Does Wireless Charging Work with a Case?

Wireless charging provides a clean and simple charging solution – just place your smartphone on a wireless charging pad and your phone should instantly begin to charge, without the need for messy wires. But that simplicity can all be lost if you need to take your phone out of its case to get it to charge.

Most phone cases can be used successfully with wireless charging. But what type of cases can prevent wireless charging from working properly? And how can you guarantee an efficient wireless charge and also use a case? MAGFAST explains all.

Why Might a Case Cause a Problem with Wireless Charging?

Wireless charging works by transferring power from the charging pad to your phone battery via electromagnetic induction. This requires a physical connection between the phone and the charger.

If the case is too thick or made from the wrong type of material, it can block the power from being transferred.

What Types of Case Won’t Work with Wireless Charging?

The thickness of your case can affect the wireless charging capability. So, if you have a very thick case, it can block the electro-magnetic field and prevent wireless charging. Very thick cases can also cause the phone to overheat when it charges, which can damage the battery and even the charger or the phone.

The type of material of your case will also affect whether it can be used successfully with a wireless charger. Metal cases will prevent the electromagnetic induction from working properly, by blocking the electromagnetic signal. This is why Apple switched from using aluminum backing for its iPhones to using glass instead – the glass backing meant that the phones could be used with wireless charging pads.

You should be wary of keeping things like credit cards in your phone case, whether you like to keep them behind a normal case or if you use a specific wallet case. The electromagnetic field that’s used for wireless charging can damage the magnetic strip that’s on credit cards and also things like RFID chips and security ID.

You might use a case that has a battery pack directly built in. This can also cause an issue with wireless charging, and so it’s best to avoid using these types of battery case if you also want the option to charge with a different wireless charger. However, you should look at the specifications for the battery case you use – some manufacturers are now beginning to produce battery cases that are also compatible with wireless charging pads.

What Type of Case do I Need for Wireless Charging?

Using the right type of case will mean you can successfully use wireless charging pads without needing to remove your case. This means you can fully enjoy the convenience and practicality of wireless charging.

If you want to use your phone with wireless charging and also use a case, you should choose a plastic case that is no more than 3mm thick. The material and the thickness of these cases won’t impede the electromagnetic induction needed for wireless charging.

If you find that your smartphone is charging very slowly via the wireless charger or your device seems to be getting hot, you should take the phone off the charger and remove the case. Once your phone has cooled down, you should attempt to wirelessly charge it again, this time without the case, to see if it improves.

If you want to find out more about which devices, past and present, our guides will be useful. We look at the most popular cell phones throughout history and take a deep dive into different capabilities, as well as revealing how to make your phone charge faster. Discover all our guides today.

How Can I Get the Best Wireless Charge?

To get the best wireless charge for your phone, you should use the correct type of case and only a premium wireless charger. You can find out how to enable wireless charging on Android and iPhone easily with our guides.

MAGFAST wireless chargers are Qi-certified, giving our customers the very best in wireless charging technology. Our wireless chargers offer the quickest and most efficient wireless charge available for your devices, keeping your devices and their batteries safe while they charge.

We’re so proud of our wireless charging technology that we created MAGFAST Extreme, the world’s first power bank that features three Qi wireless charging pads. Extreme also has multiple other ways to get power out, including USB-C, USB-A and micro-USB charging ports, so you can keep every single one of your devices charged with just one power bank.

MAGFAST Life, our sleek everyday power bank, and MAGFAST Air, our gorgeous wireless charging stand, also both feature our Qi-certified wireless charging pads for reliable and efficient wireless charging.

Discover MAGFAST and find your next, best wireless charger.