iPhone battery capacity: how it is given and where to find each model

Why there is no official mAh number for an iPhone

Android makers print a mAh figure on the box and the spec sheet. Apple does not. It tells you how many hours of video or audio the phone plays, and the cell size appears in watt hours in its battery and safety documents. That is why one site says an iPhone has one figure and another site gives a slightly different one.

The numbers in circulation come from two places. One is the paperwork filed with regulators when a phone goes on sale in a country. The other is a teardown, where a technician opens the phone and reads the label on the cell. Both usually agree within a small gap, but neither is a statement from Apple. When you see a mAh value for an iPhone on any page, read it as a close guide.

Apple's own video playback hours are a better daily guide, because they already reflect the chip, screen and software.

Watt hours and mAh: turning one into the other

A mAh figure only makes sense together with the voltage of the cell. Watt hours already include both. For an iPhone cell, watt hours are mAh times voltage divided by a thousand. A cell of 3000 mAh at 3.85 V stores about 11.6 Wh.

To go back, divide watt hours by the voltage and then multiply by 1000. Because Apple lists watt hours and filings list mAh, the two will not match to the last digit when you convert. A small gap does not mean one of them is wrong.

iPhone battery capacity list: what the main models show

The table gives the widely quoted teardown and filing figures for a few base models. It is a reference list, not an Apple statement, and the Plus, Pro and mini versions differ from these. Use the model pages for the full story on each phone.

The step from one generation to the next looks small on paper. Actual iPhone hours shift with the chip, the display and the iOS version, so a bigger mAh number does not always mean a longer day.

iPhone X battery capacity and other older models

People still search for the iPhone X battery capacity because many of these phones are in use. The figure in circulation is about 2716 mAh, from filings and teardowns. It is the smallest number in the list above, and a phone of this age has usually lost a good part of it.

With an older iPhone, the Maximum Capacity percentage matters more than the original size. A cell that began at 2716 mAh and now reports a low percentage can only deliver a fraction of that. For such a phone, a fresh battery from a proper service route gives more benefit than any setting change.

Only the models in the table further down have their own pages here. For another older model, read the model name in About and use the Maximum Capacity figure as your guide.

iPhone Air battery capacity and the slim models

The iPhone Air is built thin, so its cell is smaller than that of a regular Pro Max. Apple gives its use in hours of playback. A mAh value for it comes only from filings and teardowns, if at all. This site has no separate page for it yet, so treat any figure you see as unconfirmed until it matches Apple's own watt hour value.

A thin phone does not mean a bad battery. Even so, heavy gaming, a weak signal or a bright screen will empty a slim phone faster than light use, so check Apple's playback hours and your own habits before judging it.

Maximum Capacity: what the percentage tells you

Maximum Capacity compares your battery now with the same battery when new. A reading of 100 percent means little wear. Each iPhone model has its own cycle target, by which Apple wants up to 80 percent of first day capacity still there. The details are on Apple's own battery and performance page.

The percentage is a software estimate. It can move a little after a full charge and discharge, so look at it over time and not on a single day. For a wider test routine, see our full battery test routine.

Pages for each iPhone model

Each page below deals with one phone. This hub does not repeat their detail, so pick the one that matches the name in About.

Pick the exact version. A Pro Max cell is much larger than a base model cell, and a mini is smaller, so never carry one phone's figure over to another.

Replacing an iPhone battery the right way

Every iPhone cell is glued in behind the screen or back glass, so home tools are the wrong approach. Apple lists its service options on its iPhone repair page. A well-reviewed local technician is the other route. Ask what part is used and whether the phone will keep showing the battery health page after the change.

Poor copy cells exist for iPhones too. Spot them by a printed capacity far above the original, a pack that feels light, blurred print and a missing health reading after fitting. Where the screen has a warning about an unknown part, the pack was probably not a proper one.

Choosing a repair route is covered in our replacement notes.

Making the battery last longer

Heat harms iPhone cells most, so keep yours out of hot cars and off the bed while charging. Staying at 100 percent for hours adds wear, and the optimised charging option in the battery settings helps by holding the charge back for a while. Use a certified cable, and replace one that is frayed at the plug.

If the drain is sudden and not an age issue, check which apps use the most power and how the signal is. The fast battery drain guide goes through the common causes. Our cell code guide explains the method for every phone.