laptop.
- A flat, short USB-C to USB-C cable at 13cm, rated for 240W and fast data.
- Short choices of longer cables: a 30cm USB-C cable listing an e-marker chip, and an angled iPhone cable offered at 30cm, which sits neatly with a power bank.
- A 20cm 4-in-1 splitter with one USB-A plug and four ends, to charge several USB-C or micro-USB gadgets at once. It charges at a basic 5V 2A, so it is for small gadgets and overnight top-ups, not fast charging.
Choosing a short cable
Start with the two ends. A power bank or charger with a USB-C socket wants USB-C at that end, and an older one with a USB-A socket wants USB-A; the phone end is USB-C for the iPhone 15 and later and most Android phones, and Lightning for earlier iPhones. Shop by connector sorts them by plug.
Then check the rating if you fast charge. Most USB-C cables carry up to 60 watts, which is plenty for a phone; a short cable rated higher, with an e-marker chip, also suits a laptop. And if the cable will hang from a car charger to a holder, measure that gap first, so it reaches without being stretched across the controls. Right-angle cables help there.
Questions people ask about cables under 1m
Is a short cable faster?
Length makes less difference than people expect at phone power. A short cable mostly wins on tidiness. The guide to fast charging explains what really sets the speed.
Will a keyring cable survive every day on my keys?
It is built to fold, but any cable wears fastest just behind the plug. Stop using one that is frayed, split or showing wire.
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