USB-C is a universally accepted standard that enables charging, syncing data, and playing audio and video. iPhone 15 models have a USB-C connector, which allows you to charge and connect to a variety of devices, including Mac, iPad, AirPods Pro (2nd generation), external storage devices, and displays.
Charge your iPhone
You can charge your iPhone with a USB-C cable and power adapter compliant with the USB-C standard, including USB Power Delivery — such as the cable that comes with your iPhone. These cables and power adapters are widely available from Apple and other manufacturers.
Connect the cable to the USB-C connector on your iPhone and to a compatible USB-C power adapter. Then plug the power adapter into a wall outlet.
If you have a 20W USB-C power adapter or higher-wattage USB-C power adapter — like the one that came with your Mac laptop — you can use it with your iPhone for faster charging. You can also charge your iPhone by connecting it to the USB-C port on your computer.
Connect your iPhone to your iPad, Mac, and other computers
You can connect your iPhone to your iPad, Mac, and other computers to transfer data, like your photos and videos, using a USB-C cable compliant with the USB-C standard, such as the cable that comes with your iPhone. These cables are widely available from Apple and other manufacturers. Just connect one end of the included USB-C charge cable to the USB-C connector on your iPhone and the other to the USB-C port on your computer.
Your iPhone will charge while connected to these devices. iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max support fast USB 3.2 Gen 2 speeds up to 10Gbit per second when using an optional USB 3 cable.1
Charge other devices with your iPhone 15
You can use your iPhone to charge your AirPods, Apple Watch, or another small device that supports USB Power Delivery at up to 4.5 watts.
If you have another device with a USB-C connector, connect it to your iPhone with a USB-C cable, such as the one included with your iPhone.
To charge a device that has a Lightning connector, connect it to your iPhone using an Apple USB-C to Lightning cable.
Charge your Apple Watch by connecting an Apple Watch Magnetic Fast Charger to USB-C Cable directly to your iPhone. You can also connect a Magnetic Charging Cable to your iPhone with the Apple USB-C to USB Adapter.
Play audio
To play audio on your iPhone, you can use its built-in speakers, connect to AirPods or other Bluetooth devices, or use AirPlay. You can also use the USB-C connector to listen with wired headphones or other audio accessories, like the new EarPods (USB-C), sold separately.
If you need to play audio through the USB-C connector to other speakers or headphones, you can connect using the Apple USB-C to 3.5 mm Headphone Jack Adapter or the Apple USB-C to Lightning Adapter.
Connect to displays and monitors
You can connect your iPhone to external displays using the USB-C connector, so that you can watch video, see photos, and more on a larger screen. Depending on the display that you're connecting to, you might need an adapter, like the Apple USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter.
When you connect an external display, it shows what you see on the built-in display of your iPhone, unless you're using an app that has a second-screen experience (such as a video app).
USB-C displays
iPhone uses the DisplayPort protocol to support connections to USB-C displays at up to 4K resolution and 60Hz.2
To connect your iPhone to high-resolution displays, use a USB-C cable that supports USB 3.1 or higher, such as the cable included with the display or the Thunderbolt 4 (USB‑C) Pro Cable (1 m), sold separately.2
iPhone also supports high-dynamic-range USB-C displays. You can switch between SDR and HDR modes by going to Settings > Display & Brightness and selecting your connected display. iPhone matches the frame rate and dynamic range of currently playing content when you turn on Allow Display Mode Changes.
Some USB-C displays can also charge your iPhone while it's connected.
HDMI displays and TVs
You can connect your iPhone to an HDMI display or TV with a USB-C to HDMI adapter or cable. Adapters and cables that support HDMI 2.0 can output video from your iPhone at 4K resolution and 60Hz.
The Apple USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter is compatible with iPhone. This adapter can output video from iPhone at up to 4K resolution and 60Hz,1 including content in HDR10 or Dolby Vision if your display or TV supports HDR.
Connect to other devices
The USB-C connector on your iPhone can also connect to a variety of devices that are compliant with the USB-C standard, such as:
CarPlay compatible cars
External storage devices
Monitors and external displays
Microphones
External battery packs
USB to Ethernet adapters
SD cards using SD card adapters
The USB-C connector on iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max supports USB 3 for data transfer when used with a USB-C cable that supports USB 32. iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max also support recording ProRes video directly to an external storage device, up to 4K at 60 frames per second.
You might need an adapter to connect some devices to your iPhone. Here are some common connections:
If the device that you're connecting to has a USB-C connector, use a USB-C cable that has a USB-C connector on each end, like the cable that came with your iPhone 15.1
If your car has a USB-A connector, you can use a compliant USB-C to USB-A cable.
To use your current Lightning accessories, you can use the USB-C to Lightning adapter, which supports power, data, and audio.
Devices and cables that aren't compliant with the USB-C standard might not work as expected. In some situations, USB-C accessories and cables, such as those from third parties, can interfere with wireless connections. If you experience slower Wi-Fi or cellular performance while using a USB-C accessory, performance should return to normal after the accessory is disconnected. To prevent future interference, disconnect when you finish using the accessory or try using a different cable, such as the Thunderbolt 4 (USB‑C) Pro Cable (1 m), which is designed to minimize interference.
The USB-C cable that comes with your iPhone supports charging and USB 2 speeds. If you want to use a USB 3 device, use a compliant USB 3 cable that supports 10Gbit/s.
The Thunderbolt 4 (USB‑C) Pro Cable (1 m) has a Thunderbolt symbol
to distinguish it from a USB-C cable. The Thunderbolt 4 (USB‑C) Pro Cable (1 m) is backward-compatible with USB 3 and DisplayPort protocols.
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