An iPhone battery typically contains a small amount of lithium.
The exact amount can vary depending on the iPhone model, but it’s generally in the range of 0.42 to 1.30056 grams of lithium. However, the latest iPhone, the iPhone 14 Pro Max, has a lithium content of 1.30056 grams.
This lithium is the anode material in the lithium-ion battery, which powers the device.
The specific quantity may vary slightly between different iPhone models and manufacturers, but it remains a relatively small portion of the overall battery’s composition.
Lithium-ion batteries are favored for their high energy density and rechargeable capabilities, making them a common choice for portable electronic devices like iPhones.
Read the following article to learn the amount of lithium used for all the iPhone models and how you can calculate lithium contents for any lithium battery.
Lithium amount in each iPhone model:
Apple has been manufacturing the iPhone since 2007. And, till now, the company has released 38 iPhone models. Interestingly, each iPhone model has a different battery capacity.
Skim through the table below to know how much lithium each iPhone model’s battery has.
| iPhone Model Name (Releasing Year) | Lithium Content (in Grams) |
| iPhone 14 Pro Max (2022) | 1.30056 |
| iPhone 14 Pro (2022) | 0.96 |
| iPhone 14 Plus (2022) | 1.2969 |
| iPhone 14 (2022) | 0.9837 |
| iPhone SE 3rd Gen, (2022) | 0.6054 |
| iPhone 13 Pro Max (2021) | 1.3056 |
| iPhone 13 Pro (2021) | 0.9285 |
| iPhone 13 (2021) | 0.9681 |
| iPhone 13 Mini (2021) | 0.7218 |
| iPhone 12 Pro Max (2020) | 1.1061 |
| iPhone 12 Pro (2020) | 0.8445 |
| iPhone 12 (2020) | 0.8445 |
| iPhone 12 Mini (2020) | 0.6681 |
| iPhone SE 2nd Gen. (2020) | 0.5463 |
| iPhone 11 Pro Max (2019) | 1.1907 |
| iPhone 11 Pro (2019) | 0.9138 |
| iPhone 11 (2019) | 0.933 |
| iPhone XS Max (2018) | 0.9522 |
| iPhone XS (2018) | 0.7974 |
| iPhone XR (2018) | 0.8826 |
| iPhone X (2017) | 0.8148 |
| iPhone 8 Plus (2017) | 0.8073 |
| iPhone 8 (2017) | 0.5463 |
| iPhone 7 Plus (2016) | 0.87 |
| iPhone 7 (2016) | 0.588 |
| iPhone SE 1st Gen. (2016) | 0.4872 |
| iPhone 6s Plus (2015) | 0.825 |
| iPhone 6s (2015) | 0.5145 |
| iPhone 6 Plus (2014) | 0.8745 |
| iPhone 6 (2014) | 0.543 |
| iPhone 5s (2013) | 0.468 |
| iPhone 5c (2013) | 0.453 |
| iPhone 5 (2012) | 0.432 |
| iPhone 4s (2011) | 0.429 |
| iPhone 4 (2010) | 0.426 |
| iPhone 3GS (2009) | 0.366 |
| iPhone 3G (2008) | 0.345 |
| iPhone (2007) | 0.42 |
The information above is given on estimation as Apple does not disclose the battery capacity of its iPhone models. Therefore, the capacity is taken from other various individual researches.
Also Read: Does Restarting Your Phone Delete Everything
How do I know how much Lithium is in my iPhone battery?
No clear way exists to know how much lithium is in a lithium-ion or polymer battery. But you can estimate the amount with some reliable calculations.
First, you need to know the capacity of your iPhone’s battery in milliamperes. Then, divide the capacity by one thousand to get the value in amperes.
After getting the value in ampere, multiply the value by 0.3 to get the amount of lithium in your battery in grams.
For example, let’s say you have an iPhone 14 Pro Max. The battery capacity of this model is 4352 milliamperes. Therefore, the lithium content of your phone would be 4352/1000*0.3 or 1.30056 grams.
Let’s learn the battery capacities of some of the latest iPhones from the table below:
| iPhone Model Name (Releasing Year) | Battery Capacity (milliamperes) |
| iPhone 14 Pro Max (2022) | 4352 |
| iPhone 14 Pro (2022) | 3200 |
| iPhone 14 Plus (2022) | 4323 |
| iPhone 14 (2022) | 3279 |
| iPhone SE 3rd Gen, (2022) | 2018 |
| iPhone 13 Pro Max (2021) | 4352 |
| iPhone 13 Pro (2021) | 3095 |
| iPhone 13 (2021) | 3227 |
| iPhone 13 Mini (2021) | 2406 |
| iPhone 12 Pro Max (2020) | 3687 |
| iPhone 12 Pro (2020) | 2815 |
| iPhone 12 (2020) | 2815 |
| iPhone 12 Mini (2020) | 2227 |
| iPhone SE 2nd Gen. (2020) | 1821 |
| iPhone 11 Pro Max (2019) | 3969 |
| iPhone 11 Pro (2019) | 3046 |
| iPhone 11 (2019) | 3110 |
How much lithium is allowable in a phone?
Globally, a phone can have up to 2 grams of lithium in its battery. Therefore, Apple and other brands follow this rule and keep the amount under the limits.
Apple does not push its battery capacity. However, many companies like Xiaomi give their phones the highest possible capacity batteries. However, the limit is always 5000 milliamperes for those.
It is also true for other devices as well. For laptops, the limit is 100 KWh. If any laptop crosses the limit, the owner cannot carry its laptop on flights.
Source:
- http://www.benzoenergy.com/blog/post/lithium-content-of-the-lithium-battery.html – Calculation of lithium content in a lithium battery (Benzo Energy)
- https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208387 – iPhone battery and performance (Apple Support)