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When your iPhone battery dies, you want it fully charged as soon as possible. How quickly it charges depends on a number of factors, some of which can slow recharging down to a crawl. Here’s how to make your phone charge faster, and what you should avoid when charging your iPhone.
How Long Does it Take for an iPhone to Charge?
How long it takes to charge a phone depends on whether you’re using Fast Charging, sometimes called iPhone Quick Charge. For instance, with the iPhone 11, it takes up to three hours to charge a phone using the charger that comes with the phone. Use a charger that supports Fast Charging, however, and your phone battery can reach 80 percent capacity in half an hour.
What iPhones Support Fast Charging?
The following iPhones support fast charging:
- iPhone XR
- iPhone 11
- iPhone 11 Pro
- iPhone 11 Pro Max
- iPhone 13
- iPhone 13 Pro
- iPhone 13 Pro Max
- iPhone 13 Mini
- iPhone SE (2022)
What Do You Need for an iPhone Quick Charge?
To use Fast Charge you need an Apple USB-C to Lightning Cable and one of the following adapters:
- Apple 18W
- Apple 20W
- Apple 29W
- Apple 30W
- Apple 61W
- Apple 87W
- Apple 96W
Third-party USB-C power adapters that support USB Power Delivery may also be used for iPhone Quick Charge, but not always. In some cases, using third-party adapters can explain why your phone is not charging.
What Not to Do to Charge Your iPhone Faster
The best way to make your iPhone charge quickly is to avoid the following situations, all of which can slow charging speeds:
Using Apple Watch and Old Apple Chargers
If you’re a long-time Apple user, you probably have a selection of old Apple chargers on hand. Try not to use these to charge your iPhone. It’s not that they won’t charge your phone – they’ll just take forever to do so.
Why are old Apple chargers incompatible with an iPhone quick charge? Most have a power output of only 5W. That might be sufficient to power a phone overnight, but not for when you need a fast charge.
Avoid Wireless Chargers
Recent iPhones support “fast wireless charging,” but don’t expect the same speed you get with a power adapter. Wireless charging causes phones to heat up. As the phone’s temperature rises, it’s wireless charging sensors reduce the amount of power received to prevent overheating, slowing recharging. When time is not a priority such as for overnight charging, wireless charging technology has its benefits. If you want to keep charging times to a minimum however, just opt for your typical USB-C cable.
Fast Charge Adapters for Other Phones
While some third-party power adapters support Fast Charging, the same cannot be said for other phone brands’ power adapters. For instance, a Samsung adapter that charges a Galaxy phone quickly will only provide about 6W of power to an iPhone.
Using Your Laptop Charger for an iPhone Quick Charge
Apple USB power adapters for iPads and Mac notebooks are compatible with iPhones, iPods, Apple Watches, and AirPods. Some are also Fast Charge compatible. Don’t worry about your phone overheating: Apple’s Power Delivery standard ensures the power adapter only sends the amount of power requested by the phone.
What Are the Best External Batteries for an iPhone Quick Charge?
When choosing an external battery, look for one with Power Delivery, and a USB Power Delivery Output between 18W and 20W. Avoid battery packs with QC support, which stands for Qualcomm’s QuickCharge. Apple Products do not support QC.
The best external batteries for iPhones include the following:
- The Tough Tested 16,000mAh Rugged Solar Power Bank with 4 Mode LED Flashlight
- The Belkin BOOST UP CHARGE Power Bank 10K with Lightning Connector
- The Case-Mate Twinkle Power Bank
- The VimPower Portable Charger 22000mAh PD 3.0 Power Bank
- The TravelCard 1500mAh Power Bank
- The Anker 6700mAh Astro E1 Ultra Compact Portable Charger
- TheJackery Bolt 6000mAh for iPhone
Once you have your iPhone fully charged, remember there are ways to reduce battery drain and extend your iPhone’s battery life for as long as possible.
