Since 2019, iPhones have been the king in battery life. The battery capacity doesn’t matter; it will last an entire day.
My iPhone 13 Pro Max gives me 6-7 hours of screen time which I never achieved with my Android smartphones.
iPhones are still behind their competition in many areas, charging being the major one.
It still charges at 20W (I’m okay with that!), and wireless charging is worse. But the Low Power Mode can further extend the battery life as it limits background activities.
You can typically top up an iPhone with Face Id from 0 to 50 % in about 30 minutes. And many people are curious whether iPhones charge faster on Low Power Mode. Or it has no impact on the charging. Let’s find out.
Do iPhones Charge Faster on Low Power Mode?
You’ll know that Low Power Mode is activated on your iPhone if the battery icon at the top-right of your screen is amber instead of white or red. But, how does the iPhone charge in this mode?
What is the ‘Low Power Mode?’
Before we get to the hows and whats of the ‘Low Power Mode,’ let’s take a quick look at what it does.
The name is quite self-explanatory – when the ‘Low Power Mode’ option is enabled, it will give your iPhone extra juice by limiting background processes such as system animations, push email syncing, background app refresh, 5G, iCloud Photos, and more.
This extends the iPhone’s battery life as all these restrictions help reduce the overall power consumption of the device, which makes it last longer.
Remember, that Low Power Mode is a software bonus and doesn’t have to do anything with the iPhone’s hardware.
How to enable the Low Power Mode on your iPhone?
If you don’t know how to turn on the Low Power Mode on your iPhone, you should know it for when the battery is 20% or below.
You can turn Low Power Mode on or off even if your battery isn’t at 20% battery. Remember that Low Power Mode is automatically turned off when your iPhone’s battery (or even iPad’s) has an 80% or higher charge.
Step 1: Long-press on the Settings icon and tap on ‘Battery.’
Step 2: iO6 16 users will see the ‘Low Power Mode’ option below the newly added ‘Battery Percentage.’ iOS 15 and OS before that should only see the ‘Low Power Mode’ option. Click on the switch.
Step 3: You’ll see that the battery on your iPhone’s menu bar will turn amber.
Here’s how to add Low Power Mode to your iPhone’s Control Center:
Step 1: Swipe down on the home screen to invoke ‘Spotlight’ and type Control Centre.
Step 2: Scroll down till you see ‘MORE CONTROLS.’
Step 3: Tap on the green plus icon before the ‘Low Power Mode’ text.
Step 4: You can move the control wherever you like.
Step 5: To turn on the Low Power Mode from the Control Centre, users with Touch ID iPhones should swipe up from the bottom edge of the screen and users with Face ID iPhones should swipe down from the top-right corner.
Fast Charging with Low Power Mode Enabled
Since the iPhone 8, all iPhones have fast charging support. The iPhone can be fast charged from 0-50% in 30 minutes when charged with the compatible adapter and cable. After that, the charging speed slows, especially after the battery level crosses 80%.
After 80%, Apple trickles down the iPhone’s charging speeds to around 4–5W to help increase the battery’s lifespan.
You might have noticed the ‘Optimized Battery Charging’ feature on your iPhone – if it is enabled, it could take even longer for a full charge. You can turn it off, but I suggest to keep it enabled.
A test with my iPhone 13 Pro Max
To test this myth, I tested my iPhone 13 Pro Max when it dropped to 40%. I turned on the Low Power Mode from the Control Center and plugged the charger.
I then charged it for 40 minutes using a USB-C to Lightning cable and a 20W power adapter – both first-party accessories.
With the Low Power Mode enabled, my iPhone 13 Pro Max charged from 40 to 77 percent in approximately 38 minutes.
With the Low Power Mode turned off, it went from 41% to 78% in 38 minutes – no change there!
As you saw, in both cases, the battery charged at the same rate whether the Low Power Mode was enabled or not.
What are the options then?
My testing proved that iPhones wouldn’t charge faster with Low Power Mode enabled. You can invest in a good USB-C Power Delivery charger if you want faster charging on your existing iPhone with the default 20W charging speeds.
Also, if you want to fast charge your iPhone 12 or later wirelessly, Apple’s MagSafe wireless charger is the best option.
FAQs
Is it okay to use Low Power Mode?
Low-power mode is better used when your iPhone’s battery is on the edge of dying. Or you know you’ll be away from a power source for a while.
Does dark mode save battery?
The dark mode saves battery if your phone has an OLED display. Moreover, if you keep your phone’s battery level around 30%-50%, you can expect better battery life.
Does leaving your phone charging overnight ruin the battery?
Lithium-ion batteries decay from the moment you start using your new phone, and they also gradually lose their ability to hold a charge. But you can charge it overnight since our phones are really smart.
Conclusion
I hope this article gives you information about charging faster on Low Power Mode.
When you use Low Power Mode, features like automatic downloads, email fetch, background app refresh, and some visual effects won’t be used.
As mentioned at length, using low power mode while charging does not fast charge your iPhone.
Apple needs to upgrade its phones’ charging speeds, which means changing the hardware. People also think that turning on the Airplane mode will charge faster – it usually sets, but people use their phones while charging, which slows down the charging speeds.
In short – don’t use your iPhones while charging, don’t turn on Low Power Mode while charging, and use official Apple chargers. You’ll iPhone will be good for years!
