Yes, airplane mode makes your phone charge faster — but it’s not worth it
Enabling airplane mode while charging can make a phone charge slightly faster because it stops cellular, Wi‑Fi and Bluetooth activity from using power. However, the article argues that the benefit is usually too small to justify losing normal connectivity and notifications, except in an urgent situation where every minute matters.
Tests cited in the article suggest savings of only four to 11 minutes, across older and newer phones. It recommends instead using a charger and cable rated for the handset’s maximum supported speed, choosing Qi2 for compatible wireless charging, and using reputable USB-C-to-USB-C cables where appropriate; some recent Samsung and Apple phones do not include a suitable power adapter.
- Airplane mode saves only a few charging minutes.
- Better chargers and cables offer more meaningful gains.
- Use airplane mode only when speed is urgently needed.