Long Cables

From the socket to where you sit

Sockets are rarely where phones are used. They are low on the wall behind the bedside table, behind the sofa, or across the room from the chair. A long cable lets the phone charge where you are using it: on the bed, on the arm of the sofa, at a desk set away from the wall. The cable that comes with a phone is usually about a metre. Two metres reaches most beds and sofas, and three metres and over suits a room where the socket is far from the chair or hidden behind furniture.

What is here

The long cables here today are for USB-C phones, with the larger USB-A plug at the charger end, and come in a wide choice of lengths, from 1m to well over 10m. One also comes with a micro-USB end, for older Android phones and cameras. Read each listing for two things. First, whether it carries data as well as power: the longest, extension-style cable here charges only. Second, which phones it suits: some of the long cables here are listed by their makers as not for iPhones or iPads, so for an iPhone 15 or later choose a cable that says it works with one, such as a USB-C to USB-C cable in 2m or 3m. For an older iPhone, Lightning cables come in lengths up to 3m.

Does a longer cable charge more slowly?

Not much, if it is well made. A good long cable charges at the same speed as a short one at phone power, though very long, very thin cables can lose a little speed. The phone, the charger and the cable together set the speed, so for fast charging look at the cable's rating as well as its length. The guide to fast charging explains.

Measuring and running a long cable

Run a piece of string from the socket to where the phone will rest, along the route the cable will really take, round the bedside table and up onto the bed, and add a little slack so the plug is not pulled tight. A cable that only just reaches gets strained at the neck every night. Long cables are easier to trip over and to trap in doors and under furniture, which is how most of them get damaged, so run them along walls rather than across the floor. Clips and spiral covers from cable organisers and protectors keep them tidy.

Questions people ask about long cables

How long a cable do I need for the bed?

Two metres reaches from most wall sockets to the bed. Measure with string first if the socket is behind furniture.

Is a long cable safe to leave plugged in?

If the cable is sound, yes. Check it now and then for fraying near the plugs, and stop using a cable with cracks or exposed wires at once, as Samsung advises.

How long does delivery take?

Delivery is included in every price and tracked to your door. Each product page says when it usually arrives.

More to look at

• 2m cables
• 3m and longer cables
• USB-C to USB-C cables
• Braided cables
• Cable organisers and protectors
• USB-A to USB-C cables
• Guide: Which charging cable does my phone need?