Surprise! The iPhone 16 Lineup Supports Faster 45W Charging After All
Credit: ShutterstockToggle Dark Mode
Although you wouldn’t know by reading Apple’s specs pages, the iPhone 16 appears to have gained faster wired charging in addition to the improved MagSafe speeds it told us about at this week’s Glowtime event.
On Monday, Apple mentioned that all four iPhone 16 models will support MagSafe charging with up to 25 watts of power — provided you’re willing to shell out for a new MagSafe charger, of course. You also need to have that backed up by a 30W power adapter.
However, while Apple includes those faster MagSafe speeds in its iPhone 16 specs, it still lists the same wired performance as it has for prior models: up to 50% charge in 30 minutes with a 20W adapter or higher paired with a USB-C charging cable (or 35 minutes for the larger iPhone 16 Plus and iPhone 16 Pro Max models).
The new specs imply that MagSafe charging speeds are now equal to wired charging speeds, but it looks like there could be a hidden bonus here for those willing to plug their iPhone 16 into a powerful enough adapter.
Certification documents from the China Quality Certification Center shared on X by ShrimpApplePro show all four iPhone 16 models being tested at up to 15 volts and three amps, which works out to 45 watts.
While that may be the highest certification Apple has applied for, the real-world numbers could be slightly less. A subsequent tweet by Ice Universe indicates that reliable sources in the industry have determined the maximum charging power to be around 39 watts. However, it’s unclear if this applies to all models.
Unlike most of its competitors, Apple doesn’t typically discuss wired charging speeds in detail. It was unusual for the company to be so specific about its upgraded MagSafe charging this year. Previous iPhone models have shown a disparity between the maximum charging power each one will take, with the iPhone Pro Max typically leading the pack with maximum charging speeds of around 27W. By comparison, the standard 6.1-inch iPhones often fall behind at 23W. That’s not unreasonable, as they have smaller batteries, so the differential allows all models to charge at approximately the same rate relative to their battery size.
This means it’s possible that the iPhone 16 Pro Max could support 45W wired charging while the iPhone 16 is limited to the 39W speeds mentioned above. Either way, 39W is a healthy upgrade over even the 27W speeds. You’ll need a suitable charger to deliver that power, but anybody with a recent MacBook Pro should already be equipped.
Since these numbers come from Chinese regulatory agencies, there’s a slight possibility that these specs apply only to iPhone models sold in China. That wouldn’t be unusual, as some Android manufacturers offer faster charging speeds on their international models; however, those are typically Chinese companies, and the speeds are usually so high that the limitations have more to do with regulatory approval requirements. For example, the OnePlus 12 can charge at a staggering 100W outside of North America, while the version sold in the US is limited to 80W.
These 45W speeds are small potatoes by comparison. Samsung already offers those on all of its flagship phones sold worldwide, despite other regional differences. For iPhones, models sold in different countries typically only differ in the communications frequencies they support, so charging speeds would unlikely be a factor here. Plus, Apple’s specs pages for the iPhone 16 models in China say the same as the US ones: up to 50% charge in 30 minutes with a 20W adapter or higher paired with a USB-C charging cable.
Technically speaking, that’s not wrong. Apple doesn’t say 20W is the maximum charging speed — it only offers it as a typical example. Slower charging is better for your battery in the long term anyway, so unless you’re in a hurry, it’s better just to let your iPhone take its time to charge overnight.
