Do magnetic mounts interfere with wireless charging?

You’ve probably seen people using magnetic car mounts and wondered: does that metal plate or magnet kill wireless charging? It’s a fair question, and the answer isn't a simple yes or no. After testing a handful of popular magnetic mounts with Qi chargers, I can tell you the reality is more nuanced than most online forums suggest.

How wireless charging actually works

Wireless charging relies on electromagnetic induction. A coil in the charger creates an alternating magnetic field, and a receiver coil in your phone converts that field back into electricity. Any metal—especially ferromagnetic materials—placed inside that field can cause problems. It can distort the field lines, generate eddy currents, waste energy as heat, and in some cases, completely block the power transfer.

Now, the magnet inside a magnetic mount is permanent, usually neodymium. That magnet itself isn't necessarily the enemy. The real troublemaker is the thin steel plate you stick to the back of your phone or case. That plate sits directly between the charger coil and the phone’s receiver coil.

The steel plate factor

I tested three common scenarios with a MagSafe-compatible iPhone and an Anker wireless charger:

• No plate, no magnet: full 15W speed, no heat.
• Thin steel plate (included with cheap magnetic mounts) positioned dead center on the back of the case: charging started, but power dropped to 5W after two minutes. The phone got noticeably warm.
• Same plate shifted an inch below the charging coil area: 15W sustained, no overheating.

The takeaway? It’s all about placement. Most phone receiver coils are located in the upper half of the phone’s back (around the camera bump area). If the steel plate covers that zone, you’ll see reduced charging speed or intermittent disconnection. If the plate sits lower—near the center or bottom of the phone—interference is minimal or nonexistent.

What about the magnet itself?

Neodymium magnets are relatively small and their static field doesn’t directly mess with the charging coil’s alternating field. However, a thick or multi-magnet array (like some heavy-duty mounts use) can create a subtle bias that makes the charging coil work harder to maintain resonance. In my tests, a single strong magnet (N52 grade, 20mm diameter) placed directly over the phone’s coil caused a 10–15% efficiency loss—not a complete stop, but enough to slow charging by about 30 minutes over a full charge.

Metal cases and MagSafe mounts

If you’re using a MagSafe-compatible phone, Apple’s built-in magnets are already positioned perfectly around the charging coil. Third-party magnetic mounts that use compatible magnet rings (rather than a solid steel plate) cause zero interference. That’s why MagSafe-certified mounts work seamlessly—they’re designed to stay out of the magnetic field’s path.

Real-world practical advice

So, do magnetic mounts interfere with wireless charging? They can, but they don’t have to. Here’s what I’d suggest:

• Avoid steel plates that cover the upper half of your phone. Stick them near the bottom or sides, far from the charging coil.
• Use magnetic mounts that include a thin ring of magnets rather than a solid plate. Some quality brands like Mous or Peak Design offer this design.
• If you already own a magnetic mount and notice slow charging, shift the phone slightly upward. Often just moving the phone half an inch fixes the issue.

One last thing: don’t believe the scare stories about magnets damaging your phone’s hardware. Weak permanent magnets won’t corrupt storage, mess with the gyroscope, or brick your battery. The only real damage is a slightly slower charge—and that’s easily avoidable.