Aamir Siddiqui / Android Authority
TL;DR
- A Reddit user has created an iOS shortcut that displays a crudely calculated estimated charging time for iPhones.
- The shortcut uses a simple calculation based on the current battery level. While not perfect, it offers a glanceable workaround since iOS lacks this feature natively.
- Android phones like the Google Pixel lineup display estimated charging times right on the lock screen.
Android and iOS have largely reached maturity, so both operating systems turn to each other for inspiration on what to do next. Apple looked at Android for home screen customization features that arrived in iOS 18, and Google looked at iOS for the Live Updates feature arriving with Android 16. Surprisingly, iPhone users are still missing one feature Android phones have had for a while: the time their phone will take for a full charge. It’s annoying that this is still missing from iPhones, so a user built their own rudimentary solution with the Shortcuts app.
Reddit user AlxR25 built a basic “estimated charging time” notification for iPhones using the Shortcuts app. This shortcut essentially subtracts the current battery level from 100, divides the result by 1.5, rounds it up, and displays the value as the number of minutes needed for a full charge.
Aamir Siddiqui / Android Authority
With the shortcut created, the user has also set an automation that runs the shortcut every time you connect your iPhone with a charger, so you get an estimated charging time right when you plug in.
How did the user arrive at the “1.5” number for division? In the comments, the user mentions that they noticed that their iPhone 15 charges 1% every 1.2 minutes with Apple’s 20W charger in the 0-50% range and 1% every 1.8 minutes in the 50-100% range, so the user settled on the middle 1.5 as their number.
Yes, this is pretty unscientific, rudimentary, and consequently incorrect. The battery charging time estimate has variables like the user’s phone, charger, ambient temperature, the iPhone’s temperature at the time of charge, any applicable battery limits, the battery’s health, and any adaptive charging features that may be active. All of these affect the time it would take for the iPhone to charge, so a static number doesn’t do justice.
The time taken for the last 10% also differs from ranges like 70-80% and 80-90%, as the charging keeps slowing down the closer you are to 100%. So, how many more minutes will the iPhone actually take to charge? It’s tough to nail it down as a user!
That being said, the fact that iOS still doesn’t have a reliable charging time estimate is mind-boggling. This feature has been around on Android skins for a while — my Pixel 9 Pro XL gives me a good estimate of when I can expect a fully charged phone right on the lock screen.
If the Android phone doesn’t have a charging time estimate, it will at least give you an indication of whether your phone is fast charging or slow charging on the lock screen. iPhones don’t even do that, and you have to go into Settings > Battery to know if you are fast charging or slow charging.
Aamir Siddiqui / Android Authority
This is the only charging information that iPhones present to you, and you have to dig into Settings to find this page.
There’s also no “charging full” notification on iPhones. I’ve resorted to creating my own Shortcuts notification that buzzes my Apple Watch when my iPhone 16 Pro reaches 100% charging.
All in all, there’s plenty of room for iOS to improve its ability to tell users their charging status, and I hope they look at Android for inspiration. Until then, you can use this shortcut for a rough estimate.
