If Your iPhone Displays “Slow Charger,” This Is What It Means

If you recently plugged in your iPhone for charging and were greeted with a “Slow Charger” notification on the lock screen, don’t worry, your iPhone isn’t trying to insult your charger. It’s simply giving you a heads-up about the accessory. Yes, your charger.

But does “Slow Charger” mean your iPhone is charging at a slower rate, or worse, that your battery has degraded and doesn’t hold a charge like it used to? Just relax and read on, because we’ve got the answer.

If “Slow Charger” appears on your lock screen while you’re charging your iPhone, it simply means you’re using a lower-wattage charger, and your phone is charging slower than it would with a higher-wattage one. According to Apple, if you have iOS 18 or later installed, you might notice “Slow Charger” appear on the lock screen while charging if there’s a higher-wattage charger you could be using to improve your charging speed. This message might also appear under Settings, then Battery.

iPhones that use a wired charger of 7.5W or less, or a wireless charger under 10W, might display “Slow Charger” on the lock screen if your phone is running iOS 18 or later. According to Apple, these are considered lower-wattage chargers, so it could take longer for your iPhone to reach a full charge.

The good news is that if your iPhone shows “Slow Charger,” it doesn’t mean anything is wrong with your device. It’s simply letting you know that your charger provides a slower recommended wattage, so charging may take a bit longer. Your phone and charger are totally fine.

To recap, if you notice that charging seems to take much longer than before, it’s likely because you’re using a charger under 7.5W (wired) or 10W (wireless, and your iPhone now requires more power.

Now, if you see an “Incompatible Charger” message under Settings, then Battery, it means you’re running iOS 26 and your iPhone has detected a charger that’s connected but not charging. In this case, your charger or charging port may be damaged or broken, so try swapping out your charger to see if it fixes the issue.

The simplest way to speed up charging on iPhone, based on the information above, is to swap your charger for one that offers higher wattage. Another recommendation straight from Apple is to disconnect all other accessories while charging. This includes headphones or any USB-C or Lightning accessories, especially when charging wirelessly. Apple also notes that having accessories connected can automatically limit charging to 7.5W.

You can also speed up charging by limiting your iPhone’s usage while it’s plugged in. And if you absolutely must use it while it’s rejuvenating, consider lowering the screen brightness.

The final recommendation from Apple is to charge your iPhone in a cooler space. Since warmer temperatures can interrupt charging, as your phone may temporarily stop charging to regulate its internal temperature, try charging it somewhere cooler to avoid this altogether.