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Fastest Way to Charge an iPhone?

G

Gyroworld

macrumors member
Original poster
Apr 19, 2016
45
122
Hi all,

I was wondering if anyone has discovered any tricks for charging your iPhone faster (besides using a 2.1A charger). With my own testing, this is what I've gathered:

From fastest to slowest:

1. Turn the phone off while charging (obviously makes it unusable)
2. Turn airplane mode on, then turn on wifi and bluetooth with the screen on very low brightness (makes the phone 100% usable with wifi calling enabled). I also turn on Do Not Disturb mode to minimize screen on time and prevent vibrations along with closing all open apps. Low power mode is usually on as well.
3. Everything on a.k.a. standard charging

Things that I've noticed use a lot of power and slow down charging:
1. Downloading/streaming with poor wifi or cellular speed
2. Using any navigation app that uses the GPS for precise location (usually while driving)
3. Playing graphically intense games
 
Yes, believe it or not, putting load on the processor/screen on will make it charge slower...

Airplane mode and not using it will make it charge fastest without turning it off (Should be obvious). Also you can just use any power supply that is 5v and the iPhone will charge as fast as it can (faster than 1A/5W from the oem power supply).
 
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bkends35 said:
Yes, believe it or not, putting load on the processor/screen on will make it charge slower...

Airplane mode and not using it will make it charge fastest without turning it off (Should be obvious). Also you can just use any power supply that is 5v and the iPhone will charge as fast as it can (faster than 1A/5W from the oem power supply).
Click to expand...

Is 5V the absoluut max for charging an iPhone? I came across a video where a DIY 9V charger was made, using the internals of a cigarette-lighters' to USB internals?

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1777332519257875

Cheers
 
Somewhat unrelated, but I tried charging my iPhone SE with an Anker QuickCharge 2.0 charger which is typically for Android phones, and it went hotter than I felt was comfortable, I reverted back to normal chargers. I just use chargers rated at 2.3 or 2.4A @ 5V.

You can buy USB meters to test your speed. Just be careful with using chargers using USB-C and Qualcomm QuickCharge standard because the meter have to be designed for it since they can charge at higher voltages.
 
Don't bother with manually changing the brightness, putting on do not disturb, etc., the difference between just letting it sit as normal vs doing that is so minimal. Just use a 5v 2A charger and don't use the phone while it's charging.
 
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I use the car lighter as a source for power, i frankly don't know how much output the adapter produce, but its made to recharge cell phones. Would this be dangerous? Anyone has done or still been doing this?
 
BigMcGuire said:
You can't keep the phone off and charge it from what I know. To charge it fastest ? Use mfi certified cables and an iPad charger. That's pretty fast. I recommend Anker for chargers and cables.
Click to expand...

Only way to charge with the phone off is by turning it off after it is connected to the charger. But I think this make so little of a difference that it is not worth the trouble or being out of touch.

I might be in the minority but I seldom ever have to change my iPhone during the day. I take it off the charger at 3:30 in the morning and it lasts all day till about 8 or 9 when it goes back on the charger.
 
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chilman said:
I use the car lighter as a source for power, i frankly don't know how much output the adapter produce, but its made to recharge cell phones. Would this be dangerous? Anyone has done or still been doing this?
Click to expand...
Most cars in the last 10 years have a separate plug for cell phone chargers and I don't specifically use the cig. lighter. My car charger is always plugged in and that's what I use when I am in the car.
 
I7guy said:
Most cars in the last 10 years have a separate plug for cell phone chargers and I don't specifically use the cig. lighter. My car charger is always plugged in and that's what I use when I am in the car.
Click to expand...

A cig lighter to USB adapter is what many use today. As long as they are fused they should be fine.

A lot of new vehicles have USB ports built into the console, my SUV even has 100v AC in the back seat but prefer to use the USB ports when needed.
 
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Gyroworld said:
Hi all,

I was wondering if anyone has discovered any tricks for charging your iPhone faster (besides using a 2.1A charger). With my own testing, this is what I've gathered:

From fastest to slowest:

1. Turn the phone off while charging (obviously makes it unusable)
2. Turn airplane mode on, then turn on wifi and bluetooth with the screen on very low brightness (makes the phone 100% usable with wifi calling enabled). I also turn on Do Not Disturb mode to minimize screen on time and prevent vibrations along with closing all open apps. Low power mode is usually on as well.
3. Everything on a.k.a. standard charging

Things that I've noticed use a lot of power and slow down charging:
1. Downloading/streaming with poor wifi or cellular speed
2. Using any navigation app that uses the GPS for precise location (usually while driving)
3. Playing graphically intense games
Click to expand...

This just adds up to, things that draw power from the phone while you are charging it makes it charge slower, which, no offense, is kind of common sense. The same activities that drain your phone quickly will also slow its charging the most.
 
Bypass the charger altogether. Just stick some bare wire into the phone at one end, then into the mains socket at the other end.
Switch on....Bob's your uncle, job done.
Ignore any burning smells that may emanate from your phone, this is perfectly normal, as are a few small flames.
 
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