iPhones are remarkable devices, but they lose their lustre once the battery runs dry. That’s why it’s important to look after the cell inside and ensure that you always charge it properly.
In this article, we explain the steps you need to take if you want your iPhone 18 Pro Max to last till the late hours each day and keep doing so for as many years as possible.
How to charge an iPhone with a cable
The fastest way to charge an iPhone is using a cable. You need a USB-C to USB-C cable.
USB-C offers much faster charging than the older USB-A did. Any phone needs to be plugged into a USB C charger to take advantage of the fast charging.
To fast charge iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max up to 50 percent battery in around 15 minutes, use the USB-C cable that came in the box, and one of these adapters:
- Apple 40W Dynamic Power Adapter with 60W Max
- A comparable third-party 60W-capable (or greater) adapter that uses Adjustable Voltage Supply (AVS) and supports USB Power Delivery (USB-PD) 3.2
How to wirelessly charge an iPhone
You can use Qi chargers or faster MagSafe chargers that magnetically clamp to your iPhone using a ring of hidden magnets for a more efficient fit and therefore faster wireless charging.
To wirelessly charge iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max up to 50 percent in around 30 minutes, use a MagSafe Charger and a 35W or higher adapter. Because of the magnetic fit MagSafe chargers will be faster even if at the same wattage as Qi, so go for a MagSafe charger if you can.
How to charge an iPhone using a power bank
Portable power banks offer the ability to charge an iPhone on the go when you’re not near an outlet or don’t have time to sit for 15 minutes. They range from a few thousand milliamp hours to more than 20,000. Most power banks need a separate charging cable that connects to the iPhone, though some have built-in cables that are stored somewhere inside the device. Some higher-end power banks have magnetic pads for charging wirelessly as well.
Using a power bank is simple. Make sure you charge it before you head out and then when you want to fill up your iPhone, use it as you would use a regular charger—either with a cable or wirelessly. Most power banks have LED lights to let you know how much charge is remaining.
How to use the iPhone’s Charging settings
In Settings, tap Battery, then tap Charging to turn on features to preserve battery wear over time and conserve energy. They are:
- Optimized Battery Charging: Your iPhone 18 Pro or iPhone 18 Pro Max will learn from your daily charging and usage habits so it can limit charging to 80 percent until you need to use it.
- Charge Limit: When Charge Limit is on, iPhone stops charging when it reaches your selected percentage. Your iPhone will occasionally charge to 100%—even with a lower limit set—to keep the battery percentage display accurate.
- Clean Energy Charging: Your iPhone will attempt to charge when lower carbon-emission electricity is available in your area based on your daily usage habits.
You can turn on any of these options in Settings. You can change or remove the limit anytime.
How to choose the best iPhone charging accessories
There are two things to consider when shopping for new iPhone charging gear: the charger and the cable. The iPhone comes with an Apple USB-C cable that supports charging of up to 60 watts, more than enough to fast-charge any iPhone, but only USB 2 speeds (480Mbps) for data transfers. If you’re buying a second or replacement cable for charging, we recommend getting one that supports at least 5Gbps for data transfers.
You’ll also need a power adapter. If you don’t want to carry around multiple adapters, buy one that has two or more ports and can charge two devices at once (60W or higher will be best).
FAQ
1. Can I leave my phone charging overnight?
Ever since smartphones arrived, the most common way of recharging them has been to plug them in when you go to bed, then disconnect them in the morning with a full charge to last the day.
This made a lot of sense when batteries took a long time to get up to full charge, as the eight hours in bed gave both the user and device time to recover from the previous day’s exertions.
But now, as the period it takes to charge a battery has dramatically reduced, it’s time to reconsider how you top up the tank.
iPhones use Lithium-ion batteries because, Apple states, they “charge faster, last longer, and have a higher power density for more battery life in a lighter package”. These are all fine features, but one thing that Li-ion is not really keen on is being reduced to 0 percent and then back up to 100 percent each day.
Partial charging throughout the day won’t harm the battery, and using features like Optimized Battery Charging or Charge Limit can help extend its life even further. There is an exception, as it’s considered good form to do a complete 0-100 percent charge about once a month, just to keep the battery in good shape.
For all other instances, though, the best practice is to top your battery up periodically during the day. Hopefully, this should keep the cell healthy for as long as possible. To make this easier to achieve we recommend keeping an extra charger at work or in your car so that you can pop the iPhone on to it when you see the battery beginning to fade.
2. Can I use any charger to charge my iPhone?
You can use third-party power adapters and Qi-certified chargers that are compliant with applicable country regulations and international and regional safety standards.
But there are faster, smaller and cheaper chargers that beat Apple’s own. There are various third-party charger offerings on the Apple store itself.
Charging an iPhone via a cable is the speediest way to get back up to full power but wireless charging is often more convenient. Apple has added a magnetic technology called MagSafe that makes wireless charging more efficient and therefore faster.
Avoid cheap knock-off products, as in some cases these have been known to damage devices.
3. Does fast charging damage an iPhone?
No. The battery and iOS work together to ensure that it won’t overheat or cause any harm.
If you have a thick protective case on your iPhone 18 Pro Max, it might be a good idea to remove it while using a fast-charger, just so the heat dissipates easily and doesn’t trigger the software warnings to slow down the power flow.
4. Is it safe to store a charged iPhone?
Should you find you are traveling without your device or need to leave it unused for multiple weeks or months, you’ll want to ensure that it’s charged to around 50 percent before turning it off.
This will protect the battery cell from dying while left idle. The battery will still lose charge at a slow but steady rate, so after six months it will need charging back up to 50% once more.
