iPhone users around the world are complaining that their device is not charging above 80%. This is a common problem where the iPhone stops charging at 80 percent for minutes or even hours despite being connected to a charger.
In this article, let’s understand why your iPhone won’t charge above 80% and how to fix it.
Why doesn’t iPhone charge more than 80% even when plugged in?
Starting with iOS 13, Apple introduced a new battery optimization feature called Optimized Charging. Enabled by default, it slows down iPhone charging to keep the battery healthy. And often it keeps it at 80% to slow down the rate of battery aging.
Apart from optimized charging, there may be other reasons why your iPhone no longer charges after a certain percentage. This could be a high temperature, a faulty charger or cable, or problems with the device’s battery or software.
iPhone won’t charge past 80%? Here’s what to do
Here are the steps to take if your iPhone won’t charge beyond 80% even when connected to a fast charger.
Method 1 – Disable Optimized Charging
Your iPhone uses on-device machine learning to understand your daily charging pattern and predict if it will be plugged into a charger for a longer time. It can then slow down charging and wait for the right time to complete charging above 80 percent.
This helps extend battery life and prevent degradation. However, the algorithm is not always correct and can keep the battery at 80% for minutes or hours, even if you want it to charge quickly. Luckily, you can turn it off as shown below:
1. Open “Settings” on your iPhone.
2. Scroll down and tap Battery > Battery Status.
3. Turn off the Optimized battery charging switch.
4. Tap Turn Off Until Tomorrow or Turn Off.
Clicking Turn off until tomorrow turns off optimized charging until 6 am the next day. The other option will turn it off permanently, which we don’t recommend if you’re worried about battery longevity.
Is it bad to charge iPhone to 100%?
The lithium-ion battery is subjected to the greatest stress in extreme conditions. Hence, pushing it to charge from 80 to 100 will cause faster aging. This will degrade battery life and reduce the charge capacity of your iPhone.
So, if you’d rather have your iPhone plugged in all the time, it might be best to leave Optimized Charging enabled or try unplugging the device once it’s over 80%.
Method 2 – Cool iPhone
Is your iPhone charging stuck at 80% even when Optimized Charging is disabled? iPhones heat up quickly when charging, especially when using fast charging. When the temperature limit is exceeded, the battery protection function is activated and stops charging.
Keep your iPhone plugged in and charging will resume as soon as the temperature returns to normal. If it gets very hot, remove the charger and wait for it to cool down. You can also follow the tips below to keep your iPhone cool while charging:
- Charge iPhone in an air-conditioned or ventilated area.
- Make sure it’s not exposed to direct sunlight in, say, your car’s dashboard.
- Remove the case or any other accessory attached to iPhone.
- Do not use iPhone while charging.
Method 3: Check your Lightning cable and charger.
The next thing you should check is the lightning cable and charger. Make sure you are using original accessories or Apple certified accessories in case of third party products. If you’re getting a “This accessory may not be supported” warning, your charger or cable may be faulty or not Apple certified.
Try using a different charger, cable, and outlet to find the source of the problem. If you don’t have an additional charger, use your computer’s USB output to charge your device, but this will be slower than normal. This should probably fix your iPhone stuck at 80% while charging.
Method 4 – Clear the Lightning Port
Another reason your iPhone won’t charge or says “not supported” for cable or charger could be a dirty port. Use a soft earpiece or brush to clean the lightning port of debris and dirt, and then connect the cable to check if it charges normally.
This usually happens if you live in a dusty environment or your iPhone hasn’t been cleaned in a while.
Method 5 – Check Battery Status
Like any other lithium-ion battery, iPhone batteries wear out over time due to constant charge and discharge cycles. According to Apple, the iPhone battery is rated to retain 80% of its full capacity after 500 full charge cycles under normal conditions.
If your iPhone is too old, a faulty battery could be the reason why it won’t charge above 80 percent or a certain limit. You may also see other signs such as a bulge or bulge on the back of the phone, faster or sudden battery drain, or a crash.
To check the battery status on your iPhone:
1. Open “Settings” on your iPhone
2. Scroll down and tap Battery.
3. Here, tap “Battery Status” to see its current maximum capacity.
If the battery level deteriorates by more than 60-70%, the ability to hold a charge will decrease and you may start to notice a drop in peak performance. In this case, consider having it replaced by an authorized service center.
Other Ways to Fix an iPhone That Won’t Charge Above a Certain Percentage
Disabling Optimized Charging and Protecting iPhone from Heat will help most people charge their iPhone over 80%. But if that doesn’t work for you, try the other troubleshooting steps:
- Unplug your charger and restart your iPhone.
- Update the software to the latest version available for your iPhone. To do this, open Settings > General > Software Update . Download and install if any updates are available.
- Open Settings > General > Transfer or Restart iPhone . Tap Reload > Reload All Settings . This will reset all settings to default.
- Reset your iPhone to factory settings to start over.
- Contact Apple Support or visit an Apple Authorized Service Provider for further troubleshooting.
Tips to Extend Your iPhone’s Battery Life
Here are the tips you can follow to make your iPhone battery last as long as possible:
- Avoid keeping your battery in extreme conditions, i.e. charging your iPhone to 100% or draining it to 0. The 40-80% range is the optimum point for a battery.
- Do not use iPhone in extreme temperatures. The ideal ambient temperature for iPhone is between 16°C and 22°C, and temperatures above 35°C can damage battery capacity. The same is true for temperatures below 0°C.
- Use an original Apple charger and iPhone charging cable. If you are using a third party product, please make sure it is MFI certified by Apple.
Summarizing
It was all about what to do if your iPhone is not charging above 80% even when connected to a fast charger or optimized charging is already disabled. I hope the guide above will help you quickly charge your iPhone as needed and also keep your battery healthy for a long time.
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