Apple iPhone's Clean Energy Charging causes stir on social media over battery charging times

Users find slow charging times could be due to new mode that pulls power when clean energy is available in the grid

Apple iPhone users were stirred up on Sunday as they became aware of a somewhat new feature intended to reduce the carbon footprint by charging only when lower carbon-emission electricity is available.

Apple introduced Clean Energy Charging with the release of iOS 16.1 on Oct. 24, 2022. The company claims that when the mode is enabled and a phone is connected to a charger, the iPhone gets a report of carbon emissions generated by the local energy grid and uses that information to determine when to charge the phone.

One Twitter user raised the red flag to other users that if they notice their iPhone was charging a little slower, it could be because of Clean Energy Charging.

APPLE IPHONE THIEVES USING SIMPLE TRICK TO TAKE EVERYTHING, REPORT FINDS

Some of the users who tweeted about the new feature wanted to find a way to turn it off.

One user claimed he wanted to turn the feature off to leave the biggest footprint possible, while another wanted to know if there was a way to select whether to use coal or diesel generated electricity to charge their phone.

iPhone 13

DHAKA, BANGLADESH - 2022/05/18: In this photo illustration, A person holds his iPhone 13 pro in an office. (Photo Illustration by Piyas Biswas/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images) (Photo Illustration by Piyas Biswas/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images) / Getty Images)

Other users used the issue as a eureka moment, as battery charging times on iPhones, for some users, has been slow recently.

APPLE HAS NO-PRICK GLUCOSE MONITOR IN THE WORKS

Still, other users said when they finally turned the feature off, Apple reminded them the feature helps reduce the carbon footprint.

One user in the United Kingdom even said the feature was not available on their phone.

Apple logo on Apple Store

In this Saturday, March 14, 2020, file photo, an Apple logo adorns the facade of the downtown Brooklyn Apple store in New York. Apple plans to roll out a "lockdown" option for iPhones, iPads and Mac computers intended to protect against spyware unlea (AP Photo/Kathy Willens, File / AP Newsroom)

Currently, Apple says the mode is available in the U.S. and set to the on position by default.

APPLE SHAREHOLDER MOVES TO BOOT AL GORE FROM BOARD OF DIRECTORS

To turn the mode off, users need to go into their iPhone settings, click "Battery," "Battery Health & Charging," then turn off "Clean Energy Charging."

The mode also works in conjunction with Optimized Battery Charging, which Apple says learns a user’s charging habits.

Habits, the tech giant says, are based on where a user spends most of their time and regularly charges their phone for extended periods of time.

GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE

Apple said the feature does not engage when charging habits vary or if you travel.

Editors Note: This story was updated to reflect battery functionality and to clarify Apple’s user response when feature is deactivated.