There will be many people who are interested in 5G, they will be asking whether iPhone 13 is a 5G phone or not, but let me tell you all that iPhone 13 was launched on 24 September 2021 and almost all the mobile phones launched in 2021 were 5G phones, it used to be that instead of launching 5G phone in 2021, 4G is being launched, there were only a few such phones which were launched in 4G.
Model | 5G Support | mmWave Support | 5G Modem |
---|---|---|---|
iPhone 13 Mini | Yes (Sub-6 GHz) | U.S. only | Qualcomm Snapdragon X60 |
iPhone 13 | Yes (Sub-6 GHz) | U.S. only | Qualcomm Snapdragon X60 |
iPhone 13 Pro | Yes (Sub-6 GHz) | U.S. only | Qualcomm Snapdragon X60 |
iPhone 13 Pro Max | Yes (Sub-6 GHz) | U.S. only | Qualcomm Snapdragon X60 |
There will be many people who are interested in 5G; they will be asking whether the iPhone 13 is a 5G phone or not, but let me tell you all that the iPhone 13 was launched on 24 September 2021, and almost all the mobile phones launched in 2021 were 5G phones. It used to be that instead of launching a 5G phone in 2021, 4G was being launched; there were only a few such phones that were launched in 4G.

You can see through this table which phone is 5G and which is not 5G. iPhone 13 mini and iPhone 12 mini, which were the best products of Apple in their time, although now the mini series has been discontinued. I also use one of the mini-series. My iPhone 12 mini 64GB is giving a very good experience till now. And you can see in this table that the iPhone 13 mini and pro and pro max were also launched in 5G only.
How to activate 5G on iPhone 13?
To turn on 5G mode on an iPhone 13, some steps have to be followed. I am telling you those steps; please understand them carefully. First of all, you should insert a 5G SIM in your phone and keep in mind that it is very important to have a 5G network in your area because until a 5G network is available in your area, this step will remain incomplete. So first of all, these are some points that should be there in your phone, without which you cannot enable 5G.

- Insert a 5G-enabled SIM card
Make sure you have:- A SIM card that supports 5G
- An active 5G data plan
- 5G network coverage in your area
- Go to Settings
Open the Settings app on your iPhone. - Tap on Mobile Data (or Cellular)
Then select Mobile Data Options (or Cellular Data Options depending on your region). - Select ‘Voice & Data’
You’ll see network options like:- 5G On: Always use 5G when available (may use more battery)
- 5G Auto (Recommended): Automatically switch between 5G and 4G to save battery
- LTE: Use 4G only
- Enable Data Roaming (if needed)
If you're traveling or using a different region’s network, turn Data Roaming ON to access 5G.
✅ Additional Tips:
- Make sure your iPhone is updated to the latest iOS version.
- Restart your phone after inserting the SIM or changing settings.
- If 5G still doesn’t work, contact your carrier support for help.
You can also understand through the video.
Does the iPhone 13 automatically connect to 5G?
Yes, 5G on the iPhone 13 5G can be switched on automatically if you have kept the smart data mode on 5G auto. We use 5G mode because the speed of 5G is very good. It works very well for downloading and streaming but also consumes a lot of battery. By switching on 5G Auto, your 5G network gets switched on automatically. if you are in an area where 5g is not available, then your internet will automatically be used on LTE, and as soon as you come to the 5g area, your 5g will automatically get switched on

Requirements for 5G to work:
- A 5G-compatible SIM and gym
- A carrier that supports 5G
- 5G must be available in your area
Which is better, 5G or LTE?
I will not say that this is the best, but if you want to save battery, then you can go with LTE; your battery will be saved here, and if you are a movie fan and do downloading, then you can go with 5G speed. 4K videos and gaming are good in 5G, but you can use 5G in only those cities that have strong 5G coverage, and if we talk about LTE, then if there is only one week in your area, then it would be better to go with 4G LTE, and you can use LTE for general browsing, texting, and social media for all these works.

Feature | 5G | LTE (4G) |
---|---|---|
Speed | ⚡ Much faster (up to 10x or more) | 🚀 Fast, but slower than 5G |
Latency | ⏱️ Very low (1–10 ms) | ⏳ Higher (30–50 ms) |
Capacity | 👥 Supports more devices | 👥 Limited in crowded areas |
Battery Use | 🔋 Higher in some cases | 🔋 Usually more battery-friendly |
Coverage | 📶 Still expanding | 🌍 Widely available |
When is 5G better?
- Streaming 4K videos or online gaming
- Downloading large files quickly
- Living in cities with strong 5G signal
When is LTE better?
- Weak or no 5G signal in your area
- Want to save battery life
- For everyday use like browsing or texting
Verdict
5G is better for speed, multitasking, and future applications.
LTE is more stable, power-efficient, and widely available right now.
How do I check if my phone is 5G?
You can very easily check your Apple 13 to see whether it is 5G or not. For that, you have 3 options to check whether your phone is 5G or not.
- Go to Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data Options > Voice & Data
- If you see options like 5G Auto, 5G On, or LTE, your phone supports 5G.
- You can check on Google.
The easiest way is to check with Google because if there is any such thing which Google does not know, you simply have to search this iphone 13 is an 5g phone.

Author
“I’m Ankit Kumar, a student who loves sharing knowledge. I started my blogging journey on 7th February 2025, and since then, I’ve been regularly writing new and informative blogs for you.