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Always on USB ports will provide power to a device even when the laptop is shut down. Obviously this can be problematic for battery issues, but sometimes a user wants this capability all things considered.

Do the Macbook Pro offer this on any of the USB ports and if not is there any chance its wired and just has to be enabled?

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2 Answers

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Apple has a support document on this topic.

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4049

To meet requests for additional power from these Apple peripherals and devices, some Apple computers and displays can provide up to 1100 mA at 5 V through the port to which the Apple peripheral or device is connected. This power is available under certain conditions:

  1. An Apple peripheral device must be plugged directly into an Apple computer or display. Apple peripheral devices connected to hubs will not have access to extra power above the standard USB specification of 500 mA.
  2. Your Apple computer or display must be powered on and must be awake. If your Apple computer or display is asleep, all ports will provide a maximum of 500 mA at 5 V. If your Apple computer or display is powered off, no power will be provided.
  3. The port providing extra power is determined by the first Apple peripheral or device to connect to the Apple computer or display that requires power beyond 500 mA at 5 V. The remaining ports will continue to offer 500 mA at 5 V. Some Apple computer and displays may offer the ability to operate more than one USB port at 1100 mA at 5 V. On those computers, the second or third port is enabled when an appropriate device is connected.
  4. An Apple computer started up to Windows via BootCamp will not provide extra power.
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ghoppe - that's the most awesome answer I've seen on which ports provide extra power while awake for things like iPad and iPhone charging. Power to charge iOS devices flows from the MacBook Pro if it goes to sleep with the device connected or if there is magsafe power and the device gets connected while the mac is sleeping (which actually wakes up the mac). Basically sleep power to USB depends on wall power, display lid up/down, and the order in which events happen. – bmike♦ Apr 19 '11 at 17:28
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The USB ports on any relatively recent MacBook will provide power while the computer is asleep, but I doubt they would while it is shut down.

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