How Wireless Charging Works
Before we answer the question, Is my phone Qi-enabled?lets first understand how wireless charging works. Within wireless charging systems, there are two coils that create a magnetic field. Through these coils, you can transfer power from one device to another over the air. The first coil, the transmitter, is typically the one in the charging pad. Your second coil, the receiver, is the coil inside your phone. This receiver is what makes the difference between phones with wireless charging and phones without wireless charging.
The concept of wireless charging includes two charging systems, with the first being inductive charging. This method transmits electricity through the air by way of a magnetic field. Although the transmitter and the receiver have to be tightly coupled to transfer power. Ideally, the distance between them should be less than 7 mm to transfer power efficiently.
The second system is called resonant charging. This second type has a more complicated structure and allows for less efficient power transfers. However, the benefit of resonant charging is the ability to charge coils that are further away. They dont need to be as close together compared to the inductive charging system. Both coils only need loose coupling and they should have the same resonant frequency.
Invest In Your Own Portable Wireless Charger
While wireless charging spots are starting to show in hotels, airports, and other venues, it’s worth the peace of mind to get a portable wireless charger, like BEZALEL’s Prelude to ensure Qi or PMA access anytime and anywhere.
This is a power bank that lets you go completely cordless for 2 full iPhone charges worth. It’s perfect for when youre out and about often.
Easy and simple just follow these suggestions and enjoy the perks of wireless charging, as though your iPhone were built with it.
Benefits Of Qi Charging
The merits of Qi charging are straightforward. You no longer need to bring your USB-c charger everywhere, and there’s no cord to worry about. All that’s required is the wireless charger. Other benefits of Qi charging include:
- Universal compatibility: You can use Qi with any wireless-capable device, including all iPhones later than iPhone 8. Qi is a universal standard, so all Qi-certified chargers will work just fine.
- Safe connections: All charging takes place within a confined space with no need for cords. Wireless chargers eliminate corrosions from water and oxygen and also reduce the likelihood of electrical faults.
- Durability: Theres no constant plugging and unplugging, which reduces the rate of wear and tear on your wall and iPhone sockets. Alternating between wireless and wired charging also increases the longevity of your USB-c cables.
- Convenience: Once your iPhone is full, the wireless charger turns off automatically, preserving energy and preventing your battery from overheating.
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Is It Something Else
1. Remove the phone case
Qi wireless chargers work with many cases, but some are too thick or made from metal. Metal segments placed inside the case for magnetic mounts should not affect wireless charging. Just make sure you’re using a slim, wireless charging friendly phone case.
2. Wait for your iPhone to cool down
Your iPhone may get warm while it charges, wired or wirelessly. On the other hand, wireless charging generates more heat since it’s not as efficient as wired charging through cables. When the iPhone battery gets too warm, the protection mechanism is triggered and limits charging above 80 percent.
Remove your iPhone from the charger, and try again when the temperature drops.
3. Don’t connect your iPhone to a USB
Some people may connect their phone to a computer with a USB or a USB power adapter while the handset is on a wireless charging pad. The truth is, you can’t have both wired and wireless charging at the same time, and wireless charging stops as soon as an iPhone is connected to a USB cable.
iPhone 7 & iPhone 7 Plus Wireless Charging Pads & Stands
Once youve got your charging adapter installed, all you need is a Qi wireless charging pad.
One of our favourites is the Slim 15W Fast Wireless Charging Pad from Olixar, thanks to its sleek modern styling and super fast charging speeds. Were sure once you start charging wirelessly that youll absolutely love the convenience it brings. As such you may want to consider some other options, with Wireless Charging Car Holders and even Wireless Charging Power Banks.
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Does It Support Fast Charging
An iPhone comes with a long-lasting battery, but once the battery drains out, they have to wait for hours to charge it completely. If you think that the iPhones battery is causing a problem, its not. The main reason behind slow charging is that the adapter you get from Apple comes with a power of 5 watts. As the power of the charging adapter is so low, you cannot expect it to charge your iPhone fast.
However, to address the problem, you can get another fast-charging adapter with 10W power. We emphasize 10W because your iPhone can only take charging power up to 10W.
You can purchase a fast-charging adapter and cable from any trusted third-party brand. However, if you dont want to use any other charger with your iPhone, then you can also order Apples very own 10W-12W charging adapter.
Other than investing in a fast-charging adapter and good quality cable, you can also boost iPhone charging by enabling airplane mode.
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Do Glass Backs Indicate Wireless Charging
If youve noticed, many flagship phones have come out with glass backsand thats not just because of style. Sure, its certainly stylish. However, glass backs serve a function for wireless charging.
You see, metal backs will limit your wireless charging capabilities. Sure, you can still wirelessly charge with a metal back. However, youd have to accept that your phone will charge at a slower rate. Thats because metal hijacks power resulting in power loss. Your phones back itself will consume the transmitted power. Thats why a glass back is a good alternative to metal backs for Qi-enabled phones. Its no surprise most flagship phones include glass backs, then. So, if youre wondering if your phone is Qi-enabled, thats one loose way of knowing. However, keep in mind that it isnt a foolproof way of telling whether or not a phone can wirelessly charge.
Dog And Bone Backbone
Another wireless charging case that includes a supplemental battery is Dog and Bone’s offering, the Backbone. This charging case is MFi certified, and just right for the type of person who is really hard on phones and needs a rugged case. The Backbone is military tested and rated to withstand drops up to four feet. A Micro USB port is included, so if you want to charge your phone using a charger cable you can do so without removing the case. For a final, versatile feature, the wireless charging component easily slides out and can be replaced by a supplemental battery . These wireless charging battery cases are available for iPhones 5 through 6 Plus, and will set you back $89.95. You can also purchase the charging case and Qi pad together for $109.95.
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Does Your iPhone Support Wireless Charging
The easiest way to verify if your iPhone supports wireless charging is to check for a physical Home button. The iPhone X to 13 Pro Max and newer have edge-to-edge screens and dont have a Home button. The iPhone 8 and 8 Plus are the only two models with a Home button that also support wireless charging.
Another way to verify is to check your iPhones model number. To find your model number on your device, tap Settings > General > About. Next, tap the part number listed to the right of Model Number to reveal it.
The iPhone model numbers capable of wireless charging are below:
- iPhone 13 Pro Max: A2484 , A2641 , A2644 , A2645 , A2643
- iPhone 13 Pro: A2483 , A2636 , A2639 , A2640 , A2638
- iPhone 13: A2482 , A2631 , A2634 , A2635 , A2633
- iPhone 13 Mini: A2481 , A2626 , A2629 , A2630 , A2628
- iPhone 12 Pro Max: A2342 , A2410 , A2412 , A2411
- iPhone 12 Pro: A2341 , A2406 , A2408 , A2407
- iPhone 12: A2172 , A2402 , A2404 , A2403
- iPhone 12 Mini: A2176 , A2398 , A2400 , A2399
- iPhone SE : A2275 , A2298 , A2296 (other
- iPhone 11 Pro Max: A2160 , A2217 , and A2215
- iPhone 11 Pro: A2161 , A2220 , and A2218
- iPhone 11: A2111 , A2223 , and A2221
- iPhone XS Max: A1921, A2101, and A2102 A2103 and A2104
- iPhone XS: A1920, A2097, and A2098 A2099 and A2100
- iPhone XR: A1984, A2105, and A2106 A2107 and A2108
- iPhone X: A1865, A1901, and A1902
- iPhone 8 Plus: A1864, A1897, and A1898
- iPhone 8: A1863, A1905, and A1906
Kitting Out With A Receiver
First, we need a case to receive a wireless charge signal. The AirPower technology seen in the iPhone 8 uses a specific chip that the iPhone 7 lacks, and even if it did have one under the hood, the older iPhones design is not suitable for wireless charging as standard.
Look at other wireless charging phones and youll see they either have plastic or glass backs, like the Samsung Galaxy S8. Metal rears like the iPhone 7s are not suitable for current popular forms of wireless charging.
This is why we need to put the wireless charging receiver between the phones back and the wireless charging plate. Its usually done with a case.
One of the most popular is the Mophie Juice Pack Air case, which adds transmitters for wireless charging. Alternatively, a lower-cost option comes from Nilkin, but a few reviews have shown that the connection can break after a few weeks or months, so it’s a gamble on wireless charging you’ll be taking there.
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How To Turn On Wireless Charging For iPhone 7 And 7 Plus
Unlike some Android handset manufacturers, Apple has so far neglected to include a wireless charging feature in its handsets. However, did you know that the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus can both benefit from this method of charging now? No, Apple has not released an update to the physical hardware. Instead, this feature can be added in the form of a case.
How To Get Wireless Charging On Older iPhones
If you buy an iPhone 8 or 8 Plus, or one of Apples X-series handsets such as the iPhone XS, youll find it supports Qi wireless charging out of the box. Older iPhones arent compatible with Qi accessories but if your smartphone has a Lightning port, you can fairly easily upgrade it to offer the same feature.
In this article we show how to add wireless charging to older iPhones.
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What iPhones Have Qi Charging
Does iPhone 8 have wireless charging? Does iPhone XR have wireless charging? Does iPhone 11 have wireless charging? Does iPhone SE have wireless charging? These are common questions among new Qi charging users. As aforementioned, iPhone 8 and X were the first models to feature wireless charging. Heres a list of all iPhones with Qi charging built-in:
Does Have Wireless Charging?
- 12 Pro Max, 12 Pro, 12, 12 mini: Yes/Built-in Qi Charging
- SE 2020: Yes/Built-in Qi Charging
- 11 Pro Max, 11 Pro, 11: Yes/Built-in Qi Charging
- XS Max XS: Yes/Built-in Qi Charging
- 8, 8 Plus: Yes/Built-in Qi Charging
- XR: Yes/Built-in Qi Charging
- 7, 7 Plus: No/Requires Wireless Charging Pad
- SE: No/Requires Wireless Charging Pad
- 6S, 6S Plus: No/Requires Wireless Charging Pad
- 5S: No/Requires Wireless Charging Pad
- Other iPhones: No/Requires Universal Adapter Plus Wireless Charger
Charge Your iPhone With Another Charger
The best way to tell if your iPhone works fine is to put it on another wireless charger to see if it will charge. If you dont have another wireless charger, use the USB charger instead. Though wireless charging and wired charging dont work the same, at least you can find out if the display of charging is typical or not.
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Qi Wireless Charging In General For iPhone 7
Heres how to do it:
1) Plug in and/or stick on a receiving patch or adapter and fold/adhere it to the back of your iPhone.
2) Pop in a case to keep the adapter in place. Make sure its thin enough to allow the charge pass through.
3) Place your phone on top of the wireless charging station, making sure its touching the charging points.
Compared to a wireless charging patch or stick-ons, using a charging case like the Latitude is the simplest way to incorporate wireless charging. You won’t have messy wires nor need to adjust your phones configuration to match the adapters design.
What Is Wireless Charging
First things first: theres usually a wire, connecting the charging pad or mat to the mains . The wireless part of the equation refers to the connection between phone and charger. But while it may not be technically wireless in the strictest sense, being able to dump your phone on a pad before you hop into bed is much more convenient than fumbling around for cables in the dark.
Recent iPhones use the Qi wireless charging standard , as do the LG G-series, Samsung Galaxy S- and Note-series, and all other smartphones advertising wireless charging.
Qi uses inductive charging technology, which involves two coils of copper wire : one in the device youre charging and one in a pad or mat on which you lay the device. When you put the two coils next to each other an electromagnetic field is created and that allows electricity to be passed across.
The two devices need to be touching or within very close proximity, but the coils can be sealed within their respective devices.
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What Is A Qi Enabled Phone
What is the Qi enabled phone? A Qi-enabled device is one that is equipped with the Qi standard for wireless charging by default, or one that is designed to upgrade this standard. They have a Qi receiving coil for inductive energy transfer. So, if you want to charge your phone wirelessly, the first thing to see is if the phone supports this standard. Current smartphones tend to have the Qi standard built in, and older models are sometimes intended to be upgraded by manufacturers generally, other phones can be upgraded with a Qi adapter. In this overview of the phone, you will mainly find the manufacturers default compatible or Qi certified models, some that are ready to be upgraded for the sake of upgrading, and some that have reliable third-party accessories that can be upgraded via wireless charging.
Does iPhone 7 Support Wireless Charging
Apple AirPower uses Qi as do most of the other wireless charge pads. If you are wondering, whether or not iPhone 7 plus is Qi-enabled, it is. However, it is just a misnomer.
Like previous iPhones, iPhone 7 also comes with an Apple standard charging port, through which you can charge your iPhone. Although, you can charge your iPhone 7 via a base station wireless charger by enabling Qi mode, do remember that both devices have inductive charging cases. It means you will have to put your iPhone on the base station of the wireless charger to get your iPhone 7 charged.
The wireless chargers base consists of an electrical inductive coil that works well to charge the iPhone. It means you wont need a cable anymore.
However, before you go and try your luck by putting your iPhone 7 on the Qi wireless charger, ensure that you have a Qi-supported case for your phone. Apple has not yet invented any, but you can get it from third-party companies like Mophie. It is one of the most popular brands known to manufacture cases with built-in Charge Force technology. These cases are designed to support inductive electrical power transfer, which makes them effective for any wireless base station charger.
Therefore, if you want to wirelessly charge your iPhone 7, you have to get a Qi-supported case for it. Moreover, the best thing about these cases is that they can withstand fall and shock.
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Wait For Your iPhone To Cool Down
Your iPhone may get warm while it charges, wired or wirelessly. On the other hand, wireless charging generates more heat since its not as efficient as wired charging through cables. When the iPhone battery gets too warm, the protection mechanism is triggered and limits charging above 80 percent.
Remove your iPhone from the charger, and try again when the temperature drops.
Know Your Standards: Qi And Pma
Apple AirPower uses a custom version of Qi , as do most of the popular wireless charge pads. However, one of the longest-standing players in wireless charging, Powermat, uses PMA.
You can think of PMA and Qi as a bit like VHS vs BetaMax or Blu-ray vs HD DVD. Theyre competing standards that aim to do roughly the same thing using different techniques.
If youre thinking of buying a more affordable wireless charging case for your iPhone 7 that supports just a single standard, wed strongly recommend getting on board with Qi rather than PMA.
While Starbucks uses PMA chargers in some of its stores , even it is starting to adopt Qi, because of Apples use of the standard in the iPhone 8 and iPhone X.
If you want something cheaper than the Mophie Charge Force youll find affordable Qi pad options online from companies like YooTech and Antye. The Antye Qi receiver case is around half the price of the Mophie alternative.
There are even receivers that leave out the case part, just attaching a 0.5mm thick panel to the back of your phone that connects to your iPhone 7s Lightning port. Its not the slickest look, but it minimizes bulk, and most should work through a thin case.
For the ultimate wireless charging solution, look for a case that also has a battery built-in. Once again, Mophie offers a great solution with the Juice Pack Air.
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