10 tips to make your iPhone charge faster

Nobody likes waiting for their phone to charge, especially when they’ve got somewhere to be. While there are inherent limits on Apple’s hardware, there are a few things you can do to make your iPhone charge as fast as possible.

If your phone is not charging at all, we have a separate guide to fix iPhones that won’t charge, as well as another to improve battery iPhone battery life.

Enable Low Power Mode

You should shut down all non-essential functions if you want charging to be quick — otherwise, it’s like filling a car’s gas tank with the engine running. You can keep your iPhone on, but you’ll help yourself by enabling Low Power Mode, which limits things like animations, 5G usage, display brightness, and background sync. The Photos app won’t automatically upload new images to iCloud, for instance.

You can enable Low Power Mode in one of two ways. The first is by going to Settings > Battery. The second, easier method is swiping down from the top-right corner of the homescreen to open Control Center, then tapping on the battery icon. If the icon’s not there, you can add it by going to Settings > Control Center.

Turn the phone off

It might be heresy to even suggest it, but if you can survive without your phone for an hour or so, switch it off. By that, we don’t mean sleep mode — we mean all the way.

With most iPhone models, which no longer have a home button, you can turn them off by holding down the side button and one of the volume buttons until a set of sliders appears onscreen. Drag the Slide to power off to the right. When it’s time to boot back up, hold the side button to turn it back on.

Don’t use the phone while it’s charging

If turning your phone off or even Low Power Mode is too radical for you, you should at least put it down for a while. Simply having your screen on is a battery drain, never mind activities like music and video. Perhaps the worst thing you can do is play an intense 3D game, which pushes your phone to the absolute limit. This can also cause the phone to heat up, further reducing your charging speeds.

Not sure what uses up a lot of battery on your iPhone? Then go to Settings > Battery. Scroll down and you’ll see a list of your most power-hungry apps.

Don’t use damaged charging accessories

Wear and tear is inevitable. Cables can crack, fray, or even brown, while adapter plugs can warp from being shoved into a socket one too many times.

You’re lucky if the damage only impacts charging speeds. Truthfully it’s a major safety hazard, so if you see visible signs, buy a replacement immediately. Try to stick to Apple-branded products, or ones from major third-party brands like Anker, AmazonBasics, Belkin, or Mophie — cheap, unlicensed accessories can be inefficient or pose their own risk.

Use a charging cable, not a wireless charger

Wireless charging pads are gaining in popularity, but they’re limited in how fast they can charge, especially with Apple devices. Even a top-flight MagSafe charger can only deliver 15W. A USB-C-to-Lightning cable can supply up to 20W, but only if you pair it with a USB-C power adapter rated at 20W or higher.

As mentioned above, make sure any cable is certified MFi (Made for iPhone), especially if it’s not sold by Apple.

Don’t charge your iPhone from your computer

You can charge iPhones via a Mac or Windows PC’s USB ports, but these tend to supply relatively little power. They’re built for connecting mice, keyboards, and external storage, so you’re better off using them for slow charging while you work, not powering up before a cross-country flight.

If you have to charge while away from an outlet, consider investing in a good power bank. These are much more suitable for portable charging, and can even hit top speeds with appropriate models.

Make sure the charging port is clean

It stands to reason that if you want your iPhone to charge faster, the entry point for that charge has to be clear and clean. If it’s clogged up with lint and dust, then electricity is going to struggle to get through.

Ensure that you clean your iPhone’s charging port on a regular basis, and keep your phone out of your pocket as much as possible unless you have a port-sealed case. Companies like Catalyst, Griffin, and Otterbox make cases with port covers.

Turn down the screen brightness

Screen brightness is reduced automatically in Low Power Mode, but you’re free to adjust it separately. Go to Settings > Display and Brightness, or drag the slider in Control Center.

We recommend moderating brightness in general. It extends battery life, and it’s easier on your eyes, particularly at night. If you’ve got an iPhone with an OLED display — which is most models, these days — you can save even more power by permanently toggling Dark Mode.

Turn off Optimized Battery Charging

In an effort to stem complaints about iPhone battery degradation, Apple introduced a feature called Optimized Battery Charging. Once it learns your daily habits, it begins holding your iPhone’s charge at 80% until shortly before you normally unplug, at which point it tops up.

If you absolutely need your iPhone at 100%, that may mean having to temporarily disable Optimized Battery Charging by going to Settings > Battery > Battery Health and Charging. Switch it back on as soon as possible if you value your iPhone battery’s longevity.

Remove the iPhone protective case

iPhones can get rather hot when you charge them in protective cases, and that heat can interfere with the charging process. You probably don’t need to take your case off, but it’s something to consider if it’s convenient. At the extreme, an iPhone may shut down charging on its own if there’s a risk of damage.

The same is true if you’re charging your phone in a hot place, or in the sun. As a side note, you should never leave your phone in your car on a hot, sunny day.

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