When Apple released the Series 7 in the fall of 2021, it was the first time it gave an Apple Watch the ability to fast charge. Specifically, it can charge 33-percent faster than any previous Apple Watch. You can charge its battery from 0-to-80-percent in just 45 minutes.
Since then, most new Apple Watches support fast charging of some sort, thanks to new charging architecture built into each watch, and the capabilities of the new charging cable-and-puck ($29) that comes with them. But you'll also need a specific type of wall adapter to make the magic happen.
Here's what you need to know to get charging, fast.
Which Apple Watches support fast charging?
There are only three Apple Watches that support faster charging: the Series 7, Series 8 and Ultra. The second-generation SE does not support faster charging.
Also, if the Apple Watch puck you're using was released before the Series 7, it will not have the proper architecture to support fast charging no matter the watch you pair it with. This means that in the above photo, Apple’s MagSafe Duo is not fast-charging the Apple Watch.
Can the Ultra charge as fast as the Series 7 and Series 8?
Not in percentage terms.
The Ultra supports the same fast charging ability as the Series 7 and Series 8, but it takes a little longer to charge because it has a bigger battery. Apple claims that it can charge up to 80 percent in one hour or to 100 percent in 90 minutes.
Will my old charging puck fast charge my new Apple Watch?
No.
You need the new USB-C charging cable that comes with the Apple Watch Series 7. You can also buy this USB-C charging cable-and-puck ($29) separately from Apple. The last option is to buy a recently-released charger that has been optimized to fast charge the Series 7, but there really aren't many of those yet.
Which power adapters will fast charge my Apple Watch?
Apple makes a bunch, like this one. There are a lot of third-party options as well. The bottom line is that it needs to be a USB-C power adapter that supports Power Delivery (PD) of 5 watts or more.
In the past three-odd years, Apple has stopped shipping many of its products (including iPhones, Apple Watches and AirPods) with the required wall adapter to charge them; ostensibly to help fight climate change. This has sparked a thriving ecosystem of manufacturers of third-party USB-C chargers.
Here are some of our favorites:
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Anker PowerPort Atom PD Read More
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But my old charging puck will still charge my new Apple Watch, right?
Yes.
Your old Apple Watch puck will still charge the Series 7, Series 8 and Ultra and it'll charge it at the same speed that it's able to charge the Series 6, which is 33 percent slower than what the new models are capable of.
Will third-party 3-in-1 chargers fast charge my new Apple Watch?
Depends.
If your 3-in-1 charger was released before the Series 7 was released (September 2021), then it will most likely not support the fast charging speeds for the smartwatch. The reason is that most of these 2-in-1 or 3-in-1 charging systems only deliver 5 watts of power to the Apple Watch puck, which is not enough.
However, many third-party manufacturers have released new — or upgraded — versions of existing wireless chargers to take advantage of the new charging speeds. For example, Belkin has released a couple of new-and-improved wireless chargers, like Boost Up Charge Pro 3-in-1, which can output 40 watts of power and simultaneously charge your iPhone 13, Apple Watch and AirPods at their fastest possible charging speeds.
Will Apple's MagSafe Duo charge my new Apple Watch at its fastest speed?
No.
The MagSafe Duo ($129) is Apple's innovative and foldable wireless charger for the iPhone (12 or later) and Apple Watch. However, its Apple Watch charging puck only is able to deliver 5-watts of power, which is not enough to fast charge the newest Apple Watches. Apple is likely going to have to come out with an updated MagSafe Duo to support these fast charging speeds, but it's not here yet.
In fact, at the time of writing this, many of the Apple Watch chargers that Apple sells don't support the new fast charging capabilities.
What is Optimized Battery Charging?
Your Apple Watch has a feature called "Optimized Battery Charging" that's designed to protect its long-term battery health. When turned on — and it's on by default — Optimized Battery Charging allows your Apple Watch to learn your habits and only charge to 100-percent right before you take it off its charger. The reason for this is that the less time your Apple Watch spends fully charged, the better it is for its general battery health.
When turned on, you can manually charge your Apple Watch to 100-percent whenever you want. All you have to do is tap your Apple Watch's display when it is charging, tap the circle with the green or yellow charging icon, and select "Charge to Full Now."
You can also turn off Optimized Battery Charging if you don't like it. Here's how.
- Open the Settings app on your Apple Watch.
- Scroll down and select Battery.
- Select Battery Health.
- Turn off Optimized Battery Charging.
Your Apple Watch has to be running watchOS 7 or later to support Optimized Battery Charging.
