Probably the most annoying part of owning a battery-powered portable device like a smartphone is having to charge it. You always have to guess when it will be fully charged and be ready for a full day. Well, if you have an iPhone, you really won’t need to do any estimates. Apple has already taken the guesswork out of charging and is providing estimated charging time to iPhones through iOS 26. This is another one of the new iOS features that Apple has recently added to your iPhone, so be sure to update your device to the latest software to take advantage of them.
This charging time indicator is basically an estimate of how long it will take your iPhone to reach 80% and 100%. You can find it in two places. One is directly on the lock screen, just below the status bar. If your phone is not locked, you can also go to the Settings app to view the estimated charging time. Just launch Settings and go to Battery. The estimated charge time will appear at the very top of the screen, along with your current battery level.
Understanding iPhone Charging Time Estimate
Estimating iPhone charging time seems simple at first glance, but it has a few quirks. On the lock screen, the charging time estimate won’t stick around forever like you might have hoped. Instead, it only appears briefly and automatically switches to today’s date after about three seconds. The lock screen also only shows the charge estimate up to 80%. Once you do, it will just show you the current battery charge percentage, but not the time remaining for a full charge. Unfortunately, the estimated charging time does not appear on the always-on display either. You would always have to wake up the screen to see it.
In the iPhone Battery menu in Settings, the charging time estimate is much more detailed. It usually has two estimates: one for the time it takes to reach 80% and another for the time it takes to fully charge (or reach your charge limit if this option is enabled). The only time you get a single charging time estimate is when you limit your iPhone’s charging capacity to 80%. Regardless, once you hit 80%, the only remaining charge time estimate on the screen will be 100% (or whatever charge limit you have set). Once your phone has reached your charge limit, the Battery menu will say “Charged to X% limit” and a blue button to charge to 100% if you wish.
How to make your iPhone charge faster
If you are not satisfied with the charging speed of your iPhone, you can apply some Apple tips to increase the charging speed a bit. On the one hand, choose the right fast charger for iPhone. Since modern iPhones no longer come with their own charger, you’ll need to provide your own. Make sure it’s a USB-C Power Delivery adapter. Otherwise, your phone will charge more slowly. To see if you have a suitable charger, go to the Battery menu in the Settings app. It should say “Loading” in green. If it says “Slow Charger” in orange, try switching to another charging brick.
Once your iPhone is plugged into a compatible fast charger, it’s best to leave it alone. If you absolutely need to, keep your tasks light. For example, stop using the camera, playing games, and streaming videos until you finish charging. Do not set the screen brightness to maximum or use other demanding features, such as GPS navigation. These tasks can easily increase your load time.
Your charging location is another important consideration. It should be placed in a cool place, away from direct sunlight, as charging will be interrupted if the iPhone becomes too hot. If you use a wired accessory with your device, such as headphones or a USB-C multiport adapter, unplug it while charging. They could interfere with the amount of power your iPhone battery receives.