Apple’s iPhone 12 series and the company’s new MagSafe chargers promise to solve many of the problems people have with wireless chargers. Wireless charging is a big selling point for the iPhone 12, but not everyone wants to upgrade their phone just to get a frustration-free charging experience.
A common problem that you may be facing, is that your wireless charger simply won’t charge your iPhone. You put your iPhone down, come back in an hour and discover your iPhone has lost charge instead of gained it.
Fix iPhone 12 wireless charging not working
If wireless charging is not working on iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro or iPhone 12 Pro Max, continue reading and try these five fixes to see if they can put you back into a powerful position.
Make sure the Charger Is Plugged In
We’ll start with the easiest fix and one that many people overlook. Check to make sure the charger is actually plugged into a power outlet.
You may have inadvertently unplugged either the charger itself or the power strip that the charger was using. Ensure all the power connections are plugged properly and try the next solution if your charger still isn’t working.
Avoid Rushing Things
Are you giving your charger ample time to charge your iPhone? Or are you grabbing your iPhone after 15 minutes because you’re used to fast-charging? Be patient and avoid rushing things.
Most wireless chargers provide 7.5 or 10 watts on the high-end, which is significantly less than the 12 or even 20 watts most plug-in chargers deliver.
Because wireless chargers deliver less power, it’s going to take longer to charge your iPhone.
Take off Your Case
Are you using a case on your iPhone when you are trying to charge? If so, consider taking it off. Most wireless chargers work with a slim case, but can fail if your iPhone is wrapped in a thicker protective case like an Otterbox.
Make sure your iPhone is Aligned properly
Most folks drop their iPhone on a wireless charger and just walk away, assuming their device is gaining charge. What they don’t realize is that wireless charging relies on the proper alignment of the iPhone on the pad. To make a contact that transmits energy to the iPhone, the iPhone’s internal induction coil must line up properly with the induction coil in the wireless charging pad. If the device is even slightly off to the side, then the induction coils won’t line up and the iPhone won’t charge wirelessly.
It’s deceiving because you think the iPhone is charging, but it is not. You have to position the iPhone on the charger pad and wiggle it until you get the right alignment. You’ll be able to tell because the charging indicator on the iPhone will kick on. Once your iPhone is aligned properly, don’t move it as you may lose the connection, and your iPhone won’t charge wirelessly.
Apple has tried to resolve this issue with the introduction of MagSafe chargers. The iPhone 12 features a ring of magnets in the back casing that aligns perfectly with the MagSafe charging surface. These magnets help secure the iPhone, so it can’t be bumped out of place, ensuring a solid connection.
Ensure your wireless charger is Powerful Enough
When buying a wireless charging unit, ensure it is powerful enough to charge your iPhone. A low-power wireless charging pad may not produce enough energy to juice up your iPhone. If the voltage and current are not sufficient enough, then your iPhone may charge very, very slowly, or not charge at all. When this happens, your iPhone may start to charge, but it quickly will stop when the power transfer cannot keep up with the phone’s demands.
My iPhone 12max pro will not charge wirelessly with the MagSafe charger I bought with it from the Apple store. Latest iOS 14.4 update hasn’t fixed it!
This is still a problem. Many articles since early December detail this.
1. All equipment is properly connected and works with other devices.
2. Any amount of time, including overnight, does nothing.
3. Case on or off doesn’t change a thing.
4. Alignment changes neither improve nor diminish the “not charging” state.
5. Wireless charger is Qi certified from high quality manufacturer. Apple asserts that iPhone 12 is compatible with Qi https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208078.
Force restart fixes it… for some amount of time. This is explained in articles posted as early as December 4th.
1. Proves that this was not the problem.
2. Proves that this was not the problem.
3. Charges with case on. Proves that this was not the problem.
4. Strongly indicates that this was not the problem.
5. Proves that this was not the problem.
Please add that restart might fix this as it’s a software issue that was neither fixed with iOS 14.2 nor 14.4.
Thanks, Mike! Forced restart took care of mine.
When does apple feel a fix will be issued. This is sporadic issue meaning only some devices are affected. I am running 14.4 iOS and my phone will not charge wirelessly, yet my husbands will
Brand new iphone 12 pro max and it will not charge wireless on any of our 4 devises or in our car. One is even the new mega charger from Apple. I tried a chat session today and they said everything looks good. They have no clue! Someone at apple needs to wake up from their haze and understand the customers issues.
I have an iPhone 12 pro. I have exchanged chargers, purchased different charges, restarted the phone and done everything else described in this thread, but nothing works.
My 12 Pro either will not engage on the wireless pad or it starts charging but stops in the middle of the night…….
Glad to see it’s not just me
This is a hardware problem with some iphone 12’s. Firmware updates will not fix it. I’ve talked with Apple support and they were no help.
I GOT THE 12 PRO MAX AS A BIRTHDAY GIFT, MARCH 21, 2021 AND WAS CHARGING IT ON THE
BELKIN CORDLESS CHARGER THAT I HAVE BEEN USING SINCE 2019 TO CHARGE MY OTHER
IPHONE. I HAVE A 2020 GMC SIERRA DELANI THAT HAS A WIRELESS CHARGER INSTALLED AND I
USED THAT TO CHARGE THE NEW 12 PRO MAX WITH NO PROBLEMS EITHER. AT LEAST, THAT IS
UNTIL APRIL 6, 2021. THAT IS WHEN IT STOPPED WORKING ON ALL MY CORDLESS CHARGERS.
NOW I HAVE TO CONNECT TO A CORD LIKE AN OLD APPLE IPHONE!!
IT IS FRUSTRATING BECAUSE I DON’T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED. COULD IT HAVE BEEN THE
UPDATE TO 14.4.2? I DON’T EVEN KNOW WHEN IT UPDATED. I AM TAKING OFF AUTO UPDATE
INSTALLATION!!!!!
Do a restart on you phone. Volume up,then down then hold button on right until it turns off. Power the phone back on after a few moments an it should work.
Wife’s had the same problem and took care of the issue
My IPhone 12 suddenly stopped charging by induction either a cordless charger or by Qi in car. Restarting fixed the problem in both places.