iOS 26 will improve wireless charging on the iPhone 16 by adding Qi 2.2 support. This will unlock faster charging speeds of up to 25W.
Apple’s current iPhones already support 25W wireless charging, but only with MagSafe chargers.
iOS 26 unlocks 25W Qi2 charging for iPhone 16
The iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max can charge at up to 25W wirelessly. But you can only enjoy these faster charging speeds with Apple’s MagSafe charging puck.
The Wireless Power Consortium announced Qi2 25W in July, paving the way for faster Qi wireless charging on more devices. With iOS 26, Apple will enable Qi2 25W charging across the iPhone 16 lineup, minus the iPhone entry-level iPhone 16e, which lacks MagSafe.
This change will ensure iPhone 16 owners can use any compatible Qi2 25W accessory to wirelessly fast charge their devices. It won’t boost the charging speed, since the iPhone 16 can already charge at 25W with MagSafe chargers. It will just unlock the faster speeds with more chargers.
As MacRumors reports, the latest iOS 26 beta already adds support for the feature. This isn’t the first time Apple has enabled support for a new Qi standard through a software update.
It launched the iPhone 14 in 2022 with Qi2 support. Then, it unlocked support for the new wireless charging standard on iPhone 13 and 14 with iOS 17.2. And way before that, it unlocked faster 7.5W wireless charging speeds on the iPhone 8 and iPhone X with iOS 11.2.
Google’s recently unveiled Pixel 10 Pro XL is the first smartphone to support the new Qi2 25W standard. Due to internal hardware differences, Apple won’t expand Qi2 25W support to iPhone 15 or older models.
Only newer Qi2 chargers support 25W speeds
Note that you must use a compatible Qi2 25W accessory to enjoy the faster wireless charging speeds. Existing Qi2 chargers will only top up the iPhone at 15W speeds. You will only find a small number of manufacturers selling Qi2 25W chargers right now. Belkin is among the first, recently launching an iPhone stand with Qi2 25W wireless charging support.
Conveniently place your phone on the magnetic charger to fast charge your iPhone or Qi2-compatible device up to 25W. Plus, wirelessly charge your Apple Watch and AirPods at the same time.
- One of the first accessories with Qi2 25W
- Compact, three-in-one design
