After Anker announced a global recall for some of its power banks for manufacturing issues–along with airplane fire incidents involving a faulty power bank, there’s a lot of questions on whether power banks are safe for travel. Add to recent announcements from airlines and especially from China, you’d most likely ask: is my power bank safe for travel? To give you peace of mind, we explain everything we know regarding bringing a power bank for travel.

What’s the maximum allowed capacity?

Starting with the basics, the maximum capacity allowed for traveling is 160wHr for both local and international flights. However, only power banks that are 100wHr and below–or around 27000mAh if it has a 3.7v rating—are allowed to be brought onboard without prior approval.

Power banks that are between 100wHr and 160wHr will need prior approval by the airline—and not all airlines will allow it. Make sure to contact your airline to see if you can bring a power bank that’s bigger than 100wHr for travel.

For most airlines, you are only allowed a maximum of twenty 100wHr (or two 160wHr) power banks in your hand carry.

Where can I store my power bank?

Power banks can only be stored in hand carry bags, though the rules of airlines regarding this may vary. The common restriction regarding this is that you cannot place your power bank in your handcarry if you’re going to store it in the overhead bin.

Cebu Pacific, for example, adds that you should keep your power banks in your pocket or in the seat pocket in front of you. The same goes for most airlines with their new policies regarding power banks. Aside from that, airlines also prohibit charging your devices with your power bank–or charging your power bank–while on board.

What brands have issued recalls?

Aside from two recalls from Anker, other brands like Baseus, Aukey, Xiaomi, Ugreen, and Romoss are also affected. These are reportedly due to the Apex Wuxi cells used by these companies in their power banks. China has withdrawn its 3C certification for several Apex Wuxi cells.

Apex Wuxi is a subsidiary of American battery maker Amprius Technologies and Wuxi Industrial Development Group. Anker did not confirm the reports, but said it had ceased doing business with the company.

Other power banks that reportedly use Apex Wuxi cells include the Xiaomi 33w power bank with built in cable, UGREEN PB511 30w power bank, Romoss 20W PAC 20 PRO power bank, Romoss WMS10Q-491 magnetic wireless charger, Baseus 10000mAh 20w power bank, and more. The models mentioned have yet to be recalled by the respective brands in China, and we’re waiting if they will also issue a global recall like Anker.

We asked Xiaomi about it, and they told us that they’re “aware of the issue and is in the process of conducting a thorough evaluation.” From their initial evaluation, they  “have not identified any concerns with the Xiaomi Power Bank 20,000mAh 33W and Xiaomi Magnetic Power Bank 6,000mAh 15W sold in the international market.”

We are actively assessing all relevant factors in close coordination with our partners and regulatory authorities to determine the appropriate next steps,” Xiaomi said in the statement sent to us. “Ensuring the safety and satisfaction of our users remains our top priority.”

Which countries are strict with power banks?

As of writing this explainer, China has the strictest policies regarding power banks. In a comprehensive Reddit thread, China has basically banned all power banks manufactured before 2024 for domestic flights. The reason why before 2024 is emphasized is that the China Compulsory Certification (CCC) did not cover power banks until August 2023. This means that power banks bought in early 2024 should be allowed on board domestic China flights.

However, things are more complicated than that, because some affected Anker and Romoss power banks have a CCC certification. The argument there is that China revoked the CCC certification of Amprius recently, so China’s domestic policy regarding power banks is more complex especially if you have one of the models that are part of the recall.

To play safe, it’s recommended to buy a new power bank IF you’re traveling to China, especially if you’re doing domestic travel.

Those are everything you need to know about traveling with a power bank. We will update this once we come across new policies in the coming days.