How to make sure your iPhone accessory is really Apple MFi Certified

In this tutorial, we will show you how to search Apple’s database to know if a third-party cable, charger, or other accessory is MFi certified or not.

A charging cable and adapter with Made for iPhone badge under it

You can purchase cables, charging adapters, headsets, and other accessories for your iPhone anywhere, including grocery stores, gas stations, and even from vendors on the side of the streets. However, not all accessories are created equal.

Typically, the best accessories for iPhone, iPad, iPod, and Apple Watch are those listed as Apple MFi Certified. Apple makes it easy to find out whether the accessory you want to buy is certified.

MFi certification

Apple’s MFi Program, known as Made for iPhone/iPod/iPad, is a licensing program for developers of hardware and software peripherals that work with Apple devices. When a product receives Apple MFi certification/license, it increases the likelihood that it lives up to Apple’s technical requirements.

Unfortunately, not every product marked with an MFi badge or label is actually Apple MFi Certified. To be sure, you should consult Apple’s official list of manufacturers and accessories that are included in the program.

As the iPhone maker explains:

Once an accessory has completed MFi self-certification requirements and is reported to Apple as sold/distributed by the manufacturer it will be searchable in our public database of authorized MFi accessories.

Check if your cable, adapter, or other accessory has completed MFi certification

  1. Visit Apple’s MFi Licensed Accessories page.
  2. Use the first dropdown menu to search by Brand, Model, or UPC/EAN. UPC stands for Universal Product Code, and EAN is the European Article Number.
  3. Now, type the search value like brand name (Belkin or Boat), model number (like LTG 650), or UPC/EAN (like 8904130872990). After that, hit Search.
  4. If the details you entered match, you will see the result. Otherwise, it will say, “No results found.”
Check for MFi Licensed Accessories on Apple's official website

The best place to find an accessory’s model number and UPC/EAN is its packaging. The model number can also be found on the product listing page on Amazon and other retailers.

In addition to looking for the accessory in Apple’s MFi list, there’s another way to determine whether something is Apple MFi Certified. If the price is too good to be true, then it probably is.

Lastly, you should know that just because an accessory is Apple MFi Certified, it doesn’t mean it’s excellent. Instead, there’s just a guarantee that it lives up to Apple’s basic technical requirements.

Where do you buy accessories for your iPhone and other Apple devices? Let us know below.

On a related note: How to fix “This accessory may not be supported” on iPhone and iPad