What’s The Fastest Charging Speed Your iPad Or iPhone Port Can Handle?

Getting the most out of your iPhone or iPad’s battery is about more than keeping an eye on how much power your apps consume. Your charging speed can also have an effect on your battery’s longevity. A slow charger might be a little better for your battery as it ages, but it also might mean you only gain back a few percentage points of juice while chugging your morning coffee. In the same span of time, a fast charger can get you enough battery to make it through a long commute. Charging your iPhone at its top speed can make all the difference when you only have a few minutes to plug it in before running out the door. 

But in order to charge your devices at their maximum speeds, you have to know what those speeds are. As compared to some competitors, Apple is inconsistent about listing battery specifications on its consumer-facing spec sheets, leaving you to figure it out. And now that the company no longer includes a charging brick in the box, many people are likely using outdated and slow chargers on newer iPhones and iPads. How can you be sure what the fastest charging speed for your device is, and whether your charger is fast enough? To answer that question, we’ll take a look at how battery capacities and charging speeds are measured, how those measurements translate to the latest iPhone and iPad lineups, and how Apple’s included accessories are shortchanging your charging experience.

Let’s start with the basics. The battery capacity of a mobile device is measured in milliamp-hours (mAh), which represent the amount of power a battery can deliver in an hour before requiring a recharge. For example, a 1,000mAh cell can deliver 1,000 milliamps for exactly one hour before dying. In the real world, a smartphone battery delivers variable amounts of electricity depending on what it’s being used for, and some devices run more efficiently than others. Even so, 5,000mAh is roughly the median for a large smartphone these days, while tablets tend to come closer to 10,000mAh.

The iPhone 17 Pro Max, Apple’s largest smartphone, has a battery capacity of 5,088mAh, while the base model iPhone 17 relies on a 3,692mAh cell. Meanwhile, the base model iPad 11th Generation has been measured at 7,698mAh, while the beefy, 13-inch M5 iPad Pro packs a 10,290mAh battery into its svelte frame.

Charging speeds are measured in watts. In general, large devices have larger, multi-cell batteries with more room to dissipate heat (and room to include larger cooling systems), allowing them to charge at faster speeds. That’s partially why your MacBook includes a huge charging brick that pumps out 140W, while your iPhone makes do with a dinky charger sputtering along at a fraction of the speed, and AirPods charge at single-digit wattages. Even so, with improved charging technologies such as USB Power Delivery (USB-PD), it is increasingly possible to charge even small devices such as smartphones at increasingly high rates. For example, the OnePlus 15 is a recent Android phone that charges at 120W. With all this in mind, we can now unpack your iPhone or iPad’s top charging speed.

Apple’s newer iPhones and iPads haven’t made massive strides in charging speeds, though that’s not to say they haven’t improved whatsoever over the years. As of the latest iPhone 17 series, the 17, 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max can all charge at up to 40W, while the iPhone Air tops out at just 20W, one of the tradeoffs necessary to achieve its thin design. However, Apple no longer includes a charger in the box with new iPhones, so customers who want to take advantage of those top speeds must purchase a charger separately. The last time a charger shipped in the box, it was a 5W brick that shipped with the iPhone 11, while 11 Pro owners got an 18W unit. Anyone still hanging onto one of those chargers is getting an incredibly slow charging experience with newer iPhones.

As for iPads, the base model iPad released in 2025 charges at up to a respectable 45W, on par with competing tablets from companies such as Samsung. The latest M5 iPad Pro goes even further, charging at up to 60W. Apple hasn’t yet stopped including chargers with its tablets, but they’re effectively e-waste nonetheless. That’s because all iPads ship with a measly 20W charger, which means a lot of unsuspecting owners are wasting hours of time charging their slates.

Those looking to charge their iPhone or iPad at top speeds should invest in a charger that’s actually capable of delivering them. While Apple offers fast chargers, it’s not the only game in town. Some of the best chargers in 2026 are available from companies such as Anker, Ugreen, Satechi and so on. Whichever brick you choose, ensure that its top speeds are at least equal to those of your phone or tablet.