I think it is the former, just not to be blamed by folks that their iPhones charge too slow. It’s fine for the battery, the slower, the better.
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Preserve iPhone Battery With Charging Limit Options in iOS 18
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I think it is the former, just not to be blamed by folks that their iPhones charge too slow. It’s fine for the battery, the slower, the better.
Launch day iPhone 14 Pro. I treat my battery like crap according to the algorithm. Last year when the OMG Mah BatTery is DEgradInG so fast stuff was going around mine still said 100% now it is at 91% so for a two year old phone to be at 91% that seems about right, I don’t expect it to last forever.
Yeah whenever I said something they're like "Are you an Apple engineer? Do you know what makes the best user experience? Are you Tim Cook? Do you manage a trillion dollar business?" 🤪 🐑
I'm puzzled, that in 2024, we as an end-user, still have to wrap around so much brain cycles on the entire battery health topic. 
Apple has introduced expanded charging limit options for iPhone 15 and iPhone 16 models in iOS 18, offering users more control over their device's battery health. This feature, which previously capped charging at 80%, now includes new 85%, 90%, and 95% options.
The system Apple has applied aims to improve battery longevity by reducing the time your iPhone spends fully charged. Apple says the feature can be particularly beneficial for users who frequently keep their devices plugged in for extended periods.
Here's how to use these new settings to potentially extend your iPhone's battery lifespan.
When deciding on a charging limit, consider your daily usage patterns. If you often have access to charging throughout the day, a lower limit like 80% or 85% might suffice. For those who need more battery life between charges, the 90% or 95% options could be more suitable.
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Tap Battery.
- Select Charging.
- Choose your preferred charging limit from the available options: 80%, 85%, 90%, and 95%.
Remember, you can always adjust these settings as your needs change. If you're planning a long day away from power sources, you might temporarily disable the limit to get a full charge – and if you do, iOS 18 will offer you the option to keep the 100% setting on until tomorrow, or permanently.
Charging Recommendations
In addition, iOS 18 takes this feature a step further by proactively recommending a specific charging limit based on your usage habits. If you have an iPhone 15 or iPhone 16, expect to receive a notification after a while suggesting an optimal charging limit for your device. The recommendation will also appear in the Settings app under Battery → Charging.
It's worth noting that this iOS 18 feature remains exclusive to the iPhone 15 lineup and the upcoming iPhone 16 lineup. Users of iPhone 14 Pro or older models will not find these options in their settings.
Slow Charger Warning
In addition to giving users more charging limits and recommendations, iOS 18 will warn you if you have been using a slow charger.
In the Settings ➝ Battery menu, the battery level graph now shows an orange color where slow charging has occurred over the last 24 hours. If the duration of the charge reaches a certain threshold, a "Slow Charger" warning will appear above the graph. Apple has yet to explain what charging speed triggers the warning, nevertheless it should be a handy detail for users that may still be using old chargers that are no longer up to the task.
Many wireless chargers advertise MagSafe compatibility but only offer Qi speeds or slower. This feature could help iPhone users identify why their devices aren't charging at full speed. However, there's no option to receive an alert when using a slower charger, which would have arguably been a more useful feature, as the battery settings are somewhat buried in the menu.
Article Link: Using the New iPhone Charging Limit Options in iOS 18
I’ll be setting my 16 Pro for 80%. I have to replace my current 3 yr old 13 Pro, because it only holds less than 80% of it’s original capacity. I’ve been trying to stretch my phone upgrade cycle to 4 years, but both my XS and 13 Pro’s batteries started to dip down in capacity into the 2nd year, to the point that they can’t make it though the day (which I often really need all day battery without charging).
I could replace the battery, but it’s such a pain with the glue and little screws, the possibility of breaking the screen when heating up to loosen the glue, then it’s not always as water proof afterward, and not worth paying someone else when you can get a new phone at 0% financing (I look forward to the ifixit year downs).
I'm always laughing my head of when reading that people don't get thru the day on a single charge. There IS something else out there other than a iPhone you know? I only need about 20% battery for 24 hours. And even then I already think that 90-120 minutes a day is way to much screen time.
As others have said about the user complaining about slow charging, but it wouldn't be bad for Apple to sell you a new charger now would it? The slower the better though (as far as the battery is concerned).
The funniest thing is that even macOS doesn't have this feature. Big Sur/Monterey had a "smart battery limit" feature, where the Mac remembers your patterns and starts limiting the battery to 80% after a while. I waited for half a year, but this feature never started working and I had to install AlDente (it saved me about a year of battery capacity compared to another Macbook Air). And since Ventura, they removed this non-working feature altogether, lol. I just checked and it no longer exists in the settings.
There is very substantive evidence in the scientific literature about this topic. Li-Ion batteries just don't like being cycled to 100%. Running very low charge states below 20% is also not great, although far less damaging.
At 99 USD replacement cost it's off course perfectly reasonable to ignore the findings and just live with a shorter expected battery life.
I guess it also depends what Apps you have installed constantly seeking user attention and battery usage. They key to a long, healthy battery life is to avoid Social Media apps
Which is complete and utter nonsense! If the phone can stop/pause charging at 80% (You know: Optimized Battery Charging), then it only depends on the software, to use this "switch". Everything else is the usual Cool-Aid-Marketing-BS spread by fanboys...
My 15 Plus is still at 100% after a full year - but I usually charge only to 80 percent. But your post also has me wondering how real or artificial that 80 percent is. A few times when the little icon has indicated an 80 percent charge and I’ve gone into settings and changed the allowable charge to 100 percent… the little icon instantly changed to 100 percent with no additional charging. Not every time. But a few times.
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If you use this feature I just don’t even know what to say hahaha.
This is the #1 stupidest feature Apple has ever added to the phones and keep in mind they created ‘peek and pop’ for God’s sake…….
The limit of my battery is and ALWAYS will be 100% because I like battery life. And my phone will NEVER use ‘Optimized’ battery charging. Nor will it EVER use ‘Clean energy’ charging.
Stats: iPhone 15 Pro
Battery Health - Normal
Cycle Count - 352
Maximum Capacity - 90%
You MUST compare Cycle Count people… don’t just look at what your ‘Maximum Capacity’ is…what matters is your Cycle Count. That is what really tells you.
This is the #1 stupidest feature Apple has ever added to the phones and keep in mind they created ‘peek and pop’ for God’s sake…….
The limit of my battery is and ALWAYS will be 100% because I like battery life. And my phone will NEVER use ‘Optimized’ battery charging. Nor will it EVER use ‘Clean energy’ charging.
Stats: iPhone 15 Pro
Battery Health - Normal
Cycle Count - 352
Maximum Capacity - 90%
You MUST compare Cycle Count people… don’t just look at what your ‘Maximum Capacity’ is…what matters is your Cycle Count. That is what really tells you.
I routinely charge my iPhone with a 61W Mac power brick and my 15 Pro battery is at 92% health. All you're doing with that ancient 5W is getting a slow charge, your battery is degrading at the same rate. It won't take more wattage than it can handle.