How to charge iPhone 12 and iPhone 13

Apple announced the iPhone 12 in mid last year and this time round, a few modifications were made. For example, latest iPhones do not come with AirPods. The stripping of some accessories with every shipment means a huge save for Apple and its customers. Apple has not done away with the USB port as most projections could have shown a few years ago. There still are two ways to charge the iPhone 12 and later models: wireless or wired.

What comes with the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13?

Starting with the iPhone 12, Apple no longer ships a charging adapter with a phone. This has been attributed to envinomental concerns in which Apple aims to reduce it's carbon footprint and mitigating the causes of climate change. The iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 neither come with airpods too unlike previous models.

The latest iPhones only come with a USB-C to Lighting connector and that's it. Apple is yet to fully migrate the iPhone lineup to a fully USB-C charging system. The Lightning port is still Apple's chosen convention for the charging port. To use the connector shipped with the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 models you will need a USB-C power adapter.

How do I charge the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13?

The iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 can still be charged the same way all iPhones after the 8th model were charged - through wireless and wired charging. However, Apple brought the MagSafe magnetic power connector to the iPhone 12 and later models as a way to handle wireless charging and also has a myriad of other applications.

You can safely use the chargers for previous iPhone models to power an iPhone 12 or iPhone 13. The iphone 12 and iPhone 13 still support Qi wireless charging meaning any wireless charger can still juice up your device. There are many compatible chargers by Apple and other manufacturers. It is best to use a good quality charger in order to increase the battery life of your phone. Apple recommends chargers of at least 15W for the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 models.

What is MagSafe?

MagSafe is a magnetic connector by Apple originally shipped as a safety feature for MacBook charging cords. MagSafe uses NFC and a series of magnets attached around the wireless charging coils within an iPhone. It works by detecting MagSafe compatible objects using NFC and seamlessly snapping them in place for firm connections.

It is advisable to - but you are not limited to - use a MagSafe charger for wirelessly charging iPhone 12 models and later. This is because MagSafe chargers are typically capable of delivering more power (15W) in shorter times as compared to Qi chargers (7.5W). Aside from a better charging experience, MagSafe snap-on connectors can be applied on many creative uses such as fitness mounts, magnetic car vents, power banks and face motion trackers.

Does magsafe work with a case?

There are some iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 cases that don't specifically have integrations for MagSafe compatibility. Some of these cases - not labeled with "MagSafe compatible" labels - can intermittently support wireless charging of up to 15W using a MagSafe connector. This can not be declared with certainty for the vast majority of iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 cases and is bound to experimenting in order to check compatibility.

Does MagSafe work with older iPhone models?

The MagSafe charger can indeed work with older iphone models. The only downside of using a MagSafe charger with an older iPhone model is a slow charging speed. In a test, an iPhone XS Max was charged from zero to only 13% in 30 minutes. This is slower than most 7.5W Qi chargers, wheres a MagSafe charger is capable of charging latest iPhone models to over 40% in 30 minutes. If you dont have an iPhone 12 or iPhone 13 but are considering buying a MagSafe charger for an older iPhone, don't.

Magsafe Supported models

MagSafe charging is supported in the following models:

iPhone 13 Pro
iPhone 13 Pro Max
iPhone 13 mini
iPhone 13
iPhone 12 Pro
iPhone 12 Pro Max
iPhone 12 mini
iPhone 12
iPhone 11 Pro
iPhone 11 Pro Max
iPhone 11
iPhone SE (2nd generation)
iPhone XS
iPhone XS Max
iPhone XR
iPhone X
iPhone 8
iPhone 8 Plus

What is the fastest way to charge the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13?

The debate on the comparison between wireless and wired charging is a wide topic given that both types of chargers are continually evolving. Older wireless chargers are significantly slower when compared to latest wireless chargers. Qi chargers deliver smaller amounts of power than MagSafe chargers. However, Apple's 18W, 29W, 30W, 61W, 87W or 96W USB-C Power chargers are your go-to choice for faster charging times.

There are various factors that affect the charging speed of any smartphone. To ensure faster charging speeds you can do the following:

Shut down your iPhone
Switch on Airplane Mode
Avoid using your iPhone while charging
Reduce the screen brightness
Plug into a wall outlet
Avoid wireless charging
Remove the protective case
Get a compatible fast charger

What do I need to buy?

If this is your first iPhone then all you need to buy is Apple's 18W, 29W, 30W, 61W, 87W or 96W USB-C Power Adapter. If you have accessories for older iPhone models there is no need to spend on new accessories for the most part. Simply plug in your USB-C to Lightning connector to your old adapter and charge your phone.

If you need a MagSafe charger to experience the snap-on effect and a better charging experience than conventional wireless chargers then you will fork out an additional KES 4,000. For a faster charging experience a separate 20W USB-C to Lighting adapter can suit your purpose for KES 2,000. Though you will be getting a USB-C to lightning connector, you may need a longer connector for different use cases. You can get a long connector on Jumia for KES 3000 or less.