Your MacBook is connected to a USB-C hub.

The charger is connected to the hub's Power Delivery port.

macOS clearly recognizes an external power source—but the battery still says Not Charging.

That can seem contradictory.

But the two messages are describing different parts of the power system.

“Power Adapter” tells you where the Mac is getting power. “Not Charging” tells you what the battery is doing with that power right now.

A Mac can therefore recognize external power without actively increasing the battery percentage.

The important question is why.

Decode the Message Before Changing Hardware

Start by separating the two statuses.

Apple notes that charging can be placed on hold by battery-management features, while a charging solution that provides too little power can also charge slowly or fail to meet the Mac's needs.

So don't replace the hub until you know which situation you have.

Power Ledger 1: Is macOS Intentionally Holding the Charge?

First look at the battery percentage.

Suppose your MacBook is around 80% or higher and says:

Power Adapter

but charging is paused.

That may be intentional.

Apple's Charge your Mac laptop computer guide explains that Optimized Battery Charging can show Charging On Hold, while Charge Limit can stop charging at a selected level. On current supported macOS versions, users can choose Charge to Full Now when they need a full charge sooner.

Check:

System Settings → Battery

Look for:

• Optimized Battery Charging
• Charge Limit
• Charging On Hold
• Charged to [%] Limit

If the battery is deliberately being held near its configured limit and the percentage is not falling, the USB-C hub may be working normally.

Quick clue

Battery high + percentage stable + no disconnects

is very different from:

Battery low + percentage falling + Not Charging

The second situation deserves a power-budget check.

Power Ledger 2: How Much Power Is Actually Reaching the Mac?

Now think of the charging path as a budget:

Wall Charger → USB-C Cable → Hub → MacBook

The largest number printed on the charger or hub does not automatically become the power available to the MacBook.

A hub is positioned between the charger and computer and can use part of the incoming power for its own electronics and connected peripherals.

LENTION's guide on why a 100W USB-C hub may deliver only 85W or 90W explains this difference between maximum PD input and net laptop power.

A simplified power ledger looks like this:

The weakest part of the chain can become the effective limit.

Power Ledger 3: Check the Wattage macOS Sees

Don't guess based only on the charger label.

Apple explains how to check the power reported by the Mac in Use a power adapter with your Mac.

On macOS:

1. Hold Option

2. Open the Apple menu

3. Choose System Information

4. Select Power

5. Find AC Charger Information

Check the listed wattage.

Then compare that value with the power adapter recommended for your exact Mac model.

Apple says a USB-C Mac can use compatible USB Power Delivery sources at higher or lower wattages, but recommends at least the minimum wattage specified for the Mac for the best charging experience.

This comparison is much more useful than simply asking:

“Is my hub 100W?”

The better question is:

“How much power is actually reaching this Mac?”

When “Power Adapter” Means Enough to Run—but Not Enough to Charge

Imagine your MacBook needs significant power while you are:

• Exporting video
• Running a game
• Rendering
• Compiling code
• Using an external display
• Running several USB devices
• Charging another device through the hub

Your charger may be supplying power correctly, but the Mac itself is consuming most or all of the available power.

The battery may therefore stay at the same percentage—or even slowly drop.

Apple states that if the wattage delivered by the charging solution is too low for the Mac, macOS can report a Slow Charger, and recommends using a power adapter and charging cable that meet the Mac model's recommended wattage.

A useful distinction is:

Battery percentage stays roughly unchanged

The incoming power may be close to the Mac's current consumption.

Battery percentage continues falling

The Mac may be consuming more power than is effectively reaching it.

Battery percentage rises once the workload stops

That strongly suggests the available charging headroom changes with system load.

Run the Idle Test

This is one of the easiest ways to separate workload from charging-path problems.

Close demanding applications.

Temporarily disconnect:

• External SSDs
• Phone charging
• Webcam
• Capture card
• External hard drives
• Other bus-powered devices

You can leave your monitor connected initially.

Then wait several minutes.

Battery starts charging

The original setup may have had too little power headroom.

Still says Not Charging

Continue to the direct-charging comparison.

Compare Hub Charging With Direct Charging

Now remove the USB-C hub.

Test:

Charger → MacBook

instead of:

Charger → Hub → MacBook

Keep the same charger and, where applicable, the same charging cable.

Direct charging works normally

Now you know:

Charger → MacBook

can provide a usable charging path.

Reconnect:

Charger → Empty Hub → MacBook

without SSDs, phones, or other accessories.

If Not Charging returns only after the hub is inserted, investigate:

• Hub PD capability
• Hub power reservation
• Cable capability
• Hub-to-Mac connection
• Available host charging output

Direct charging also fails

The hub becomes less likely to be the main cause.

Check the charger, cable, wall outlet, Mac charging port, and battery status instead.

Apple recommends checking the power adapter, cable, charging port, software updates, and direct charging when a Mac isn't charging as expected.

Don't Confuse “100W PD” With “100W to the Mac”

This is especially important when buying a hub.

A specification such as:

100W Power Delivery

can describe the maximum PD input or pass-through capability.

But a hub may also need power for:

• USB controllers
• HDMI conversion
• Ethernet
• Card readers
• Connected USB devices
• Power-management circuits

LENTION's existing 100W charging guide notes that actual host output can therefore be lower than the hub's headline PD rating.

For example:

100W charger → Hub → MacBook

does not automatically mean:

MacBook receives exactly 100W

This becomes particularly important for higher-power MacBook Pro models.

Before choosing a replacement hub, look for:

Maximum PD input
and, when stated separately,
Maximum host output

—not just “100W” in the product title.

Check the Cable Too

The charging cable is part of the same power ledger.

A hub and charger can both support higher-wattage PD, while the cable becomes the limiting part.

Test with:

• Apple's appropriate charging cable, or
• A known USB-C PD cable rated for the required wattage

Avoid diagnosing the issue while using:

• USB-C extension cables
• Unknown charging cables
• Magnetic adapters
• Multiple couplers

Apple recommends using a charging cable and adapter capable of delivering at least the minimum wattage recommended for the Mac.

What If Charging Changes When You Add an SSD or Phone?

Suppose:

MacBook + Hub + Charger → Charging

then:

Add phone → Not Charging

or:

Add external drive → Not Charging

Remove that accessory and repeat the test.

This does not automatically mean the SSD or phone is faulty.

It can reveal that the overall power budget is close to its limit.

If your hub becomes unstable mainly when the Mac is running on battery or several peripherals are attached, the related guide USB-C Hub Disconnects on Battery? Fix Power Issues covers peripheral load and external-power troubleshooting in more detail.

A 3-State Charging Test

Instead of repeatedly unplugging everything, compare only these three states.

State A — Direct

Charger → MacBook

Record:

• Charging status
• Battery percentage
• Reported wattage

State B — Empty Hub

Charger → Hub → MacBook

No external peripherals.

Record the same three values.

State C — Full Desk

Add your normal:

• Monitor
• SSD
• Ethernet
• Keyboard/mouse
• Other USB devices

Then compare.

This gives you actual evidence before you replace hardware.

When Should You Consider a Different Hub?

First verify that:

• Direct charging works
• Your charger meets the Mac's requirements
• Your charging cable supports the required wattage
• Battery management is not intentionally pausing charging
• The problem appears specifically through the hub

Then look for a replacement with:

• USB-C Power Delivery
• Sufficient PD input
• Clearly stated host charging behavior
• Enough power margin for the Mac model
• Appropriate USB ports for your peripherals
• No unnecessary adapter chains

I checked LENTION's current store while preparing this article. The most relevant 100W PD hubs and docks I opened were currently showing Notify Me When Available, so I have intentionally not inserted a specific SKU rather than recommend something readers cannot currently purchase.

Final Verdict

If your MacBook says:

Power Source: Power Adapter

but:

Not Charging

don't treat those two messages as a contradiction.

Start with the charging status.

Battery high + Charging On Hold / limit reached
→ Check battery optimization or Charge Limit.

Battery stable but not increasing
→ Check whether incoming power is mostly covering current system use.

Battery falls during heavy workload
→ Check actual delivered wattage and power headroom.

Direct charging works but hub charging does not
→ Investigate hub PD output, cable, and hub power use.

Direct charging also fails
→ Troubleshoot the charger, cable, charging port, or Mac itself.

The key rule is:

“Power Adapter” confirms a power source. It does not guarantee that enough net power is reaching the battery to charge it.

FAQ

Why does my MacBook say Power Adapter but Not Charging?

The Mac can recognize external power while charging is paused or while the available charging solution is not providing enough net power to increase the battery. Apple also uses charging-management features that can intentionally hold charging at certain levels.

Can a USB-C hub reduce charging wattage?

Yes. A hub may use part of incoming power for its own electronics and connected peripherals, so the wattage reaching the laptop can be lower than the hub's maximum PD rating.

How do I check how much power my Mac sees?

Hold Option while opening the Apple menu, choose System Information → Power, and look under AC Charger Information. Apple documents this method in its Mac power-adapter guide.

Why does charging start again when I close demanding apps?

That suggests the Mac's power consumption may have fallen enough to leave more available power for charging the battery.

Can an SSD or phone affect MacBook charging through a hub?

USB peripherals consume part of the available system power. If charging behavior changes immediately after a peripheral is added, remove it and repeat the test to check whether overall load is involved.

Does a 100W USB-C hub guarantee 100W to my MacBook?

No. “100W” can describe maximum PD input or pass-through capability, while actual host power can be lower because of hub overhead, connected devices, cable limits, and laptop charging behavior.

Should I replace the USB-C hub?

Only after confirming that the Mac charges correctly with the same charger directly and that battery-management settings, cable capability, and charger wattage have been ruled out.