The iPad is notorious for its battery life. In fact, you can easily get 6+ of screen time on the device with ease. iPads’ battery life is great: no one is arguing about that, but I want to discuss another thing – how long does it take to charge an iPad? Or what’s the average iPad charging time? So, I decided to do a little test and find the answer for myself.
It takes about 3 hours to charge an iPad if you use the highest-rated 20W charger out of the box. However, if you utilize fast charging, you can charge some iPads that support it in under 2 hours.
In this article, we’re going to go over all the different chargers that come out of the box with an iPad and test the overall charging times for each particular model!
How Long It Takes To Charge iPad? (Classic iPad, iPad Mini, iPad Air, iPad Pro)
Let’s compare how long it takes for our iPads to go from 0 to 100 with each of these chargers. Since our iPad Pro supports fast charging, we utilized the added speed from the 30W USB-C adapter as well.
Related: Why iPad Battery Started To Drain Fast(17 Fixes)
| iPad Model | 10W USB Power Adapter | 12W USB Power Adapter | 18W USB-C Power Adapter | 20W USB-C Power Adapter | 30W USB-C Power Adapter (Fast Charging) |
| Classic iPad (2022) | ~4 Hours | 3 Hours 45 Minutes | 3 Hours 20 Minutes | 2 Hours 45 Minutes | N/A |
| iPad Mini (2021) | 2 Hours 50 Minutes | 2 Hours 30 Minutes | 1 Hour 50 Minutes | 1 Hour 20 Minutes | N/A |
| iPad Air (2022) | 4 Hours 10 Minutes | 3 Hours 50 Minutes | 3 Hours 10 Minutes | 2 Hours 40 Minutes | Under 2 Hours |
| iPad Pro (2022) | 5 Hours | 4 Hours 20 Minutes | 3 Hours 35 Minutes | 3 Hours | ~2 Hours 40 Minutes |
Note: This test was performed on an iPad Pro (6th Generation) with Optimized Battery Charging turned Off under room temperature. Your mileage may vary.
If, by any chance, your iPad is charging a lot slower than usual, you might have some problems, but you can resolve them: check the most common reasons why your iPad charges slowly and how to fix it.
All iPad Chargers by Apple
Apple offers a multitude of different chargers with their products. Each charger has a specific wattage that affects your iPad’s charging speed.
For testing purposes, we used our top-of-the-line iPad Pro (6th Generation), the 12.9-inch model. Of course, your charging speed might vary from ours. However, you can use it as a benchmark for all the different models.
10W USB Power Adapter
This adapter is commonly provided with older generations of iPads. It is often confused with the 12W / 30W USB charger due to its similar design. Currently, this charger comes in the box for the following iPads:
- iPad Air 2
- iPad Air
- iPad mini 4
- iPad mini 3
- iPad mini 2
- iPad 2
12W USB Power Adapter
The 12W USB power adapter is the most commonly found charger in an iPad and spans through multiple generations from the Pro, Air, and to the Mini. However, some countries treat the 12W and 10W as one and the same and therefore, you might find these models shipped with the aforementioned 10W charger instead.
- iPad Pro 12.9-inch (2nd generation)
- iPad Pro 12.9-inch (1st generation)
- iPad Pro (10.5-inch)
- iPad Pro (9.7-inch)*
- iPad Air (3rd generation)*
- iPad mini (5th generation)*
- iPad (7th generation)*
- iPad (6th generation)*
- iPad (5th generation)*
18W USB-C Power Adapter
The 18W charger for the iPad served two purposes, it finally brought down the iPad lineup to charging times lower than 3 hours and also allowed for fast charging on iPhone 8+ models.
Besides that, the charger was the first to introduce a blocky design to the lineup too.
- iPad Pro 12.9 inch (4th generation)
- iPad Pro 12.9 inch (3rd generation)
- iPad Pro 11-inch (2nd generation)
- iPad Pro 11-inch
20W USB-C Power Adapter
The 20W USB-C Power Adapter is the highest-rated charger that comes out of the box with a select few iPads. Later generations of iPhone (12+) can utilize this wattage for extremely quick charging speeds.
- iPad mini (6th generation)
- iPad (9th generation)
- iPad Pro 12.9-inch (5th generation)
- iPad Pro 11-inch (3rd generation)
- iPad (8th generation)
- iPad Air (4th generation)
30W USB-C Power Adapter
Contrary to popular belief, the 30W USB-C Power Adapter allows your iPad to charge the fastest. So, while they don’t come out of the box on any iPad, you can purchase a charger of a similar wattage and enjoy fast charging on later generations of iPad (iPad Pro 4th Gen+).
What’s The Best iPad Charger?
I’ve actually talked about this in my previous article where I list down all of the best fast chargers for iPad. It’s all subjective, but I’m going to recommend my personal favorite charger that I use. It’s UGREEN 65W USB C Charger.
I can already anticipate your question: ‘Ernests, doesn’t the iPad Pro support a maximum of 30W charging? So why recommend a 65W charger?’ You’re absolutely right; iPads can only draw up to 30W, and using a 65W charger won’t speed up your iPad’s charging time.
However, I prefer this charger because it serves a dual purpose for me. Not only can I charge my iPad, but I can also power up my MacBook using the same charger. The great news is that it won’t harm either device – it’s like having a convenient two-in-one charging solution!
- Port type: USB-C
- Power Output: 65 W
- Brand: UGreen
- Compatible with iPad: Yes
- Safety Features: Available
How Long Do I Need To Charge My New iPad?
I often have heard a question – Do I need to charge my iPad before my first use? You don’t. You open the box, you turn it on, and you use it. In most cases, your iPad will be almost fully charged. When I turned my iPad Pro on, it was at 96% battery.
You charge your iPad until it’s at your desired battery level. With 20W USB-C Power Adapter, you will charge your iPad Pro on average for ~3 hours from 0 to 100%.
There’s another misconception when it comes to iPad batteries. For some reason, you have to drain your battery down to 0% before charging it for the first time. It’s not true. It’s an old myth. (It might have been true on older technology) You plug it in whenever you need it, and you charge your battery.
Do not worry about overcharging your iPad. The new technology comes with built-in protection.
There are some common tips from Apple to maximize your iPad’s battery performance:
- Update to the latest software
- Optimize settings (screen brightness, Bluetooth, WiFi)
- Enable low power mode
- View battery usage(you can get valuable insights in there about your device)
FAQ
Do I Need To Turn On Fast Charging On iPad?
No, fast charging cannot be enabled on an iPad. If you have a charger (30W+) that supports fast charging, your iPad will automatically start charging much quicker than usual. If it doesn’t, then your iPad will revert back to its normal speed.
Does iPad Come With A Fast Charger Out Of The Box?
No, the iPad does not come with a fast charger out of the box. You’ll need to purchase a 30W charger separately. However, you can use other high-wattage chargers from third-party brands as well. But, they might significantly affect your battery health.
Do All iPads Support Fast Charging?
No, all iPads do not support fast charging. Only the later generations of iPad (2018+) support fast charging. There is no way for you to find out if your iPad is fast charging other than comparing its charging times manually.
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List of iPads That Have USB-C Port
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I'm a writer and editor in iPads & Android Tablets, Windows Tablet section. I'm passionate about technology, especially about tablets. I'm on a mission to assist people in discovering their ideal tablets. In addition, I'm dedicated to producing helpful how-to guides and sharing top-notch tips and tricks. In my early carrier I founded and became and editor at worldoftablet and have been a guest author at many other tech blogs. In wolfoftablet I'm focusing on iPads, Tablets, Apple Pencil, Apps, Reviews, Buyers Guides and Tablet Accessories. In free time I like to play games on my PS5 or iOS.