Everyone wants to know how long it will take to charge their new iPad and whether there is anything that can be done to increase the pace. Slow charging devices can restrict your movement and even result in missed opportunities when you are not in a position to estimate the remaining battery life.
Every iPad is a unique experience, and the charging duration is a factor of many dynamics, including the speed of the charger and the iPad model. Consider the hours and minutes we state throughout this article as estimates and guidelines.
We will break down the variables and illustrate how they influence the charging process so that you can proactively optimize your own experience.
How Long Does it Take an iPad to Charge?
You can use three official iPad chargers: normal chargers, 20W fast chargers, and 30W super-fast chargers.
Every Apple iPad has its own normal charger. The package comes with a USB power adaptor, a USB-C charging cable, or a lightning to USB-C cable for the older generation models. Below are the expected charging durations for different iPad models using their standard iPad chargers.
How long does it take an iPad to Charge with a 12W Power Adapter?
| Device | Duration |
| iPad Pro 12.9 | 4 hours 20 minutes |
| iPad Pro 11 | 4 hours |
| iPad Air 5 | 3 hours 50 minutes |
| iPad Mini 6 | 2 hours 30 minutes |
| iPad 10.2 9th Gen | 3 hours 45 minutes |
How long does it take an iPad to charge with a 20W Power Adapter?
| Device | Duration |
| iPad Pro 12.9 | 3 hours |
| iPad Pro 11 | 3 hours |
| iPad Air 5 | 2 hours 40 minutes |
| iPad Mini 6 | 1 hour 20 minutes |
| iPad 10.2 9th Gen | 2 hours 45 minutes |
How long does it take an iPad to charge with 30W Power Adapter?
| Device | Duration |
| iPad Pro 12.9 | 2 hours 30 minutes |
| iPad Pro 11 | 2 hours 20 minutes |
| iPad Air 5 | ~ 2 hours |
| iPad Mini 6 | 2 hours |
| iPad 10.2 9th Gen | couldn’t test |
The 20W fast charger reduces this period to two hours and thirty minutes for all the iPad models except the iPad Mini, which goes down to two hours.
The 30W fast charger reduces the charging duration to two hours but is not compatible with all iPad Models.
What Affects an iPad’s Charging Cycle?
There will still be inconsistencies in charging periods from one Apple device to another within these categories. This can be attributed to a number of variables.
The iPad Battery
All Apple iPads currently come with a rechargeable lithium-ion battery. The battery optimizes the performance of your device because it is designed for efficiency. It is lighter than the older lithium battery, the lithium polymer. It lasts longer and has a higher power density, enabling an extended charge cycle.
Battery Capacity
Devices like the new iPad Pro with a 12.9-inch screen have more features relying on the power resource, so their batteries will have a higher capacity by design than an iPad Mini. It takes proportionately longer to charge this iPad Pro tablet.
Battery Usage
Battery usage refers to the number of applications that rely on the power as the iPad charges. It takes longer to charge the battery when using the iPad or syncing. If your Apple Pencil is also getting charged by your iPad at the same time, the charging period will be extended.
You can turn on low power mode to limit background activity during charging so that it goes faster.
Battery Health
The battery’s condition also affects battery life and how fast you can get it to charge. Battery performance deteriorates as the iPad ages, forcing you to increase the charging input for the same results. You should start contemplating battery replacement options to fix the iPad if you are constantly struggling to get it to fully charge.
Choosing the Right Charging Accessories
The Charger – Normal vs Fast Charging
A fast charger enhances charging speed. It is the power output source, so it determines the amount of voltage and current being transmitted to the iPad. The voltage pushes the current from the source to the iPad and provides the momentum with which it travels. The current—measured in Amperes—is the volume of electricity being pushed to the iPad.
The charger’s power output—measured in watts—is a factor of the voltage and the current. By capping the maximum output, the charger also determines the charging speed of your iPad. The higher the output, the faster the iPad charges.
To put this into perspective, a 5V/3A charger will deliver 15W maximum power, while a 3V/6A charger will deliver 18W. An iPad charging at 18W should charge faster and more efficiently than one charging at 15W.
The iPad Air and iPad Pro models, compatible with the 30W USB-C charger, charge much faster than the standard charger. They will charge up to 50% in 45 minutes; this will take an hour with the standard charger.
The Charging Cable
The charging cable is the conduit through which the current travels to the iPad’s battery as it charges, which also impacts the charging speed. The length, gauge (thickness), and quality of the cable’s internal wires influence the amount of resistance the current faces as it makes its way to the battery.
The higher the resistance, the less efficient the process is and the longer it will take to charge the iPad. More energy will also be lost as heat to the surrounding environment.
A short cable with thick wires requires less energy to transmit, gets the power to the battery faster, and does it with minimal loss. All other factors remain constant. It charges faster than a long cable with lower gauge wires.
The quality of the cable also has a bearing on the resistance and the resultant charging speed. Power conductivity performance relies on the type of core wires that make up the cable. Good quality cable has an abundance of copper-core wires for enhanced conductivity. A sturdy nylon cable charger will also outlast a plastic cable charger.
The new iPad Air, iPad Mini and iPad Pro models use USB-C to USB-C cables. The older models of the iPad, iPad Air and iPad Mini, on the other hand, use USB-C to lightning cables.
You can also charge your iPad using another iPad or PC via the USB-C charger, which is much slower than a power delivery charger. This connection can be used for other purposes besides charging; you can transfer files between the devices or make the iPad a secondary display for your Mac.
You should also ensure the cable you use with a fast charger supports fast charging. Most USB cables currently available in the market support fast charging, but you shouldn’t take it for granted as the new cable you buy might be an older version.
Caring for the Charging Port
You should inspect the charging port regularly as debris gets lodged in there as you charge the phone. Such obstructions could be the reason behind a slow charging iPad.
In Summary
The fastest charging speed attainable is a factor of variables like the type and quality of charging accessories, their compatibility with each other and with the iPad, the capacity and state of the battery, and the iPad itself. The charging duration will also be affected by the level of engagement of the iPad’s resources during the charging process.
The charger, cable and iPad should be compatible and supportive of your fast charging protocol for optimal fast charging. The iPad’s resources should also be at their least possible engagement during charging.
Where To Next?
This blog is a blog dedicated to using modern computing devices to run and manage a business. If you’re interested in using an iPad for your business, either as an entrepreneur, a small business owner or for your employees to use I recommend reading the following articles:
