iPhone 13 Mini Still Limited to Maximum 12W of Peak Power via MagSafe Charger

While Apple's standard MagSafe Charger can typically support up to 15 watts of peak power delivery to iPhone models when used with an appropriate power adapter, last year's iPhone 12 mini was limited to a lower 12-watt peak, perhaps due to thermal constraints with the smaller device.

iphone 13 magsafe 1
As highlighted in an update to Apple's support document on the ‌MagSafe‌ Charger today, that restriction remains in place for this year's ‌iPhone‌ 13 mini, similarly subjecting it to the lower 12-watt limit. Given the nearly identical body size between the ‌iPhone 12 mini‌ and ‌iPhone‌ 13 mini, it's not particularly surprising that the limit applies to both devices, but to our knowledge this is the first time Apple has confirmed it.

An ‌iPhone‌ connected to ‌MagSafe‌ intelligently manages its power draw to prevent overheating, and thus even a fully supported model capable of charging at 15 watts may see much of its charging time spent below that threshold in an effort to protect battery health.

The smaller battery of the mini-sized ‌iPhone‌ models also means that they require less energy to recharge than larger models, so an ‌iPhone 12 mini‌ or ‌iPhone‌ 13 mini capped at a peak of 12 watts may not take any longer to charge to full via ‌MagSafe‌ than an ‌iPhone‌ 13 with a 15-watt limit. Still, users should be aware that this restriction persists with this year's mini ‌iPhone‌.

This isn't the only MagSafe-related topic making the rounds today, as it's been discovered that the ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro with Apple's standard case on it doesn't sit quite properly on the MagSafe Duo Charger due to the size and height of the lip that protects the rear cameras. Despite the fit issue, the phone seems to make a proper connection and charge normally.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

iOS 26 Battery Glass Feature

iPhone 16 Pro Max 80% Charge Limit: One Year Later, Was It Worth It?

Wednesday September 24, 2025 3:58 pm PDT by
With the iPhone 15 series, I did an experiment and kept my iPhone's Charge Limit set at 80 percent for an entire year. It provided an interesting look at the impact of charge limits on battery longevity, so I decided to repeat it for the iPhone 16 line. Since September 2024, my iPhone 16 Pro Max has been limited to an 80 percent charge, with no cheating. As of today, my battery's maximum...
Home Hub Command Center with Dome Base Feature

Apple Working on All-New Operating System

Thursday September 25, 2025 1:11 pm PDT by
Apple is developing an all-new operating system codenamed "Charismatic," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Apple smart home hub concept based on rumors This is likely Apple's long-rumored "homeOS" operating system. In a report last month, Gurman said both Apple's rumored smart home hub in 2026 and tabletop robot in 2027 will run the new operating system. He said the software platform ...
AirPods Pro 3 Newsroom

Apple's 'Back to School' Offer Ends Soon, Now Applies to AirPods Pro 3

Wednesday September 24, 2025 7:20 am PDT by
Apple's annual "Back to School" promotion for students ends soon, so act fast if you want to score free AirPods with the purchase of an eligible new Mac or iPad. Until Tuesday, September 30, college students and qualifying educational staff in the U.S. can receive free AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation when they purchase an eligible new Mac or iPad from Apple. This is a $179 value. ...
iphone 17 pro dark blue 1

Apple Blames In-Store MagSafe Chargers for iPhone 17 Pro Display Model Scratches

Wednesday September 24, 2025 10:22 am PDT by
The marks on the iPhone 17 Pro models that people have noticed at Apple retail stores are caused by the chargers that Apple uses, Apple confirmed today. Apple told 9to5Mac that worn MagSafe charging stands in stores are causing marks on the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. Apple says that the marks are not scratches, and are instead material transfer from the stand to the phone. The...
iPhone 17 Pro Colors

Skipped the iPhone 17 Pro? Here's What is Rumored for iPhone 18 Pro

Tuesday September 23, 2025 8:55 am PDT by
While the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are still a year away, there are already a few rumors about the devices that offer an early look ahead. Below, we have recapped some of the early iPhone 18 Pro rumors so far. This story was published previously, and it has been updated to reflect the latest rumors. Many early rumors prove to be true, but nothing is confirmed yet, and Apple's...
iOS 26

Everything New in iOS 26.1 Beta 1

Monday September 22, 2025 12:44 pm PDT by
Apple released the first beta of iOS 26.1 today, just a week after launching iOS 26. iOS 26.1 mainly adds new languages to Apple Intelligence, but there are a few other features that are worth knowing about. New Apple Intelligence Languages Apple Intelligence is now available in Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese (Portugal), Swedish, Turkish, Chinese (Traditional), and Vietnamese. AirPo...
ios 26 digital id passport wallet

Apple Confirms iOS 26 Wallet Passport Feature is Coming in 2025

Tuesday September 23, 2025 1:06 pm PDT by
Digital ID, the iOS 26 feature that lets U.S. passport holders add their passports to the Wallet app, is coming later in 2025, Apple confirmed today. Apple updated the release timing wording of Digital ID on its iOS 26 features page. "Digital ID will be coming later this year with US passports only," it reads. Prior to today, the footnote for the feature said "Digital ID will be available ...
apple tv 4k new orange

Next Apple TV Expected to Launch This Year With These New Features

Monday September 22, 2025 10:00 am PDT by
The next Apple TV is expected to be released later this year, and a handful of new features and changes have been rumored for the device. Below, we recap what to expect from the next Apple TV, according to rumors. Likely Features N1 Chip With Wi-Fi 7 Last year, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said the next Apple TV would be equipped with Apple's own combined Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chip, which is...
iPhone 17 Pro USB C Port

iPhone 17 Pro Max's USB-C Charging Speeds Tested With Apple Chargers

Monday September 22, 2025 7:29 am PDT by
The website ChargerLAB has tested the iPhone 17 Pro Max's USB-C charging speeds with a variety of Apple's chargers, from 18W to 140W. The device reached a peak charging speed of around 36W with the following Apple chargers:40W Dynamic Power Adapter with 60W Max 61W USB-C Power Adapter 67W USB-C Power Adapter 70W USB-C Power Adapter 96W USB-C Power Adapter 140W USB-C Power AdapterFor...

Top Rated Comments

cmaier Avatar
52 months ago
Ah, now comes the stream of people complaining about 3W.

It’s actually pretty remarkable how many care about a watt here and there, actually.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
vojta3476 Avatar
52 months ago

Fast compared to what? Even at 15W it would be charging pretty slowly.
All my phones ever have charged fast compared to the 6-8 hours I sleep at night. That's all I care about.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
usagora Avatar
52 months ago

Ah, now comes the stream of people complaining about 3W.

It’s actually pretty remarkable how many care about a watt here and there, actually.
You think a watt is bad? My battery health just dropped from 100% to 99%. Is my phone trash now? omg I'm not going to be able to sleep tonight. This is SO much worse than not being able to charge my phone 5 minutes faster.

EDIT: LOL @ the thumbs-down reaction. Always that one person who doesn't recognize obvious sarcasm.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
5105973 Avatar
52 months ago
Donut care. It’s little and the 12 charges plenty fast to suit me.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
now i see it Avatar
52 months ago
I don’t think anyone who uses wireless charging is in a rush. And anyway, as stated in the article, the mini uses a smaller battery so of course it’s going to charge at a lower current
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DeepIn2U Avatar
52 months ago

I can't imagine needing to charge any faster than what I'm experiencing with MagSafe. It's definitely not slow. Or maybe I'm just more patient than others, so it's a perceptual thing? In any case, I've never once had the thought "Gee, I wish MagSafe charged my phone faster." Everyone's always going on about how wired charging is faster, but I honestly see no appreciable difference in real life. Not saying there isn't one - just that it's not night or day or anything like that.
personally a faster wireless charging would be nice when:

Apple implements a vapour chamber to keep the device and battery cool from over-heating which leads to poor battery life and capacity longevity. Until then 12w is fine by me.

looking at my 8mths old iPhone 12 mini that I mostly charged over MagSafe and my battery health drop, I’ll be much smarter using Lightning on the 13 mini going forward.

Attachment Image

Attachment Image
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)