An iPhone 16 Plus that will not charge, charges very slowly, or stops charging at a certain level has a problem that is nearly always in the cable, the charger or the port, because the phone's charging circuit is robust. The 16 Plus has a USB-C port, supports MagSafe and Qi wireless charging and has a large battery, so a low charge level that does not rise has a cause you can find step by step. A phone that charges but not past a point, or that shows a warning, is often managing the battery on purpose.
Start with the cable and the charger. Use an Apple cable or a good-quality USB-C cable that supports charging, and a 20 watt or higher USB-C power adapter; a computer's USB port or a very low-power charger will charge slowly.
The checks in more detail
Try a different cable and a different wall socket. Check the charging indicator: on the lock screen a lightning symbol should appear, and the Battery settings should show it charging. If a message says that the accessory is not supported, the cable or the charger is at fault. Then the port. Lint, pocket dust and debris collect in the USB-C port and stop the cable seating fully; with the phone off, use a wooden or plastic toothpick to gently scrape the lint out, never metal, and use a flashlight to look. If the phone will not respond, a force restart is done by tapping volume up, tapping volume down and then keeping the side button pressed until the Apple logo returns.
Update iOS, because charging bugs are fixed in updates. Check Settings, Battery, Charging, since Optimized Battery Charging may hold the charge at 80 percent until you usually unplug, and a warm phone stops charging to cool down; move it out of the sun and take off a thick case. Try wireless charging with a MagSafe charger to test the battery. If the phone will not charge by any method, it may need service, and Apple Support can check the battery and the port. Back up first. A few details are particular to the 16 Plus.
Its large battery takes a long time to fill from empty, so a phone left on a weak charger overnight may still show a half-full battery in the morning, which is slow charging and not a failure.
The Camera Control button and the side button make a force restart easy to do by accident in a bag, so check that the phone has not been restarting. If you use a case that has a magnetic ring, lift it off before testing wireless charging, because a thick or metal-lined case blocks the MagSafe coil, and check that a car mount's magnet is not holding the phone away from the pad. When you can see Battery Health in Settings, a maximum capacity far below what a phone of this age should show is worth taking to Apple.
Differential
Likely causes of “Apple iPhone 16 Plus will not charge or charges slowly”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
A worn or low-quality cable or charger
What separates it The phone charges slowly or not at all
How to confirm Swap in an Apple USB-C cable and a 20 watt or faster adapter
- 2
Lint in the USB-C port
What separates it The cable does not seat fully
How to confirm Clean the port with a wooden toothpick
- 3
Optimized Battery Charging or heat
What separates it Charging pauses at 80 percent or stops when warm
How to confirm Wait, cool the phone and check the setting
- 4
A software glitch
What separates it The phone is unresponsive
How to confirm Force restart and update iOS
- 5
A battery or port fault
What separates it Nothing charges by any method
How to confirm Apple service
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- Which cable and charger are used
- Whether the lightning symbol shows
- Whether lint is in the port
- Whether the phone is warm
Try in this order
0 of 6 completedTry another cable
ReversibleAnd charger.
Clean the port
ReversibleGently with wood.
Force restart
ReversibleVolume up, down, side button.
Update iOS
ReversibleSettings, General.
Check Battery Health
ReversibleAnd the charging setting.
Contact Apple
ReversibleIf nothing charges.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- USB-C
- The cable and adapter set the speed.
- The port
- Lint stops the cable seating.
- Optimized charging
- It holds the charge to protect the battery.
- Heat
- A hot phone stops charging.
- Force restart
- It clears a glitch.
- Apple help
- Quote the serial number.
- Charging time
- The large battery needs a good charger; an overnight charge on a weak adapter can still leave it part full.
- Cases and mounts
- A magnetic car mount or a metal plate can hold the phone off the charging pad.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !Do not use damaged cables or chargers
- !Do not use metal to clean the port
- !Contact Apple if the phone swells or gets very hot
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Exact questions
Common questions
Why will my iPhone 16 Plus not charge?+
Usually the cable, the charger or lint in the port.
What charger should I use?+
A 20 watt or higher USB-C adapter.
Why does it stop at 80 percent?+
Optimized Battery Charging.
Can heat stop charging?+
Yes, the phone pauses to cool.
How do I force restart?+
Volume up, volume down, hold the side button.
How long does a 16 Plus take to charge?+
Roughly two hours from empty on a good 20 watt or faster USB-C charger, longer on a weaker one.
Can a case stop wireless charging?+
Yes, a thick or metal-lined case blocks the MagSafe coil.