The right USB-C charger for an iPhone now depends on which iPhone. For years the answer was any 20W USB-C charger. Wirecutter's phone charger guide, last updated August 11, 2025, says there is no reason to buy more than 30W per port for a phone. Apple has since raised its own numbers twice. Its fast-charge page, published September 18, 2026, asks for 40W on iPhone 17 models and for a 60W-capable adapter with Adjustable Voltage Supply, or AVS, on iPhone 18 Pro models.
Here is what Apple asks for, model by model, and four chargers matched to it:
- Apple 20W USB-C Power Adapter for iPhone 16 and earlier, iPhone 17e and iPhone Air.
- Anker Nano Charger (30W) if you want something smaller with folding pins, or you use a MagSafe Charger.
- Apple 40W Dynamic Power Adapter with 60W Max for the fastest wired charging on iPhone 17 and iPhone 18 Pro models.
- UGREEN Nexode Pro 160W 5-Port for a desk that charges a laptop and phones at once, with an independent AVS test on an iPhone 18 Pro Max.
This guide is AI-generated from Apple, Anker and UGREEN documentation, measurements published by ChargerLAB and Wirecutter's guide. GearExplained did not test these chargers. The product cards at the end link to Amazon, and GearExplained may earn a commission. That does not decide which chargers appear here.
What your iPhone asks for
Apple's figures are for a wired charge from empty to 50%. Apple says charge time varies with the adapter, settings, usage and environmental factors, and that fast charging might not work when the phone is too hot or too cold.
| iPhone | Adapter Apple names | Apple's figure | Cable |
|---|---|---|---|
| iPhone 18 Pro, 18 Pro Max | Apple 40W Dynamic Power Adapter with 60W Max, or a 60W-capable adapter with AVS and USB-PD 3.2 | 50% in about 15 minutes | The USB-C cable in the box, or one rated for 60W or more |
| iPhone 17, 17 Pro, 17 Pro Max | 40W or higher | 50% in about 20 minutes | USB-C |
| iPhone 17e, iPhone Air | 20W or higher | 50% in about 30 minutes | USB-C |
| iPhone 15 and 16 models | Apple 18W or greater USB-C adapter, or a third-party USB-PD adapter | Not stated per model on that page | USB-C |
| Earlier iPhones with Lightning | Apple 18W or greater USB-C adapter, or a third-party USB-PD adapter | Not stated per model on that page | USB-C to Lightning |
Source: Apple, Fast charge your iPhone and the iPhone User Guide's power adapters page, checked October 19, 2026.
A few things in that table are easy to miss.
AVS is a separate feature from wattage. ChargerLAB explains that USB Power Delivery 3.2, released in October 2024, added Adjustable Voltage Supply, which lets a device set the charging voltage between 9V and 20V in 100mV steps. A 65W or 100W charger without AVS does not meet Apple's requirement for the 15-minute figure, even though it has more watts. Check the spec sheet: neither the Anker nor the UGREEN product page below mentions AVS. Apple's own wording is not consistent either: the requirement names USB-PD 3.2, while the testing note on the same page says USB PD 3.1 or better with AVS.
On the iPhone 17 Pro Max, ordinary PD chargers matched Apple's. ChargerLAB tested an iPhone 17 Pro Max with more than 100 third-party chargers and found that they negotiated Power Delivery at 15V or 9V and mostly delivered between 18W and 36W. Apple's 40W adapter gave 36.42W, a Samsung 45W charger 37.73W and Apple's 20W adapter 18.85W. ChargerLAB concluded that you can pair it with any PD charger of 40W or more.
Apple disagrees with itself on the iPhone Air. The fast-charge page says a 20W adapter gets it to 50% in about 30 minutes. The iPhone User Guide says fast charging the iPhone Air needs an adapter of at least 40 watts. Apple's 40W adapter page gives the Air the same 30-minute figure. If you own an Air, a 40W charger will not hurt, but by Apple's own figures it does not make the Air faster than a 20W one.
MagSafe has its own numbers. For iPhone 16, iPhone 17 and iPhone Air, Apple asks for a 30W or greater USB-C adapter behind a MagSafe Charger. For iPhone 18 Pro models it asks for 35W or higher for 50% in about 30 minutes. For iPhone 15 and earlier, Apple says MagSafe fast charges at up to 15W with a 20W or greater adapter.
| Charger | Ports | Most power | AVS | Best match |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apple 20W USB-C Power Adapter | 1 USB-C | 20W | Not listed | iPhone 16 and earlier, iPhone 17e, iPhone Air |
| Anker Nano Charger (30W), A2147 | 1 USB-C | 30W | Not listed; PPS listed | Same phones, plus a MagSafe Charger on iPhone 16, 17 or Air |
| Apple 40W Dynamic Power Adapter with 60W Max | 1 USB-C | 40W sustained, 60W peak | Yes, per Apple | iPhone 17 models and iPhone 18 Pro models |
| UGREEN Nexode Pro 160W 5-Port | 4 USB-C, 1 USB-A | 160W total, 140W from one port | Not listed by UGREEN; ChargerLAB found the 18V 3A AVS profile | A desk shared by a laptop and phones |
1. Apple 20W USB-C Power Adapter: enough for most iPhones
If your iPhone is a 16 or older, an iPhone 17e or an iPhone Air, the 20W adapter is the charger Apple's own fast-charge figures are built on. Apple's testing notes use this model, A2305, for every iPhone from the iPhone 12 through the iPhone 16 and for the iPhone 17e. Its store page says it brings iPhone 8 and later to 50% in about 35 minutes. Apple's fast-charge page gives the iPhone 17e and iPhone Air 50% in about 30 minutes on a 20W adapter.
It still charges an iPhone 17 or 18 Pro, just not at the speed Apple advertises for those phones. ChargerLAB measured 18.85W into an iPhone 17 Pro Max from it, about half of what Apple's 40W adapter delivered.
It has one USB-C port, and the cable is sold separately. If your iPhone has Lightning, you need a USB-C to Lightning cable. Wirecutter lists it among chargers as powerful as its top pick but bulkier.
2. Anker Nano Charger (30W): smaller, with folding pins
Wirecutter's top pick, Anker's 20W PowerPort III Nano, has non-folding prongs. Wirecutter suggests the Anker Nano Charger (30W), model A2147, as an alternative with a fold-up plug and a two-year warranty. Anker's support article confirms that the US A2147 has folding pins and the two 20W Nano models it describes, A2633 and A2637, do not.
Anker lists 1.12 by 1.12 by 1.39 inches and USB-C output of 5V 3A, 9V 3A, 15V 2A and 20V 1.5A, plus PPS ranges. It does not list AVS.
Thirty watts is the number Apple asks for behind a MagSafe Charger on iPhone 16, iPhone 17 and iPhone Air, which a 20W adapter does not meet. For a cable charge it covers the same phones as the Apple 20W. It falls short of the 40W Apple asks for to charge an iPhone 17 to 50% in about 20 minutes, and Apple gives no figure for a 30W charger on that phone.
3. Apple 40W Dynamic Power Adapter with 60W Max: for iPhone 17 and iPhone 18 Pro
This is the adapter Apple names for every one of its fastest wired figures. Apple's store page says it can deliver up to 60W and features Adjustable Voltage Supply. It lists 50% in about 15 minutes on iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max, about 20 minutes on iPhone Duo and on iPhone 17, 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max, and 30 minutes on iPhone Air. The iPhone User Guide gives AVS from 15 to 20V at 2A and from 9 to 15V at 2.67A, each with 3A DPS, plus fixed 9V 3A and 5V 3A, with 40W sustained and 60W maximum, as its recommended specification for third-party adapters on iPhone 17 models and the iPhone Air. The label in Apple's product image and ChargerLAB's listing of this adapter's specifications show the same output profiles. Apple's product images show prongs that fold into the body.
The measurements back it up. On an iPhone 17 Pro Max, ChargerLAB recorded 36.42W, the highest of Apple's own chargers in its test. On the iPhone 18 Pro Max, ChargerLAB's charging review found that PD 3.2 AVS chargers unlock a new 18V mode and push the phone past 50W. Its iPhone 18 Pro review reports about 40W and 50% in 15 minutes with the right charger. Neither text summary says which charger produced those figures.
It has one port, and the cable is sold separately. For an iPhone 18 Pro, Apple wants a USB-C cable rated for 60W or more, like the one in the box. One part-number note: Apple's US listing is MGKN4AM/A, and the label in Apple's US product image reads Model A3351, the model in Apple's testing notes. ChargerLAB's coverage lists the model as A3365.
4. UGREEN Nexode Pro 160W 5-Port: a desk charger with a tested AVS profile
If one charger has to feed a laptop, a tablet and an iPhone, the Nexode Pro 160W 5-Port has a published AVS test with an iPhone 18 Pro Max. ChargerLAB tested it with an iPhone 18 Pro Max. It negotiated the 18V 3A AVS profile and delivered nearly 52W. ChargerLAB's write-up does not say which port it used.
UGREEN's US page does not mention AVS. It describes PD fast charging, 160W in total from four USB-C ports and one USB-A port, and up to 140W from C1 or C2 alone. The rotating touch display shows total output, per-port power, the active charging protocol and internal temperature. UGREEN lists a two-year warranty. Its US page does not list dimensions.
Check the model before you buy. UGREEN also sells a 4-port Nexode Pro 160W and a 160W charger with a retractable cable. ChargerLAB tested the 5-port model. UGREEN's US SKU for it is 65636.
Which USB-C charger to buy for an iPhone
If you have an iPhone 16 or older, an iPhone 17e or an iPhone Air, buy the Apple 20W adapter. Get the Anker Nano 30W instead if you want folding pins or you charge on a MagSafe Charger with an iPhone 16, 17 or Air.
If you have an iPhone 17, 17 Pro or 17 Pro Max, buy a charger of 40W or more. Apple's 40W Dynamic adapter is the one Apple tested, and ChargerLAB measured about the same charging power from other PD chargers of that size.
If you have an iPhone 18 Pro or 18 Pro Max and want Apple's 15-minute figure, buy Apple's 40W Dynamic adapter, or a third-party charger that a test or its maker confirms supports AVS. The UGREEN Nexode Pro 160W 5-Port is one ChargerLAB has tested. Use the cable from the box or another rated for 60W.
Sources
- Apple, Fast charge your iPhone, Power adapters for iPhone, About Apple USB power adapters, and store pages for the 40W Dynamic Power Adapter with 60W Max and 20W USB-C Power Adapter
- ChargerLAB, iPhone 17 Pro Max compatibility test, iPhone 17 series and the 40W adapter, iPhone 18 Pro Max charging review, iPhone 18 Pro charging review and UGREEN Nexode Pro 160W AVS test
- Wirecutter, The Best USB Phone Charger
- Anker, Anker Nano Charger (30W) and its Nano 511 model guide
- UGREEN, Nexode Pro 160W 5-Port USB-C Charger
All sources were checked on October 19, 2026.
