Applies to Scarlett 16i16 and 18i16 4th Gen

Scarlett 16i16 and 18i16 4th Generation units can be bus-powered. These units require 5V / 3A – due to this, you will need to make sure that the USB port on your computer meets this specification and you use a 15W USB-C to C cable.

The USB-C cable included with these devices is a 15W cable.

15W USB-C port

• Mac – all Macs that have Type-C ports should output 15W, except for the one found on the 12” MacBook (this only outputs 7.5W).
• PC – whilst the majority of Type-C ports will output 15W, the best way to tell is to check with your PC’s manufacturer / USB port manufacturer.

Under the USB Power Delivery Specification, the following USB-C ports should provide enough power:

• USB 3.1
• USB 3.2
• USB 4.0

15W USB-C cable

The Scarlett 16i16 and 18i16 include a 15w USB-C cable. Many third-party USB-C cables cannot provide 15w of power, and we would recommend using the included cable.

If you are using a third party cable, ensure it can provide at least 15w of power.

Make sure to connect the cable directly between your Scarlett, and the computer. USB hubs or adapters may prevent the unit from powering on.

My interface will not power on

If after ensuring you're using a 15W USB cable, and a 15W USB-C port, your interface does not power on, please see the relavent troubleshooting below for your operating system.

Windows

If you are on a Windows PC, we recommend optimising your USB ports and your computer for audio using our optimisation article, which includes steps for optimising USB power: Optimising Windows for Audio.

If you are having issues after this, it is likely the USB ports on your computer are sharing power with other USB ports on the system, and the maximum power delivery might already be being used. We recommend unplugging other USB-powered devices and reconnecting the Scarlett.

Some USB ports also may provide more power than others, so it is worth testing different USB ports on your system.

MacBook

From our testing, we have seen that MacBook power delivery may not always send the required power to all ports when multiple USB-powered devices are connected to the same MacBook.

If your MacBook is not able to power the 18i16 or 16i16, we recommend unplugging any other USB devices from your computer, and trying to reconnect your Scarlett.

If this article hasn't helped you, please feel free to search again at the top of this page or, to contact support, please click here.