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Samsung Galaxy S26 battery and charging: Everything you need to know

The S26 lineup is bringing some notable upgrades to the battery life and charging table.

By Aleksandar Anastasov

Updated: Feb 25, 2026, 12:04 PM

Samsung

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Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra front view with S Pen and Galaxy AI screen

The Galaxy S26 Ultra and the S Pen leaned on it. | Image by PhoneArena

We’ve just seen Samsung officially unveil the Galaxy S26 series at Galaxy Unpacked, and this year we finally see some improvements when it comes to battery life and charging speeds.

The Galaxy S26 Plus and Galaxy S26 Ultra keep the same battery capacities as their predecessors, but Samsung has added a larger battery to the base Galaxy S26. Additionally, the S26 Ultra comes with faster wired and wireless charging.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Galaxy S26 series battery and charging.

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Does the Galaxy S26 have better battery life?

Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus

Yes, but only moderately.

Samsung has officially confirmed the following battery capacities

Galaxy S26: 4,300 mAh (vs 4,000 mAh on Galaxy S25)
Galaxy S26+: 4,900 mAh

Those numbers remain consistent with expectations, but improvements this year come from efficiency rather than sheer capacity.

Both phones are powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy in the US, with select markets receiving Exynos 2600 variants. The new 3nm-class silicon might also help with improving the battery life, but we won't know for sure until we test them ourselves—stay tuned.

Galaxy S26 Ultra

The Galaxy S26 Ultra keeps its 5,000 mAh battery, but while he capacity hasn’t increased, the Ultra benefits from a redesigned thermal system and upgraded vapor chamber that dissipates over 20% more heat. This improvement to the thermal management can allow the chipset to be more efficient and this drain less battery.

How much battery does the Galaxy S26 have?

Model	Expected Battery Capacity
Galaxy S26	4,300 mAh
Galaxy S26 Plus	4,900 mAh
Galaxy S26 Ultra	5,000 mAh

How fast does the Galaxy S26 charge?

Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus

The base Galaxy S26 supports:

Super Fast Charging (up to 25W)
Up to 55% charge in around 30 minutes with a 25W adapter
Fast Wireless Charging (up to 15W)
Wireless PowerShare

The Galaxy S26+ steps things up:

Super Fast Charging 2.0 (up to 45W)
Up to 69% charge in around 30 minutes with a 45W adapter
Super Fast Wireless Charging (up to 20W)
Wireless PowerShare

Galaxy S26 Ultra

The Galaxy S26 Ultra receives the biggest upgrade.

It now supports:

Super Fast Charging 3.0 (up to 60W)
Up to 75% charge in around 30 minutes
Super Fast Wireless Charging (up to 25W)
Wireless PowerShare

This positions the S26 Ultra as the fastest-charging Galaxy Ultra to date.

Does the Galaxy S26 have wireless charging?

Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus

Yes, both feature wireless charging support. The Galaxy S26 can reach 15W and the S26 Plus 20W of wireless charging speed.

Galaxy S26 Ultra

The Galaxy S26 Ultra also supports wireless charging, maxing out at 25W.

Does the Galaxy S26 have reverse wireless charging?

Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus

Yes. Both phones support Wireless PowerShare (5W). It’s handy for charging earbuds or a watch in a pinch.

Galaxy S26 Ultra

Absolutely. The Ultra also supports Wireless PowerShare at 5W, just like the base and Plus models.

What charger does the Galaxy S26 use?

Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus

Both phones support USB Power Delivery (PD 3.0 with PPS), so you can use Samsung’s own Super Fast Chargers or third-party PD/PPS adapters from the likes of Anker or Ugreen.

There will probably be no chargers in the box, as usual, just a USB-C cable.

Galaxy S26 Ultra

The Galaxy S26 Ultra supports 60W wired charging, so the best charger to use would be Samsung's 60W USB Power Delivery (PD 3.1) charger.

Galaxy S26: what’s in the box

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Aleksandar is a tech enthusiast with a broad range of interests, from smartphones to space exploration. His curiosity extends to hands-on DIY experiments with his gadgets, and he enjoys switching between different brands to experience the latest innovations. Prior to joining PhoneArena, Aleksandar worked on the Google Art Project, digitizing valuable artworks and gaining diverse perspectives on technology. When he's not immersed in tech, Aleksandar is an outdoorsman who enjoys mountain hikes, wildlife photography, and nature conservation. His interests also extend to martial arts, running, and snowboarding, reflecting his dynamic approach to life and technology.