Are you constantly on the go during the holidays and hitting up multiple hangouts here and there? Or are you planning a memorable New Year’s Eve celebration and want to ensure your phone’s low battery doesn’t put a damper on the festivities? Don’t let a drained device ruin your holiday fun. Keeping your iPhone charged and ready for action is crucial, especially when you’re busy. There are actually a few ways to charge your phone up fast to get it back to where it needs to be, even if your phone is clinging to its last percentage. One option is to keep a portable power bank with you when you can. Alternatively, you can turn on “low battery mode” to cut down on extraneous processes and animations. In the guide below, we’ll let you in on some do’s and don’ts for charging your iPhone to ensure you’re getting the most power and it’s being delivered in the fastest manner.
1. Upgrade Your Old Charger
The quickest way to power up your iPhone is with a high-speed charger: at least a 20-watt power adapter with a USB-C to Lightning or USB-C to USB-C cable for iPhone 15 models. If you own an iPhone 8 or later, you can fast-charge your phone from completely dead back up to around 50% battery in about 30 minutes. If you have an hour to spare, you can fully charge it. Even just 10 minutes of fast charging can boost your battery by double digits, so if you’re short on time, always opt for the fast charger option. Apple no longer provides power adapters when you buy a new phone, only the cable, but you can purchase Apple’s 20-watt power adapter from Apple and various retailers like Amazon. According to Apple, you can also use other compatible fast-charging power bricks, but you’ll need at least a 20-watt brick to fast-charge an iPhone 12 and later. Brands like Mkeke make a reliable 20-watt charger.
Using a fast charger is a game-changer if you are in a hurry and your phone is on the verge of dying. The significant boost you get in just a few minutes can be incredibly useful, ensuring you are never left without your phone when you need it most. However, it is essential to ensure that your power brick is at least 20-watts to capitalize on the fast-charging capabilities fully. Remember to keep an eye out for compatible third-party options as well, which can often be found at a lower price point than the official Apple versions while still delivering on speed and efficiency.
2. Wirelessly Charge the Fastest Way With This
The second-fastest way to charge your iPhone is with Apple’s MagSafe charger and a 20-watt power adapter, but for this to work you must own either an iPhone 12 or later to get the faster 15-watt wireless charging. The MagSafe charger is specifically designed for faster wireless charging and can get your battery to around 30% in about 30 minutes if your iPhone is dead. This system is extremely efficient and convenient for those who prefer wireless solutions to standard plug-in methods. If your iPhone supports MagSafe, it’s undoubtedly one of the quickest and most hassle-free methods to keep your device charged up and ready to go.
This doesn’t mean you can use any Qi wireless charger (the industry standard) for fast charging. While the MagSafe charger supports 15 watts, a Qi charger only gives you up to 7.5 watts, which is much slower than the MagSafe and only slightly faster than the traditional 5-watt wall charger. Be aware that magnetic wireless chargers that aren’t MagSafe-certified will also charge at the slower 7.5-watt speed. These distinctions are crucial to remember, as you might find options that appear similar but do not provide the same level of efficiency. Ensure that your equipment is MagSafe certified to take full advantage of the faster charging capabilities.
3. Stop Using Your Computer to Charge Your iPhone
Although your laptop might seem like a convenient way to charge your iPhone, especially if you spend most of your day in front of a computer and want to keep a close eye on notifications, your computer will always charge your phone slower than any wall charger or wireless charger. Your computer’s USB port, whether it’s the bigger and older USB-A or the newer, smaller USB-C, cannot deliver the same amount of power as a wall outlet. This disparity is particularly evident if you have an older computer with a faulty USB port or an incompatible charging cable. Both of these factors can slow down the charging process even further.
Regardless of whether you are using a more modern USB-C or the older USB-A port, the power delivery from a laptop or desktop just cannot compete with a direct wall outlet connection. This limitation becomes quite noticeable when you need a quick charge and don’t have the luxury of waiting. Therefore, whenever possible, it is always best to rely on a wall charger or an efficient wireless charging solution rather than resorting to your computer’s USB port for charging needs.
4. Also, Keep Your Hands Off Your iPhone When It’s Charging
If you want your iPhone to charge as quickly as possible, try to stay off it as much as possible. When you are streaming videos or playing mobile games while charging, the battery will charge much slower because a significant amount of the incoming power is being used to run these power-intensive tasks. This diversion of power dramatically reduces the speed at which your phone charges. Just leave it untouched if you can, allowing the battery to regain power at its maximum rate without interruption or additional strain from active applications.
Even activities like browsing the internet, checking emails, or social media can slow down the charging process because they keep the screen and internal processes active. These activities drain battery power continuously, conflicting with the charging process and making it less efficient. Keeping your phone undisturbed and locked while it’s charging ensures all incoming energy goes directly to replenishing the battery, giving you the best possible outcome in terms of speed and efficiency.
5. One Easy Way to Speed Up Your Battery Charge
Even if your screen is sleeping, your phone is still working in the background. Activities such as syncing, fetching emails, or software updates can continue to consume power. If you want your iPhone to charge quickly, the best thing to do is to turn it off entirely. When the phone is off, all processes are halted, and the battery can absorb power much more efficiently. This method can significantly cut down on charging time, especially if your battery is critically low and you need a quick boost. Note that plugging in an iPhone that’s turned off might sometimes power it back on automatically, so ensure you plug it in or place it on a wireless charger first, then power it down manually.
This approach of turning off your phone can be particularly useful when you are in a rush and need to ensure every amount of incoming power is utilized towards charging, not running background tasks. Though it can be inconvenient to power down your phone entirely, the benefits in terms of charging speed and efficiency make it a worthwhile consideration, especially when time is of the essence.
6. If You Don’t Want to Turn Off Your iPhone, Switch to Airplane Mode
If you don’t want to turn off your iPhone but still want to help it charge faster, you can turn on airplane mode. This mode disables all wireless transmission functions like cellular, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth, all of which consume power even when not in active use. By switching to airplane mode, you can minimize the power drain from these functions, allowing your phone to focus more efficiently on charging. This approach is a compromise that lets you keep your phone on and accessible while also improving charging speeds.
Using airplane mode is a handy trick if you still need your phone on for specific tasks or to quickly check for any essential notifications or messages without having them constantly updating in the background. You can quickly turn airplane mode off to check on any text messages or phone calls you might be waiting on and enable it again to continue charging efficiently. This method strikes a balance between accessibility and enhanced charging speed, making it a valuable tip for improving your charging experience.
7. Tweak These iPhone Settings to Charge Your Battery Faster
Do you know all those tips that help you preserve your battery in the first place? You can use those same features and settings to help your iPhone charge faster if you don’t plan on turning it off. One major setting is “Low Power Mode.” When enabled, this mode reduces or affects battery-consuming features like 5G, display brightness, auto-lock, background app refresh, and automatic downloads. These features, when minimized or turned off, can significantly reduce the power consumption of your device, allowing it to charge more quickly. Even small tweaks like lowering your screen brightness can contribute to faster charging times.
Another useful setting is “Dark Mode,” which, although its impact on battery life is still debated, can help in some cases, especially if every little bit of power savings counts. Lastly, lowering your screen brightness can have a profound effect, as the display is one of the most power-hungry components of any gadget. By turning it all the way down while your phone charges, you’re ensuring that the majority of the incoming power is directed towards replenishing the battery rather than lighting up the screen.
8. Optimized Battery Charging May Be Slowing Down the Charge Rate
Apple has a built-in tool known as Optimized Battery Charging that helps prevent your iPhone battery from degrading as fast over time. This feature works by learning your daily charging routine and waiting to finish charging past 80% until it is necessary. While this is typically beneficial for battery health in the long term, it can slow down your charge rate when you need a quick boost, particularly during long periods of charging such as overnight. If you need a faster charge, it might be worth disabling this feature temporarily.
You can go to Settings > Battery > Battery Health and toggle off Optimized Battery Charging to disable this feature. By doing so, your phone will charge continuously rather than pausing intermittently to protect the battery. This can result in faster overall charge times, especially when you need to get your iPhone back to full power in a hurry. This level of control over your charging settings enables you to optimize charging speed when necessary, at the cost of potential long-term battery health.
9. You Might Just Need a New iPhone Battery
If your iPhone is still charging slowly despite trying all the tips above, it might be time to consider replacing the battery. Over time, batteries can degrade and lose their ability to hold a charge or charge quickly. Apple provides battery replacement services, and doing so can significantly improve your phone’s charging speed and overall performance. If your iPhone is out of warranty, there are also third-party repair shops that can replace the battery, often at a lower cost than Apple’s service. Before deciding to replace the battery, it’s a good idea to check the battery’s health in the settings to see if it’s time for a replacement.
By addressing the battery issue directly, you can avoid the frustration of slow charging and ensure your iPhone is always ready when you need it. Replacing the battery can extend your phone’s lifespan, making it a worthwhile investment if you plan to keep your device for a while longer.
In conclusion, there are several ways to improve your iPhone’s charging speed, from upgrading your charger to tweaking settings and even considering a battery replacement. By following these tips, you can ensure your iPhone charges as quickly and efficiently as possible, keeping you connected and ready for anything.