Do magnetic phone grips work with wireless charging?

Magnetic phone grips, such as the PopSocket grip and Syncwire Magnetic  phone holder, have become increasingly popular due to their magnet and stand features. 

However, a common issue that arises with their use is interference with wireless charging. Have you ever experienced this? 

When you’re outdoors and want to wirelessly charge your phone, do you find yourself having to remove the grip?

If you're using an adhesive grip, it may be difficult to remove.

Wireless charging typically uses inductive charging technology. This involves two coils: a transmitter coil in the charging pad and a receiver coil in your phone. 

When these coils are aligned and close to each other, an electromagnetic field is generated by the transmitter coil, which induces a current in the receiver coil, thereby charging the battery. 

The efficiency of this process is highly dependent on the distance and alignment between the two coils.

Phone grips, such as PopSockets or ring holders, add a physical layer between the back of the phone and the wireless charger. 

This additional layer increases the distance between the transmitter and receiver coils. 

Since the effectiveness of inductive charging decreases sharply with increased distance, even a few millimeters of added separation caused by a phone grip can significantly reduce charging efficiency or prevent charging altogether.

Some phone ring holders are made from materials that can interfere with electromagnetic fields. 

Metal components, in particular, can disrupt the inductive charging process by blocking or diverting the magnetic field. This disruption can prevent the phone from charging wirelessly.

Phone grips can sometimes cause the phone to not lie flat on the charging surface. 

This misalignment can lead to the coils not being properly aligned, which is crucial for efficient inductive charging. 

Even if the grip does not contain metal or is not very thick, improper positioning can hinder the charging process.

This interference occurs because most wireless chargers use inductive charging, which requires close proximity between the phone’s charging coil and the charger’s coil. 

A phone grip adds extra thickness between these two coils, which can hinder the magnetic field needed to charge the phone effectively.

However, there are a few ways to work around this issue:

Syncwire magnetic phone hoders are designed to be easily removable. You can take off the grip when you need to charge your phone wirelessly and reattach it afterward.

If the phone stand is small or thin enough, or if it’s positioned towards the bottom of the phone, it might still be possible to align the phone’s charging coil with the charger effectively. This depends on the design of both the grip and the wireless charger.

Some wireless chargers are designed with a deeper cradle or have multiple coils that might better accommodate a phone with a grip attached. These designs can help maintain the required proximity between the charger’s coils and the phone’s charging coil.

Some newer models of phone ring grips are designed with wireless charging in mind, either by incorporating a space for the charging coil or by using materials that don’t hinder the magnetic field as much.

If you’re thinking about getting a ring holder and wireless charging is important to you, it’s best to look for products specifically designed to be compatible with wireless charging.

Or plan for a setup where the handle can be easily detached for charging. 

For example, the Syncwire Magnetic Ring Holder, uses a magnetic attachment method, making it easy to remove and use.