How to add MagSafe to the iPhone 16e

Macworld

The new iPhone 16e might lack Apple’s fast-charging MagSafe technology but fear not as there is a simple solution where you can clean up Apple’s mistake and add efficient magnetic charging to the 16e.

The most surprising compromise Apple made in creating its entry-level model is the 16e’s lack of its much-lauded and highly useful MagSafe technology. MagSafe has been a mainstay of all iPhones since 2020’s iPhone 12 (with the one exception of the 2022 iPhone SE). It’s provides faster wireless charging and lets your phone identify the devices it’s stuck to, so you can do things like get separation alerts in FindMy if your iPhone detaches from a MagSafe wallet.

Qi wireless charging relies on the user positioning the phone in exactly the right spot of the charging device. Get it a fraction of an inch wrong or even slightly knock the phone out of position and the charging speed will be either reduced or more likely stopped altogether.

You can’t add actual MagSafe to an iPhone 16e, but you can add the ring of magnets that helps align charging coils and hold your phone onto charging stands and car phone mounts.

How to add MagSafe to the iPhone 16e

The solution to removing the poor wireless charging performance of the iPhone 16e is quite simple: put the iPhone into a MagSafe-compatible case. But make sure it’s the right type of case.

With a premium MagSafe case, this should enable the phone to lock magnetically to the MagSafe charger, ensuring alignment between the charger and the phone’s wireless charging coil, and therefore optimized coupling between the coils of the phone and the charger.

We tested this out using the first iPhone 16e case that we got our hands on—the dbrand Grip Case—but charging should work with most MagSafe cases. Just note that not all iPhone 16e cases, even ones that say they are MagSafe compatible, will feature magnets inside the case, so you’ll need to buy the right one. You can check our reviews of the best iPhone 16 cases for the best iPhone 16e cases as they are released.

Dbrand claims that its case is especially adept at creating the best magnetic connection between iPhone 16e and wireless charger as it has a “unique magnetic array setup” that isn’t a simple series of magnets, which was originally developed for the Samsung Ultra smartphones to eliminate magnet-based electromagnetic resonance interference. It lowers field distortion and provides a stronger magnetic attachment, without triggering foreign object detections between the charger and device.

There is now a huge market in MagSafe chargers, from simple pucks to 3-in-1 charging stands that can simultaneously charge an iPhone or two, AirPods, and Apple Watch. We have tested and reviewed the best MagSafe chargers and the best magnetic power banks that also use the technology to clamp the wireless-charging battery pack to the back of the iPhone.




Simon Jary / Foundry

You’re still missing out on the best MagSafe

While a magnetic MagSafe case will solve the issue of alignment, you’ll be missing out on the benefits of faster charging. Wireless charging on the iPhone 16e adheres to the Q1 standard and maxes out at 7.5W, while Apple’s built-in MagSafe supports wireless charging at 15W. The latest version of Apple’s own MagSafe Charger alone supports 25W wireless charging on the latest iPhones.




Simon Jary / Foundry

According to sources, Apple doesn’t think the lack of MagSafe on the 16e is a big deal as it thinks that most people charge their phones using a cable anyway and don’t stress over charging speeds. An Apple representative told John Gruber at Daring Fireball that most people in the 16e’s target audience exclusively charge their phones by plugging them into a charging cable.

But while wired charging by Lightning (iPhone 12-14) or USB-C (iPhone 15-16) is certainly faster (up to 30W) than wireless, it’s nowhere near as convenient. The 16e’s lack of MagSafe makes wireless charging a poorer user experience than other iPhones and even some Qi2 Android phones.

Because the iPhone 16e lacks magnets inside, when using a MagSafe charger it’s nearly impossible to achieve a perfect alignment. Any slight offset (even by a few millimeters) can lead to suboptimal coupling between the transmitter and receiver coils. This increases resistive losses and reduces power-transfer efficiency. But with a case, you’ll at least know your phone is charging, even if it’ll take a little longer than it should.




Simon Jary / Foundry