MagSafe: Everything About Apple's iPhone Charging Technology

[MacRumors]

MagSafe is now a universal name that Apple uses for both iPhone and Mac charging. There are MagSafe charging pucks for the iPhone, and MagSafe 3 charging ports and cables for Apple's Macs. The two MagSafe capabilities aren't related, but Apple is using the same MagSafe terminology for all of its latest charging technology.

MagSafe for Mac

Apple reintroduced MagSafe for the Mac with the launch of the 2021 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models, and we can expect to see MagSafe roll out across the Mac lineup.

MagSafe for Mac is not a new technology, and it was previously used starting in 2012. MagSafe, as the name suggests, uses magnets to connect a charger to a charging port on the Mac, with the idea that if a MagSafe cable is pulled, it disconnects safely without pulling the MacBook down from wherever it might be resting.

Apple swapped from MagSafe to USB-C in 2016, but at this point, the Mac's power needs have exceeded what's possible with USB-C, so Apple needed another solution, and that solution was a return to MagSafe charging.

How MagSafe for Mac Works

The new iteration of MagSafe for Mac is officially known as MagSafe 3, and it works exactly like the previous MagSafe implementation. There's a small rectangular magnet-topped charging connector that fits into the five-pin charging slot, with the magnets securing the fit.

There's a USB-C port at the other end of the charging cable that is meant to plug into a power adapter to power the Mac.

Maximum Charging Power

Apple transitioned to MagSafe largely for the 16-inch MacBook Pro, which is now able to charge at up to 140W, a charging speed not supported by USB-C cables.

When a MagSafe to USB-C cable is paired with the 140W USB-C Power Adapter that comes with the 16-inch MacBook Pro, the MacBook Pro can be charged at up to 140W, and it powers up quicker than it would with a USB-C based charging solution limited to 100W. 16-inch MacBook Pro models can still be charged with USB-C cables, but not at the full 140W.

It's only 16-inch MacBook Pro models that max out at 140W, but the 14-inch machines also use MagSafe charging for cohesiveness. The lower-end 14-inch machines ship with a 67W power adapter but can take advantage of a 96W power adapter, while the higher-end 14-inch machines ship with the 96W adapter.

Availability

MagSafe 3 charging capabilities are available for the 14 and 16-inch MacBook Pro models introduced in 2021 and the 2022 MacBook Air. The MagSafe 3 charging cables are not compatible with any other Macs, including older Macs that used MagSafe 2.

MagSafe for iPhone

Apple also has MagSafe technology for the iPhone, but it works differently. Rather than magnets built into a specific charging area, Apple added a ring of magnets around the Qi-based wireless charging coils, which allows for a close fit and faster charging speeds. iPhone 12 and later models use the magnet ring to connect to accessories that also have magnets built inside, so it's not limited to just charging technology.

Cases are the same way, snapping onto the magnet ring built into the iPhone. The design of the magnet ring allows the iPhone 12 and later to be compatible with a whole range of accessories that rely on magnets, from chargers to mounts to cases.

The Magnet Ring in iPhones

iPhone 12, iPhone 13, and iPhone 14 models have a ring of 18 rectangular magnets arranged in a circular shape located underneath the wireless charging coil in each device, which is what allows the MagSafe magic to happen.

Image via iFixit​

Older iPhones had the same wireless charging coil, but no magnets underneath to allow for magnetic connections.

Apple's MagSafe Charger

The MagSafe Charger looks something like a larger Apple Watch Charging Puck with an aluminum body and a soft white material at the top of the charger. The charger snaps onto an iPhone with magnets inside, perfectly aligning the charging coil in the MagSafe Charger with the charging coil in the iPhone.

Image via iFixit​

Repair site iFixit took apart a MagSafe Charger and did an x-ray to show us the charger’s internal design. As with the iPhone, there are a series of magnets inside that are compatible with the magnets in the iPhone that surround an internal charging coil and a circuit board that manages the charging process.

Apple has also designed the MagSafe Duo Charger, which combines a MagSafe charger with an Apple Watch charging puck. The charger is foldable, making it ideal for travel, and costs $129.

The MagSafe Duo Charger is not able to charge a MagSafe iPhone at the full 15W. With Apple's 20W charger, the MagSafe Duo chargers at a maximum of 11W, and with a 27W or higher USB-C power adapter, it charges at up to 14W. The MagSafe Duo does not come with a power adapter and a charger must be purchased separately. Note that the 29W charger from Apple is not compatible, but the 30W version is.

12W Charging iPhone 12 and 13 mini

For most of the iPhone 12 models, the MagSafe charger is able to charge at a maximum of 15W, but for the smallest iPhone, the iPhone 12 mini, charging maxes out at 12W. The same goes for the MagSafe Duo. Charging speeds can also be affected by the temperature of the iPhone.

Getting 15W Charging Speeds

Achieving 15W (or 12W on iPhone 12/13 mini) charging speeds requires Apple's 20W power adapter or another appropriate 20W+ PD 3.0 charger. Testing with Apple’s prior-generation 18W iPad charger and a 96W MacBook Pro charger proved that those power adapters do not allow the MagSafe Charger to reach the full 15 watts.

The same goes for many existing third-party power adapters, which also do not have the proper charging profile. New chargers from third-party companies may, however, include support for the MagSafe Charger, and testing indicates that to provide the 15W charging speed, a MagSafe Charger needs to support Power Delivery 3.0 at 9V/2.22A or 9V/2.56A, according to Apple. The iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 13 mini can hit maximum charging speeds with a 9V/2.03A power adapter.

You're guaranteed to get 15W with Apple’s $19 20W power adapter (this power adapter also comes with the 2020 iPad Air models), but you may also be able to use a third-party charger as long as it meets those specifications.

• How to Make Sure Your Apple MagSafe Charger is Genuine

MagSafe Charging vs. Traditional Charging

With the MagSafe Charger, it takes about an hour to charge an iPhone 12 from zero to 50 percent, which is double the time that it takes to charge using a USB-C to Lightning cable and a 20W+ USB-C power adapter.

Charging with the MagSafe Charger is faster than charging with a Qi-based charger, which maxes out at 7.5W, but for the fastest charging you’re still going to want to use a wired charging connection with a Lightning to USB-C cable.

When the iPhone is warm, charging speeds can be throttled down, and Apple warns that if the iPhone gets too warm, charging will be limited above 80 percent. Apple recommends moving your iPhone and charger to a cooler location if it feels overly warm.

Charging Speeds With Lightning Accessories

When Lightning-based accessories like EarPods are connected to an iPhone 12 or later, charging with MagSafe is limited to 7.5W, which is something to be aware of.

Using the MagSafe Charger With Older iPhones

Using the MagSafe Charger with older iPhones is possible, but not recommended because charging is slower than with the 7.5W Qi-based chargers. Charging appears to be capped at right around 5W with the MagSafe Charger when paired with older devices, and in testing, the MagSafe charger has proven to be slower than using a plain old Qi charger.

MagSafe vs. USB-C

Testing suggests the MagSafe Charger charges a compatible iPhone less than half as fast than a wired 20W USB-C charger. With the 20W charger, a dead iPhone was able to charge to 50 percent in 28 minutes, and the same 50 percent charge took an hour over MagSafe.

MagSafe Cases and Accessories

Apple has designed cases, wallet attachments, and a MagSafe Charger to use with the MagSafe iPhones, and third-party case and accessory makers are also creating MagSafe-compatible products. We have a guide highlighting some of the available MagSafe accessories that you can purchase.

MagSafe Don'ts

• Avoid putting single use cards like hotel cards against the magnet in the iPhone or the MagSafe Charger
• Don’t put credit cards, security badges, passports, or key fobs between the iPhone and MagSafe Charger because magnetic strips and RFID chips can be damaged
• Don’t charge with the MagSafe Wallet attachment on the iPhone (cases can remain on)

MagSafe Charger Warnings

When using the MagSafe Charger, Apple warns that it can leave an imprint on the Leather Cases designed for MagSafe iPhones, which is something to be aware of. It can also leave a mark on Silicone cases based on reports from MacRumors readers, and it’s possible that this will affect third-party cases made from soft materials as well.

Apple recommends that those worried about the ring that can be caused by MagSafe choose Silicone or Clear cases instead of the Leather versions.

iPhone MagSafe and Pacemakers

Like all iPhones, the iPhone 12 and 13 models with their MagSafe technology can cause interference with medical devices like pacemakers and defibrillators. Apple recommends keeping iPhone 12 models and all MagSafe accessories a safe distance away from implanted medical devices.

A safe distance is considered more than 6 inches / 15 cm apart or more than 12 inches / 30 cm apart if wirelessly charging. Though there are more magnets in the iPhone 12/13/14 models, Apple says that they are "not expected to pose a greater risk of magnetic interference to medical devices than prior iPhone models."

Guide Feedback

Have questions about MagSafe for iPhone and Mac or want to offer feedback on this guide? Send us an email here.

Article Link: MagSafe: Everything About Apple's iPhone Charging Technology

 

[trifid]

Great article! However there is a very important piece of info missing, why are 'magsafe' cases necessary?

I've been trying to get more information on this, so far I found that charging speeds don't seem affected at least with some regular cases such as the example below where in the video it shows it charging at 16w using a regular clear case:

If charging speeds are still fine with non-magsafe cases, then the other question is magnet strength, and that I have seen reduced strength with non-magsafe cases, but what does that affect exactly? Perhaps car mounting is the only example I can think of that it would be affected. But even then, what if we use really thin cases like the ones from Totallee or Pitaka?

I think this might be a great topic for another article.

 

[centauratlas]

Will the phone charge face down too? I have the 12 Pro, but not one of the chargers to try.

 

[SDJim]

Great article! However there is a very important piece of info missing, why are 'magsafe' cases necessary?

I've been trying to get more information on this, so far I found that charging speeds don't seem affected at least with some regular cases such as the example below where in the video it shows it charging at 16w using a regular clear case:

View attachment 976017

If charging speeds are still fine with non-magsafe cases, then the other question is magnet strength, and that I have seen reduced strength with non-magsafe cases, but what does that affect exactly? Perhaps car mounting is the only example I can think of that it would be affected. But even then, how much is strength affected with really slim cases like Totallee or Pitaka?

I think this might be a great topic for another article.

MagSafe Wallet adhesion I guess would be the other issue.

 

[otternonsense]

If that is not “change for the sake of change” and a total gimmick to generate mad revenue on accessory sales, I don’t know what is.

 

[itsmilo]

Apple should be ashamed and Jobs would have thrown it all into Tim Cook’s face.

Now I have ...

an usb-c to lightening cable from my AirPod Pro that can charge both my iPad and iPhone but the iPad cable cannot charge my iPhone and the iPhone cable that came with my iPhone does not fit into the iPad charger so now I need to carry like 3 chargers and three different cables and still cannot plug any of them into my older MacBook and on top of it i need to bring an old iPhone cable to use on my powerbanks. Basically if I hadn’t had an iPhone before, I wouldn’t even be able to charge my new iPhone cuz the cable the new iPhone comes with doesn’t even fit any of the chargers and that charger doesn’t work on the new iPad either. 😫 wow I just got confused writing this. All I know is that I packed 4 different cables and 3 chargers for my weekend getaway and to use my iPad on my MacBook I still need to buy a cable 🤣

 

[SDJim]

When you place a MagSafe Charger on a compatible iPhone, the iPhone’s display will feature a MagSafe charging animation with a MagSafe-like shape on the screen along with a readout of the current iPhone charge.

Sir... That's a circle.

 

[Mac2Crack]

Apple should be ashamed and Jobs would have thrown it all into Tim Cook’s face.

Now I have ...

an usb-c to lightening cable from my AirPod Pro that can charge both my iPad and iPhone but the iPad cable cannot charge my iPhone and the iPhone cable that came with my iPhone does not fit into the iPad charger so now I need to carry like 3 chargers and three different cables and still cannot plug any of them into my older MacBook and on top of it i need to bring an old iPhone cable to use on my powerbanks. Basically if I hadn’t had an iPhone before, I wouldn’t even be able to charge my new iPhone cuz the cable the new iPhone comes with doesn’t even fit any of the chargers and that charger doesn’t work on the new iPad either. 😫 wow I just got confused writing this. All I knowing that I packed 4 different cables and 3 chargers for my weekend getaway

Then there is the Apple Watch....

 

[BigMcGuire]

Just throwing this out there (not my video but shows 3rd party USB C PD chargers do work) - heat is a big issue though.

 

[icanhazmac]

Am I the only one that is struggling with why Apple bothered with this?

It's slow:

With the MagSafe Charger, it takes about an hour to charge an iPhone 12 from zero to 50 percent, which is double the time that it takes to charge using a USB-C to Lightning cable and a 20W+ USB-C power adapter.

It requires a new brick, why doesn't the MacBook charger work?

Achieving 15W charging speeds requires Apple’s 20W power adapter. Testing with Apple’s prior-generation 18W iPad charger and a 96W MacBook Pro charger proved that those power adapters do not allow the MagSafe Charger to reach the full 15 watts.

Not backwards compatible in a useful way as its super slow:

Using the MagSafe Charger with older iPhones is possible, but not recommended because charging is slower than with the 7.5W Qi-based chargers. Charging appears to be capped at right around 5W with the MagSafe Charger when paired with older devices, and in testing, the MagSafe charger has proven to be slower than using a plain old Qi charger.

Magnets! I get these should be common sense but if you are going to make a magnetic credit card holder......

MagSafe Don’ts

• Avoid putting single use cards like hotel cards against the magnet in the iPhone or the MagSafe Charger
• Don’t put credit cards, security badges, passports, or key fobs between the iPhone and MagSafe Charger because magnetic strips and RFID chips can be damaged

If I wanted wireless charging I think I would find Qi pads much more user friendly than a magnetic one. Furthermore I struggle with why I would want a less effiencient charging method when you can argue that the magnetic approach makes this as physically involved as plugging in the cable.

My .02, YMMV but I am genuinely interested in why people would want this vs cabled or Qi.

 

[BigMcGuire]

Am I the only one that is struggling with why Apple bothered with this?

It's slow:

It requires a new brick, why doesn't the MacBook charger work?

Not backwards compatible in a useful way as its super slow:

Magnets! I get these should be common sense but if you are going to make a magnetic credit card holder......


If I wanted wireless charging I think I would find Qi pads much more user friendly than a magnetic one. Furthermore I struggle with why I would want a less effiencient charging method when you can argue that the magnetic approach makes this as physically involved as plugging in the cable.

My .02, YMMV

One thing I can agree with (not saying I don't agree with your other points) --- the great allure of wireless charging for me is to put my phone on/off the charger with one hand. Without an integrated stand, that is not possible with this wireless charger. If I'm going to go to all the effort of using two hands to "charge" my phone, I can plug in a cable.

While I see how nice it is to use this while charging (can't do that with my other wireless chargers) - I'm missing the ability to (one handedly) put my phone down on a pad and pick it up (with one hand).

 

[mattster16]

Long story short: just plug in your phone. I'm tired of wireless charging for the sake of wireless charging. It is inefficient and in a large scale sense contributes to a massive amount of wasted energy.

 

[orev]

Will the phone charge face down too? I have the 12 Pro, but not one of the chargers to try.

No. The charging coil is still on the back, and all the electronics inside would block charging from the front.

 

[dojoman]

What a mess!! What happens to it just works?

 

[eicca]

Magsafe was actually a revolutionary thing for laptops. This, not so much.

 

[Corrode]

MagSafe is a miss for me.

- charges slower than Lightning
- needs a specific charging block to reach peak speeds (which is still slower than Lightning)
- leaves marks on cases
- not included with the phone
- doesn’t work with iPad
- doesn’t work with Apple Watch
- costs $59 CAD

That’s a long list of cons compared to Lightning, which is on nearly every apple device I own, including the magic keyboard and trackpad. I don’t want another single-use cable/device and I especially don’t want to pay an extra $59 for it.

 

[itsmilo]

Then there is the Apple Watch....

Ah yes. I packed that too!

 

[trifid]

For those dismissing the idea, I agree Apple's implementation seems lacking in several respects, but I was surprised to find some other solutions that predate magsafe that seem to be very nicely done such as this one from Pitaka, I even wonder if Apple got inspired by some of these other companies.

To me it's undisputed the convenience of magnetic charging in this use case:

 

[efktd]

The 'MagSafe' charger was Apple using their 'AirPower' resources and R&D?

 

[and 1989 others]

What we wanted was AirPower. What we got was this.
A technology I first discovered with a Galaxy S6 in 2015, and I tell
You what the technology is much the same, save for the 'innovation' of adding magnets.

 

[wagsrules]

I personally don't see the point have having a magsafe wireless charger. If I am using a wireless charger I can just pick up my phone. If using magsafe I still have to disconnect the charger so you might as well plug it in. I do see the benefits to magsafe though such as car mounts.

 

[tennisproha]

The MagSafe “don’ts” is a pretty big deal, especially for people who travel. Passports, hotel keys, and other magnetic cards being deactivated can cause some serious consequences.

 

[Alex.Roams]

What does "more than less than half as fast" mean???

 

[Prof.]

I love my MagSafe iPhone charger. The only downside is, like the article said, the iPhone 12 gets really warm. And that’s on a granite countertop which is already the coldest surface in my apartment haha.

 

[H3LL5P4WN]

Wallpaper please?