After updating your iPhone to iOS 26, you might have noticed that whenever you charge your iPhone, you get a Slow Charger message on the lock screen. The message is displayed right above the clock, along with the percentage your iPhone has already charged.
So why does your iPhone show you this warning? Does it harm your iPhone in any way, and how can you fix it? We will answer all these questions in this article.
Why iPhone show Slow Charger message
iOS 26 displays a Slow Charger message on the lock screen when you use an underpowered charging brick, cable, or wireless charger.
While your iPhone still charges with the underpowered charging brick or cable, it will take much longer to finish charging and reach the 80% or 100% charge, depending on the charging limit you have set in Settings.
Similarly, most older wireless chargers, which feature the first-generation Qi technology, can only charge your iPhone up to 7.5watts instead of 25watts supported by newer iPhones that support Qi2 wireless charging. This significantly slows down charging and makes the iPhone show you the Slow charging warning.
The Solution
You can easily fix this issue by using a faster wireless charger or a charging brick with higher output capacity.
For wireless chargers, make sure you use Qi2-enabled wireless chargers or opt for official MagSafe accessories that take advantage of faster charging and will charge your iPhone at 25watts speeds.
Similarly to charging an iPhone faster and getting rid of the slow charger warning, get a USB-C PD Charger and a PD USB-C cable.
Remember, if your wired charger has multiple ports or if you’re charging through a computer or USB hub with other devices connected, the maximum power output may be reduced. This happens because the total power is shared among all connected devices and can vary depending on system conditions.
Additionally, USB ports on hubs or in cars may provide slower charging speeds compared to a dedicated USB-C power adapter.
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Other things you should keep in mind are:
Your iPhone slows down charging to 7.5W even with a powerful charger when you connect an accessory like wired headphones to your device. So, for faster wireless charging, you should remove wired accessories from your device.
If you’re using an accessory with power pass-through — such as a USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter — some of the power may be reserved for its own ports, which can reduce the amount of power delivered to your iPhone.
When charging your device, avoid playing graphic-intensive games and camera apps, as this will slow down charging speed.
Streaming videos at full screen brightness will also cause your iPhone’s charging to slow down.
Hot room temperature may also make the iPhone put charging on hold until its temperature comes to normal.
While getting a faster charger will improve charging speeds and save you time, charging your iPhone with a slow charger that prompts it to show a Slow Charger warning does not cause any harm to your device, and you don’t need to immediately change your charger.
