Apple iPhone 15 family troubleshooting

Published specification

What is true of this model and changes how you fix it

• The switch to USB-C
  Apple moved the standard iPhone to USB-C with this model in September 2023, retiring a connector it had used since 2012. It brought the Dynamic Island down from the Pro line and a 48 megapixel main camera, and its A16 chip had been Apple's top phone chip a year earlier. Everything about its day-to-day use follows from those choices, especially cables and chargers.
• What owners run into
  Because the port changed, the commonest complaints are about charging: a cable from an old Lightning accessory that no longer fits, a cheap USB-C cable that charges slowly, or pocket lint packed into the port. The phone also warms noticeably while it restores a backup or indexes photos in its first days.
• How to approach a fault
  Start with the cheapest checks. Restart the phone, install any pending iOS update, and test with a different cable and charger before concluding that the battery or port is at fault. Back up to iCloud or a computer before a reset, because a restore wipes the phone.
• Finding your exact model
  Open Settings, General, About and read the Model Name and the model number beginning with A. The iPhone 15 is A3090 in the United States, and the number matters when you buy a case, a screen protector or a replacement battery, because the iPhone 15 and the 15 Pro have different sizes of camera plateau and button layout.
• Buying or selling second-hand
  Before you buy a used iPhone 15, check Battery Health in Settings, Battery, and look for a phone that has been repaired with non-genuine parts, which Apple's Settings, General, About page flags for the battery and screen. Before you sell, sign out of your Apple Account, turn off Find My and erase the phone, otherwise Activation Lock leaves the next owner with a locked phone.
• Cables, chargers and accessories
  Because the phone uses USB-C, the cable that charges your laptop or a recent Android phone works with it, but the charging speed depends on the charger. A 20 watt USB-C adapter is a sensible match, and a cable rated only for charging will not transfer files quickly. Wireless charging works with MagSafe and Qi, and a case thicker than a few millimetres can weaken it.

Manufacturer support for this product line. Apple Support — Apple product support. Official Apple model, operating-system, repair, connection and settings guidance.

Also read for this model. Apple Support — Apple Support.