Crash Course on MagSafe for iPhones
Many of us are becoming more familiar with MagSafe for iPhones, and if you’re looking to get an iPhone with MagSafe, chances are you already know what it is.
But just in case you don’t know, I’ll go over some quick basics.
See Also: PopSockets Magsafe Wallet & Grip For iPhone 13 Review
In a nutshell, MagSafe is an array of magnets mounted inside certain iPhones. It’s accessed from the back and in the center.
The magnets are arranged in a circle that’s a little over 2 inches in diameter.
What MagSafe does is allow for better wireless charging, magnetic attachment of accessories, and mounting.
The best way to get the most out of iPhone MagSafe is to get a Magsafe case (click to view on Amazon) that has parts inside of it that are compatible with the magnets in your phone.
Without a MagSafe iPhone case, the accessories and chargers can’t get a strong connection to your phone, which limits its capabilities.
List of iPhones That Have MagSafe
- iPhone 12
- iPhone 12 Mini
- iPhone 12 Pro
- iPhone 12 Pro Max
- iPhone 13
- iPhone 13 Mini
- iPhone 13 Pro
- iPhone 13 Pro Max
Other Apple Products with Magsafe
Did you know that certain AirPods also use MagSafe charging?
The AirPods Pro (click to view on Amazon) and AirPods 3rd Generation (click to view on Amazon) cases are both capable of charging with the new iPhone MagSafe charger.
That means you only need one charger for your iPhone and headphones.
See Also: How To Charge AirPods Pro Wirelessly
Frequently Asked Questions About iPhone MagSafe
Is MagSafe charging bad for the iPhone battery?
Wireless charging with MagSafe technology offers faster charging speeds.
It’s safe to use and one of the best ways to charge an iPhone, but there are some signs that point to any wireless charging damaging phone batteries. This includes MagSafe wireless charging.
The reason wireless charging can slowly damage an iPhone battery over time is heat.
Fast charging and especially wireless charging heats the battery more than slower charging through a lightning cable.
Heat leads to battery damage, but it might not be enough to be worth only using slow cable chargers.
It’s also not good for an iPhone battery to be charged over 80% and most people don’t follow that rule either.
Is the iPhone MagSafe faster than lightning?
MagSafe can output 15 watts at peak power. A USB A to lightning cable will output 12 watts at peak power. USB C to lightning cables can reach as high as 20 watts at peak power.
(all of this is assuming you are using a power adapter that’s compatible with max watt output)
So, the USB C to lightning is faster than MagSafe, with the USB A to lightning being the slowest.
What does the MagSafe charger do?
When compared to other wireless chargers, the MagSafe version creates a strong bond to your phone magnetically.
It’s so strong you can actually use the MagSafe charger to hold up a compatible iPhone on a stand.
Because of the strong connection, you don’t have to worry about your iPhone falling off of the wireless charger and it’s also faster at charging.
See Also: Quarble MagSafe Wall Mount Review (iPhone 13 Pro Max & Pro)
Are all iPhone 13s MagSafe?
Yes, all four of the iPhone 13s use Magsafe. All four of the iPhone 12 models have MagSafe as well.
What does a MagSafe case do to iPhones with MagSafe?
If you want to get the most out of your new iPhone with MagSafe you are going to want to get a compatible case.
MagSafe iPhone cases have magnets and coils inside that help transfer not only power from a wireless charger to your phone, it also keeps the magnetic bond strong for accessories.
One other thing the Apple MagSafe cases do is snap onto the back of your iPhone and the color of the case will appear on the iPhone screen for a few seconds. It’s just a little gimmick but it’s kind of cool.
If you try using a regular phone case there will be an extra layer of material between the iPhone and the MagSafe accessory which makes the bond much weaker and transferring electricity more difficult.
Is MagSafe strong enough for a car mount?
If you are using a MagSafe phone case or no case at all, and a high quality MagSafe car mount, then yes, MagSafe is more than strong enough to hold up an iPhone in a car.
The mounts themselves need to have magnets in them that are arranged the right way to create a strong bond with iPhones.
That means some lower quality 3rd party MagSafe accessories might not work as good as the better ones.
One car mount Apple recommends is the Belkin MagSafe Car Vent Mount Pro (click to view on Amazon).
Does MagSafe stick to metal?
The MagSafe magnets can slightly stick to metal, but it’s not strong enough to be noticeable most of the time, and it’s not strong enough to hold up your iPhone.
Sadly, you cannot use your new iPhone as a fancy fridge magnet.
When at a friend’s house, I put my iPhone with MagSafe on a metal table in the hall. I noticed it was a little harder to pick up than normal. It seems like the magnets will stick to some metals just a little.
There have also been reports of small metal shavings and dust sticking to the back of iPhones with MagSafe.
Can a powerful magnet ruin a smartphone?
With all this talk of MagSafe, you might wonder if magnets might hurt other kinds of smartphones or iPhones without MagSafe.
Magnets do not hurt or ruin smartphones.
They won’t even affect the memory since most smartphones use NAND flash memory technology that isn’t affected by magnets.
One thing magnets will still ruin is the magnetic strip on credit cards.
Magnetic MagSafe wallets have a protective barrier to stop the magnet from ruining your cards but you should still be careful not to let the back of the accessory get near them.
Have any more questions about which iPhones have MagSafe or about MagSafe accessories? Leave a comment below.
