• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

AppleToolBox

Tools and Fixes for Mac, iPad, iPhone & iPod

Search posts

  • About
  • Contact

CONNECT WITH US

CATEGORIES

  • iPhone
  • iPad
  • Mac/MacBook
  • Apple Watch
  • Reviews
  • Mac
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Apple Services
  • AirPods

SITE

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Advertise

Search posts

You are here: Home / iPhone / iOS 13.1 and wireless charging speeds — check the charger you plan on buying

iOS 13.1 and wireless charging speeds — check the charger you plan on buying

By Mike Peterson 2 comments Last updated September 30, 2019

Apple has put a cap on the charging speeds of some non-certified wireless charging pads. But why?

Cynics might think it’s a ploy to get users to buy chargers directly from Apple (even though it doesn’t make wireless chargers). But there’s a good reason why Apple made this change — and it’s to protect your iPhone and its battery.

Related:

  • How to troubleshoot an iPhone that isn’t wirelessly charging
  • Wireless Charging and Fast Charging on the iPhone X
  • Exclusive: Apple Cancels AirPower Wireless Charger
  • 13 settings you should change in iOS 13 or iPadOS

Contents

  • The specific change
  • Why Apple did this
  • How this impacts you

The specific change

iOS 13.1 Wireless Charging Graph
A graph showing the charging speed differences between 5W and 7.5W charging. Image via ChargerLAB.

To sum it up all in a few words: Apple has limited the total wattage of cheaper and knockoff chargers to 5W in its iOS 13.1 software update. Currently, iPhones that sport Qi-based wireless charging support speeds up to 7.5W.

Charging accessory and news site ChargerLAB appears to have first broken the story.

More specifically, Apple is requiring wireless charging pads to use fixed-frequency voltage regulation. Basically, that’s hardware which helps to ensure that an inductive wireless charge doesn’t mess with your device’s other electrical components.

Of course, most reputable charging brands offer fixed-frequency voltage regulation. That’s because a requirement both for Apple’s own 7.5W “Apple Fast Charging” standard and the Wireless Power Consortium’s Extended Power Profile.

Why Apple did this

iOS 13.1 Wireless Charging
Apple cut charging speeds for lower-quality chargers, but probably for good reason.

Fixed-frequency voltage regulation, as we mentioned earlier, ensures a safer and less interfering charge. In other words, it all comes down to device and personal safety.

Devices that don’t use fixed-frequency voltage regulation can cause a variety of problems with your device, including overheating. Excessive heat generation, in turn, can damage your device’s battery and may even be a safety risk.

Presumably, by putting a lower cap on the charging speeds of knockoff or off-brand chargers, Apple is attempting to reduce the safety risk. Slower charging speeds don’t produce as much heat.

It’s also worth noting that this may not be Apple’s decision at all. The Wireless Power Consortium — the group that maintains the Qi standard — requires fixed-frequency voltage regulation. Because Apple’s iPhones support Qi, Apple may have been required to implement the change.

How this impacts you

iOS 13.1 Wireless Charging - Native Union
Good-quality chargers, like this Native Union model, won’t be impacted.

So how does this impact you, an iPhone user? It really all comes down to how you wirelessly charge your iPhone (if you even do in the first place).

If you buy reputable wireless charging accessories from brands like Belkin, Native Union, Anker and Mophie, you won’t see any change. All of those brands support fixed-frequency voltage regulation.

If you buy cheap chargers from sites like Amazon or eBay, you may see you’re charging speeds slashed.

Of course, if you already have charging accessories and you don’t know whether they’re up to the standards, it can be hard to tell if your wireless charging speeds have been capped.

That’s especially true since the difference between 5W and 7.5W charging isn’t so significant that you’d notice it if you wirelessly charge your device overnight.

An easy way is to look up the specific make and model of your wireless charging pad or accessory in this Wireless Power Consortium’s database. This database can tell you if a charger meets the standards, and whether or not it supports 7.5W charging.

As far as whether you should buy a charger that shows up in that database rather than a cheaper one, we’d highly recommend it.

At best, cheap or off-brand chargers won’t deliver peak charging speeds for your iPhone. At worst, they can damage your iPhone’s battery and could even pose an overheating or fire risk.

mike - apple
Mike Peterson( Senior Writer )

Mike is a freelance journalist from San Diego, California.

While he primarily covers Apple and consumer technology, he has past experience writing about public safety, local government, and education for a variety of publications.

He’s worn quite a few hats in the journalism field, including writer, editor, and news designer.

Related Posts:

  • iOS 13 or iPadOS problems and how to fix them - Troubleshooting Guide
    iOS 13 or iPadOS problems and how to fix them -…
  • AirPower Wireless Charging – Here's What We Know
    AirPower Wireless Charging – Here's What We Know
  • Why you shouldn’t calibrate the battery in your iPhone, iPad, or iPod
    Why you shouldn’t calibrate the battery in your iPhone,…
  • Apple Cancels AirPower: What we know so far
    Apple Cancels AirPower: What we know so far
  • iPhone XS/XR/X Battery Not Holding a Charge? Draining Too Fast?
    iPhone XS/XR/X Battery Not Holding a Charge? Draining Too…
  • Exclusive: Apple Cancels AirPower Wireless Charger
    Exclusive: Apple Cancels AirPower Wireless Charger
  • Should I sign up for Apple’s iPhone Upgrade Program?
    Should I sign up for Apple’s iPhone Upgrade Program?
  • Best iPhone 13 Accessories To Make The Most Out Of Your New iPhone
    Best iPhone 13 Accessories To Make The Most Out Of Your New…
  • iPhone Battery Chargers. Fast vs Trickle, Here's What You Should Know
    iPhone Battery Chargers. Fast vs Trickle, Here's What You…

Reader Interactions

Write a Comment Cancel reply

Show 2 Comments

  1. Jas Jones says

    October 7, 2019 at 11:05 PM

    Nice post about wireless charging, This post is very useful for a lot of people.

    Reply
    • AT says

      January 23, 2020 at 7:28 AM

      So, is this a true statement:

      If a device is listed as having the “Basic Power Profile” on WirelessPowerConsortium.com, then it will cap out at 5 watts on iOS devices after iOS 13.1? That is, in order for a device to wireless charge at 7.5 watts on a current iOS device, it will need to have the Extended Power Profile?

      Reply

Primary Sidebar

Recent Posts

  • iPhone/iPad: How to Take Screenshot of an Entire Web Page
  • How to Send and Request Money From Apple Cash Card
  • iOS 15 Update Requested? How to Fix Your Stuck iPhone
  • How to Close Apps on Apple Watch
  • macOS: How to Find Your Saved Passwords
  • FaceTime Not Working With iMessage on iPhone? Here’s How To Fix It

Connect with us

Footer

ABOUT

  • About Us
  • Contact us
  • Advertise
  • Privacy
  • Terms of Use

DEVICES

  • iPhone
  • Mac & MacBook
  • Apple Watch
  • iPad
  • AirPods
  • Apple TV
  • iPod Touch

GUIDES

  • iOS 13 & iPadOS
  • Apple ID
  • iCloud
  • App Store
  • iTunes
  • FaceTime
  • iMessage
  • Siri
  • Books and iBooks
  • Game Center
  • AirPlay

CONNECT

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • FeedBurner
  • YouTube

© Copyright 2010-2022 AppleToolBox · All Rights Reserved

This site and its content are in no way affiliated or endorsed by Apple, Inc. · Reproduction without explicit permission is prohibited