Technologies
iPhone Charging Too Slow? Use These 9 Tricks to Speed It Up
Get your iPhone powered back up without the wait using these tips.
Summer is full swing, delivering BBQs with friends, outdoor adventures and more. The last thing you want while enjoying a hike is pulling your phone out for the perfect photo of the landscape only to realize it’s out of juice. Whether you’re at home, wrapping up work for the week, or traveling for vacation, keeping your phone charged ensures you stay connected with the people in your life. However, waiting for your iPhone to charge can be a tedious task, especially if you have appointments to keep.
If you’ve ever found yourself sprinting out the door with only 5% battery, you’re not alone. There are a few quick and easy charging tricks that can get your iPhone powered up fast — no stress, no extra accessories. Whether your phone’s hanging on by a thread or you just need a boost before heading out, these tips will help you charge up in record time and keep going strong all season long.
Looking for more charging power? Check out the best power banks for the iPhone, and if you’re still rocking an iPhone with a Lightning port, here are some of the cheapest fast chargers you can find.
1. Juice up with a new charger
The quickest way to charge your iPhone is with a fast charger: at least a 20-watt power adapter with a USB-C to Lightning or USB-C to USB-C cable for iPhone 15 models or later. As long as you own an iPhone 8 or later, you can fast-charge your phone from dead back up to around 50% battery in about 30 minutes. If you have an hour to spare, you can fully charge it. Even just 10 minutes of fast charging can boost your battery by double digits, so if you’re short on time, always go for the fast charger option.
Apple no longer provides power adapters when you buy a new phone, only the cable, but you can purchase Apple’s 20-watt power adapter from Apple and Amazon. According to Apple, you can also use other compatible fast-charging power bricks, but you’ll need at least a 20-watt brick to fast-charge an iPhone 12 and later.
2. Charge lightning fast wirelessly
The second-fastest way to charge your iPhone is with Apple’s MagSafe charger and a 20-watt power adapter, but for this to work you must own either an iPhone 12 or later to get the faster 15-watt wireless charging. If your iPhone is dead, you should get to around 30% battery in about 30 minutes of wireless charging.
This doesn’t mean you can use any Qi wireless charger (the industry standard) for fast charging. While the MagSafe charger supports 15 watts, a Qi charger only gives you up to 7.5 watts, which is much slower than a MagSafe and only slightly faster than the traditional 5-watt wall charger. Be aware that magnetic wireless chargers that aren’t MagSafe-certified will also charge at the slower 7.5-watt speed.
3. Stop relying on your computer to charge your phone
Your laptop might seem like a convenient way to charge your iPhone, especially if you spend most of your day in front of a computer and want to keep a close eye on any incoming text messages and notifications. However, your computer will always charge your phone slower than any wall charger or wireless charger.
Your computer’s USB port, whether it’s a bigger and older USB-A or the newer, smaller USB-C, cannot deliver the same amount of power as any wall outlet can, even a 5-watt power adapter. That’s especially true if you have an older computer with a faulty USB port or an incompatible charging cable, both of which can slow down the charging process further.
4. Stop using your iPhone while it’s charging
If you want your iPhone to charge as quickly as possible, try to stay off of it as much as possible. If you’re streaming videos or playing mobile games while charging your iPhone, the battery will charge much slower, so just leave it untouched if you can.
5. Speed up battery charging with this easy tip
Even if your screen is sleeping, your phone is still working in the background. If you want your iPhone to charge quickly, the best thing to do is to turn it off.
Note that plugging in an iPhone that’s turned off will sometimes power it back on, so plug it in or place it on a wireless charger first, then power it down.
6. Switch to airplane mode if you don’t want to turn off your phone
If you don’t want to turn off your iPhone but still want to help it charge faster, you can turn on airplane mode, which disables all wireless transmission functions like cellular, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, all of which consume power. If they’re off, your iPhone can charge quicker. This way, you can also quickly turn airplane mode off to quickly check on any text messages or phone calls you might be waiting for.
7. Tweak these iPhone settings to charge your battery faster
Do you know all of those tips that help you preserve your battery in the first place? You can use those same features and settings to help your iPhone charge faster if you don’t plan on turning it off.
- Low power mode: Turn it on to reduce or affect battery-consuming features like 5G, display brightness, auto-lock, background app refresh and automatic downloads.
- Dark mode: The jury is out on exactly how much dark mode actually saves battery life, but turning it on while you’re charging your iPhone doesn’t hurt, especially if every percent matters.
- Lower your screen brightness: One of the most power-hungry pieces of any gadget that has one is its display. The brighter your screen, the quicker your battery drains, so turn it all the way down while it charges.
8. Optimized Battery Charging may be slowing down the charge rate
Apple has a built-in tool that helps prevent your iPhone battery from degrading as fast, but this same feature also makes your device charge slower. While the feature typically only slows down your iPhone during long periods of charging, and usually overnight, it still might be worth disabling when you’re charging your phone. Go to Settings > Battery > Battery Health and toggle off Optimized Battery Charging to disable this feature.
9. You might just need a new iPhone battery
In the same settings page where you can disable optimized battery charging, you can also check out your battery’s health. If you see a message, like «Your battery’s health is significantly degraded,» you should look into making an appointment with Apple to replace your battery. A degraded battery doesn’t hold charge as well, so it’ll drain more quickly. A new battery will improve your overall battery life.
You can check out how much it will approximately cost to replace your battery on Apple’s iPhone Battery Service website. The price depends on your service coverage and the make and model: for the iPhone 15 series, the estimate is $99.
For more tips, check out 23 more iPhone tips and tricks you should know and how to get more space when your iPhone’s storage is running low.
Technologies
My Early Time Testing the Galaxy Z Flip 7 Brought a Smashing Surprise
Commentary: Samsung rolled out a major change to its foldable phones. And I can definitely vouch for the Galaxy Z Flip 7’s sturdiness.
If you’re concerned about how durable Samsung’s foldable phones are, I’m here to tell you not to worry. And that’s especially true when it comes to the new Galaxy Z Flip 7, which holds its own among today’s best smartphones.
After less than six hours with the Galaxy Z Flip 7, I accidentally performed my own informal drop test. At a catered affair in Brooklyn, I walked outside to get a view of the waterfront, and when I pulled the Z Flip 7 out of my pocket, I fumbled it. I watched helplessly as Samsung’s newest foldable phone fell to the ground. The noise it made when it clacked against the concrete caused everyone around to look at me with a knowing, sympathetic expression that said, «Aw, that’s a shame. Your phone is toast.»
Have you ever dropped your phone? There’s that Schrödinger’s cat-like moment before you pick it up when you’re anxious to see if the phone survived.
Fortunately, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 was fine. The 4.1-inch cover screen didn’t have any cracks or scuffs. The 6.9-inch inner display was unharmed because the phone was shut. The only tell that it kissed the ground was a tiny scuff on the bottom of the phone near the microphones. Samsung’s claim that its new «Armour Flex Hinge» is built to withstand impact is indeed true.
In the early days of foldable phones, one of the biggest unknowns was their durability. It’s amazing that about six years later, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 can handle being dropped on concrete like it had landed on a velvet pillow. Now, I still wouldn’t take the Flip 7 (or any foldable phone) to the beach, as it can only withstand particles that are 1mm or larger. So going to a confetti factory would be fine, but a salt factory is a definite no-no.
The Galaxy Z Flip 7’s thin design
The star of Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked event was the Galaxy Z Fold 7. At 8.9mm thick when closed, the Fold 7 is ridiculously thin. The Galaxy Z Flip 7 looks like it also went on Ozempic, but it’s 13.7mm thick when closed. That’s slim, but not Fold 7 slim. Why couldn’t the Flip 7 be super slim like the Fold 7? I just keep imagining a Galaxy Z Flip 8 with the same thinness as the Fold 7.
For some perspective, here’s how the Flip 7 compares to its clamshell kinfolk:
Galaxy Z Flip 7 thickness vs. other flip phones
| Phone | Closed | Open |
|---|---|---|
| Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 | 13.7mm | 6.5mm |
| Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 | 14.9mm | 6.9mm |
| Motorola Razr Plus | 15.32mm | 7.09mm |
| Motorola Razr Ultra | 15.69mm | 7.19mm |
| Motorola Razr (2025) | 15.85mm | 7.25mm |
The Galaxy Z Flip 7’s big cover screen
The original Galaxy Z Flip had a tiny, 1.1-inch pill-shaped cover display. It was perfect for showing the time but pretty much useless for anything else. The defining feature on the Galaxy Z Flip 7 is its 4.1-inch cover display. The screen looks incredible. I was checking my notifications on the screen under direct sunlight and was able to read everything. One of the hang-ups I had reviewing the Galaxy Z Flip 6 was switching from the inner screen to the cover display outdoors. There would be times on sunny days where I could barely make out what was on the cover display, despite having no issues with the main screen.
Samsung has increased the maximum brightness of the Flip 7’s cover screen to 2,600 nits, which is the same as the inner display. Both screens now top out at 120Hz, too, which should make for a much more consistent experience by having system animations, gameplay and scrolling through a social feed look super smooth.
The 6.9-inch inner screen is big, but it doesn’t feel unwieldy when I use it. The Flip 6 had a 6.7-inch display, but that extra 0.2 inches on the Flip 7’s screen makes it feel much bigger, which my middle-aged eyes are grateful for.
In terms of functionality, the cover screen’s natural state is widgets. And some, like Spotify’s widget, are all I need in lieu of using full apps. But I want apps on the home screen, so I need to enable this functionality in the Labs section of Settings and download the MultiStar app. It takes a couple of minutes to set up, but I do wish the interface supported apps by default.
The Galaxy Z Flip 7’s cameras
The Flip 7 has three cameras: a 50-megapixel wide-angle, a 12-megapixel ultrawide and a 10-megapixel selfie camera (in the main 6.9-inch screen). The cameras are the same as those on the Flip 6 and Flip 7 FE. But the phones run on different processors, so differences or improvements in photos and videos (if any) will come from Samsung’s processing and machine learning.
Here are some of my favorite photos from the Galaxy Z Flip 7 so far:
Galaxy Z Flip 7 final thoughts for now
Samsung gave its foldable line a major overhaul. And while the Galaxy Z Fold 7 feels like an entirely different phone from previous Folds, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 seems like a nice refinement. I will say that I’ve had only two days with the phone. And as enamored as I am with the larger cover screen, I’m excited to see how the battery life measures up.
Samsung gave the Flip 7 a 4,300-mAh battery (compared with the Galaxy Z Flip 6’s 4,000-mAh battery), but I wonder if the increased capacity will be offset by the power needed for its Exynos 2500 chip and those larger, brighter displays.
I have a lot more testing to do. But as I work my way toward a full review, I’ll try not to drop the Flip 7 anymore.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 specs vs. Motorola Razr Ultra, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6
| Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 | Motorola Razr Ultra (2025) | Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 | |
| Cover display size, tech, resolution, refresh rate | 4.1-inch AMOLED, 948×1,048p, 120Hz refresh rate | 4-inch pOLED, 2,992×1,224p, up to 165Hz variable refresh rate | 3.4-inch AMOLED; 720×748 pixels; 60Hz refresh rate |
| Internal display size, tech, resolution, refresh rate | 6.9-inch AMOLED, 2,520×1,080p, 1-120Hz refresh rate | 7-inch AMOLED; 1,272×1,080p, up to 165Hz variable refresh rate | 6.7-inch AMOLED; 2,640×1,080 pixels; 1-120Hz refresh rate |
| Pixel density | Cover: 342ppi. Internal: 397ppi | Cover: 417 ppi. Internal: 464 ppi | Cover: 306 ppi. Internal: 425 ppi |
| Dimensions (inches) | Open: 2.96×6.56×0.26 Closed: 2.96×3.37×0.26 | Open: 2.91×6.75×0.28 Closed: 2.91×3.47×0.62 | Open: 6.5 x 2.83 x 0.27 Closed: 3.35 x 2.83 x 0.59 |
| Dimensions (millimeters) | Open: 75.2×166.7×6.5 Closed: 75.2×85.5×13.7 | Open: 73.99×171.48×7.19 Closed: 73.99×88.12×15.69 | Open: 165.1×71.9×6.9 Closed: 85.1×71.9×14.9 |
| Weight (grams, ounces) | 188 g (6.63 oz) | 199 g (7 oz) | 187 g (6.6 oz) |
| Mobile software | Android 16 | Android 15 | Android 14 |
| Cameras | 50 megapixel (main), 12 megapixel (ultrawide) | 50 megapixel (wide), 50 megapixel (ultrawide) | 50 megapixel (wide), 12 megapixel (ultrawide) |
| Internal screen camera | 10 megapixel | 50 megapixel | 10 megapixel |
| Video capture | 4K at 60fps | 4K | TBD |
| Processor | Samsung Exynos 2500 | Snapdragon 8 Elite | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 |
| RAM/storage | 12GB + 256GB, 12GB + 512GB | 16GB + 512GB, 1TB | 12GB + 256GB, 512GB |
| Expandable storage | No | None | None |
| Battery | 4,300 mAh | 4,700 mAh | 4,000 mAh |
| Fingerprint sensor | Yes | Side | Side |
| Connector | USB-C | USB-C | USB-C |
| Headphone jack | None | None | None |
| Special features | One UI 8, IP48 water resistance, 25-watt wired charging, Qi wireless charging, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, Galaxy AI | IP48 rating, 68-watt wired charging, 30-watt wireless charging, 5-watt reverse charging, dual stereo speakers, Corning Gorilla Glass Ceramic cover display, 3,000 nits peak brightness on cover display, 4,500 nits peak brightness on main display, 5G. | IP48 rating, 25-watt wired charging, wireless charging + powershare, 3x optical zoom (up to 10x digital and 30x Space Zoom with AI Super Resolution tech) |
| US price starts at | $1,100 | $1,300 | $1,100 |
Correction, Jul. 12: The Galaxy Z Flip 7 runs on Samsung’s Exynos 2500 chip.
Technologies
The GameSir G8 Plus Is a Solid Mobile Controller, With One Big Caveat
If you don’t mind a bad app, the G8 Plus is a solid controller.
Pros
- Great hardware
- Fits phones and small tablets
- Extra back buttons
- Good battery life
Cons
- Buggy app
- No extra faceplates available
- No case included
If you don’t think gaming on your phone could be fun, you’ve likely never tried using it with a controller. Once you do, you’ll realize why mobile gaming is continuing to grow exponentially. It really is, pun very much intended, a game-changer.
There are a ton of mobile controllers out there. Most of them are bad but there are some great ones out there too. The G8 Plus from GameSir is one of the latter. It works with Android, iOS and Nintendo Switch. And it feels great to use, but the app leaves a lot to be desired.
Great hardware
There’s a lot to like about the G8 Plus, starting with the hardware. Arguably, the most important aspect of any controller is how it feels to hold and use, and luckily the G8 Plus does well there. It’s not my favorite hardware on a mobile controller — that’s currently a tie between the Razer Kishi Ultra and the Elo Vagabond — but it’s still solid.
It’s comfortable to hold, even for long periods of time. It feels like an Xbox controller that stretches in half to make room for your phone, which is a good thing. The textured grip on the back means it won’t slip out of your hands and it’s light enough not feel too heavy after an hour or so.
The buttons are nice and clicky with plenty of travel, and the D-Pad is decent too. D-Pads often gets overlooked on mobile controllers, but it’s solid here. There’s also a Home button on the front for launching the GameSir app, a capture button for recording in-game content, and an M button for switching connection modes.
I was impressed by the two programmable back buttons. They aren’t mushy like on the PowerA Fusion and they sit where my fingers naturally rest, so they’re easy to use. These buttons are always hit or miss on mobile controllers, but here, they’re great.
The Hall Effect joysticks and triggers are good as well. While there is no physical hair trigger setting, you can adjust the triggers digitally in the app. More on that later. GameSir also offers a couple different joystick tops so you can pick the one that suits your gameplay. They aren’t different heights, just differently shaped tops.
The best part of the G8 Plus is the range of compatible devices. The two halves stretch out far enough for probably every phone and it can even fit some small tablets like the iPad Mini or the fantastic Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 3. Since it’s Bluetooth, there’s no need to mess with connecting to USB-C. Plus, it will automatically wake up and connect to your phone as soon as you pull it apart, and it will sleep as soon as you remove your phone.
Frustrating software
Sadly, the biggest frustration and reason I hesitate to recommend the G8 Plus is the same one that’s been plaguing GameSir controllers for years: the software. GameSir’s app is not only barebones, it’s barely functional and it has some annoying bugs.
The UI is just… basic. There’s nothing flashy or exciting about it, and it looks like the company just threw it together just to say it has an app. The games tab that’s supposed to highlight the latest games for you is instead full of things that don’t even exist anymore like Apex Legends: Mobile. Your own games are hidden behind a tab on the Device page.
To be fair, you can do a lot within the app, including remap buttons, customize joystick and trigger dead zones, even adjust the vibration intensity. This is also where you setup the virtual touch mapping for games such as Call of Duty: Mobile that don’t natively support controllers.
The GameSir app will sometimes override the settings for other controllers. For example, after playing COD:M on the G8 Plus, I switched back to the Elo Vagabond to find it no longer worked; my phone didn’t recognize it at all. Not even a restart would solve this. I had to uninstall and reinstall the app, which also means redownloading the dozens of gigabytes necessary to play it. Very annoying. I realize most people don’t have more than one controller, but just be aware of that if you do switch controllers.
Worth it if you can get past the software
If you don’t care much about the lackluster app, then the G8 Plus really is a solid controller. It feels great, responds well, and has respectable battery life. But it’s also pricey at $100, especially with the poor app experience. If GameSir put some work into its app, the G8 Plus would be much easier to recommend. I also wish it came with a case, but there are some on Amazon that don’t look too bad. Still, it’s a great controller, even for $100.
Technologies
Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Saturday, July 19
Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for July 19.
Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.
Today’s Mini Crossword is a delight. I was thrilled to spot a cute salamander with a funny name in the clue for 9-Across. Good thing I remembered how to spell it! Keep reading for help with today’s Mini Crossword. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.
The Mini Crossword is just one of many games in the Times’ games collection. If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.
Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword
Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.
Mini across clues and answers
1A clue: See-through
Answer: CLEAR
6A clue: «Anybody home?»
Answer: HELLO
7A clue: Winged horse of Greek myth
Answer: PEGASUS
9A clue: Salamander known for its regenerative abilities (and adorable appearance)
Answer: AXOLOTL
10A clue: Texting format, for short
Answer: SMS
11A clue: Birthplace of bossa nova
Answer: RIO
12A clue: Even score
Answer: TIE
13A clue: Insect seen in Dalí’s «The Persistence of Memory»
Answer: ANT
14A clue: Directory abbr.
Answer: EXT
15A clue: Metroid console, for short
Answer: NES
Mini down clues and answers
1D clue: Party snack made with cereal and pretzels
Answer: CHEXMIX
2D clue: Gift with many interlocking pieces
Answer: LEGOSET
3D clue: Airline whose name comes from the Book of Hosea
Answer: ELAL
4D clue: Election loser
Answer: ALSORAN
5D clue: Stand-up comic’s act
Answer: ROUTINE
7D clue: Command that uses the «V» key
Answer: PASTE
8D clue: Pulling their arms might win you money
Answer: SLOTS
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