UL 62368-1:2025 Released, Forcing Changes in Charger and Power Bank Product Strategies
UL 62368-1:2025 Released, Forcing Changes in Charger and Power Bank Product Strategies
UL has released UL 62368-1:2025 (Edition 4), updating safety expectations for audio/video, information, and communication technology equipment. For the smartphone accessory supply chain, this includes chargers, adapters, power supplies, and power banks. The update is not only about documentation. It pushes real changes in product structure, thermal design, and how suppliers prove compliance.
A central focus of the new edition is stricter evaluation of heat generation under continuous use and abnormal operating conditions. Fast charging products are expected to stay stable not only in ideal lab scenarios, but also across long charging cycles, poor ventilation situations, and stressed operating modes.
- Internal layout and thermal paths to reduce hotspots at rated output.
- Higher-grade key components (capacitors, protection ICs) and more stable PCB spacing.
- Better heat dissipation materials and tighter control of abnormal condition behavior.
- More conservative design margins for long-term use, not just initial pass testing.
What buyers should do differently in 2025 sourcing
For buyers and distributors, UL 62368-1:2025 increases the importance of verifying how a product achieves safety, not only whether a certificate exists. A key risk is sourcing a refreshed model that looks similar to a previous compliant SKU, but uses new power settings, different cells, or updated charging behavior that can change test outcomes.
This makes model-level clarity essential: each SKU should be confirmed as tested as-is, with the same output configuration and internal design that will be shipped.
- Ask if the design was updated specifically for the 2025 edition, or based on a legacy platform.
- Confirm each SKU output configuration (W, V profiles) matches the tested model.
- Request clarity on thermal stability approach (heat path, hotspot control, long-cycle behavior).
- Verify protection design consistency (overheat, overcurrent, short-circuit behavior under stress).
- Watch for small changes that trigger reassessment: new cells, higher output, protocol changes, PCB revision.
| Change Type | Why It Matters to Buyers | What to Ask the Supplier |
|---|---|---|
| Higher output power (W) | More heat and higher stress, can change safety margins and warranty risk. | Was the exact output profile tested under the current edition conditions? |
| Battery cell or pack revision | New cells can shift thermal behavior and aging outcomes. | Any change in cell supplier, chemistry, or protection layout since certification? |
| Protocol behavior update (PD/QC/PPS) | New profiles can push higher thermal load during real-world use. | Which charging profiles are enabled in shipping firmware, and were they tested? |
| PCB revision or layout tightening | Spacing changes can affect insulation safety and hotspot formation. | What changed in layout, and what evidence confirms the same safety margin? |
As UL 62368-1:2025 becomes a reference point, buyers that tighten sourcing criteria around thermal stability, protection design, and model-level alignment can reduce compliance risk, lower after-sales cost, and protect long-term channel reputation.
This shift rewards suppliers that build consistent charging performance and safety into the product, not only into the label.
