Wireless Charging Not Working? Fixes to Try (Vancouver Guide)

If your phone won’t charge on a wireless pad, the cause is usually something between the phone and the pad, a charger that isn’t getting enough power, or the phone itself pausing the charge because it’s warm. A few minutes of checking often finds the problem without a repair.

Work through the checks below in order. They start with the quick, common causes and finish with the signs that point to the phone’s hardware.

1. Check that your phone supports wireless charging

It sounds obvious, but this one catches people often, especially after switching phones. Wireless charging isn’t standard on every model. Most recent flagship iPhone and Samsung Galaxy phones support it (on iPhone, every model from the iPhone 8 onward does), but plenty of lower-cost Android phones leave it out to save cost.

The quickest way to know for sure is to search your exact model name plus “specifications” on the maker’s website and look for “wireless charging” or “Qi”. Qi is the common wireless charging standard most pads use, and Qi2 is its newer, magnet-aligned version. If your phone isn’t listed as supporting Qi, no pad will charge it.

2. Remove whatever is between the phone and the pad

Wireless charging works by passing energy between a coil in the pad and a coil inside the back of your phone. Anything that adds distance or contains metal gets in the way. Common culprits:

• Thick or rugged cases. Heavy-duty cases can put too much space between the coils. Try charging with the case off. If that works, the case is the problem.
• Metal plates and magnetic car mounts. The thin metal plate stuck to the back of a phone or case for a car mount will block charging and can make the pad heat up.
• Ring holders and grips stuck to the back of the case.
• Cards. Wallet cases and card sleeves are popular for carrying a Compass Card or a building fob, but keep cards and fobs away from the pad. Bank cards, transit cards, hotel key cards and access fobs can block charging, and the magnets and heat involved could damage some of them. Apple specifically warns against placing cards between an iPhone and a MagSafe charger.

If the pad or phone gets unusually hot and something is sitting between them, take it off right away. Metal objects on a wireless pad can heat up.

3. Get the alignment right

The charging coil sits roughly in the middle of most phones, but not always, and the sweet spot on a pad can be smaller than you’d think. If you set your phone down at an angle, or it slides when a notification vibrates, charging may start and stop.

• Place the phone face up and centred on the pad, then watch for the charging icon or sound.
• On a stand, try the phone in both portrait and landscape. Some stands only charge in one orientation.
• Magnetic chargers (MagSafe and Qi2) snap into place, which mostly solves alignment. If yours won’t hold firmly, the case may not be magnet-compatible.

A lot of pads have a small indicator light. A steady light usually means charging, while a flashing light often means something is wrong, such as a foreign object or misalignment. Check the pad’s instructions, since every brand uses its own signals.

4. Check the pad’s power supply

A wireless pad is only as good as the adapter plugged into it. Many pads are sold without a wall adapter, and people grab whatever old phone brick is in the drawer. If that adapter can’t supply enough power, the pad may charge very slowly, cut in and out, or not start at all.

• Look up the adapter wattage your pad’s maker recommends and use one that meets it.
• Try the pad’s own cable, or another good cable, between the adapter and the pad.
• Plug the adapter into a wall outlet rather than a laptop USB port or a power bar’s USB socket, which may not deliver enough.
• Test the pad with another phone that supports wireless charging. If that phone won’t charge either, the pad or its adapter is the issue.

Cheap, no-name pads and adapters are a common source of trouble, and our guide on why cheap phone chargers can be a bad idea explains what to look for. If you need a replacement, you can browse the chargers we carry at the kiosk.

5. Let a warm phone cool down

Wireless charging creates more heat than charging by cable, and phones protect their batteries by slowing or pausing the charge when they get warm. You may notice your phone stops at around 80% on the pad, or a message says charging is on hold.

• Take the phone out of a thick case while it charges.
• Don’t charge it on a bed, couch, under a pillow or in direct sun on a window ledge.
• Avoid gaming or streaming video on the pad, since that adds heat.

Software settings can also stop a charge on purpose. iPhone’s Optimized Battery Charging and the charging limit options on recent iPhones and Android phones can hold the battery below 100% for a while. That’s normal behaviour, not a fault. In Settings, search for “battery” or “charging” to see what’s switched on.

6. Restart and update the phone

Phones control charging through software, and a glitch can stop wireless charging while cable charging keeps working. Restart the phone, then try the pad again. If there’s a software update waiting, install it. Updates sometimes include charging fixes, and newer charger features (like Qi2 support on some older iPhones) have arrived through updates.

On some Samsung phones there’s a setting for fast wireless charging. If you’ve switched it off, charging will still work, just more slowly. Search Settings for “wireless charging” to check.

7. Signs the problem is the phone, not the pad

If you’ve tried a good pad with the right adapter, no case, careful alignment and a cool phone, and it still won’t charge wirelessly, the issue is likely inside the phone. Watch for these clues:

• Wireless charging stopped after a drop. The coil or its connection inside the back of the phone can be damaged even when the outside looks fine.
• The back glass is cracked. Wireless charging may still work, but cracks let in moisture and dust, and the damage may extend to parts underneath.
• The phone has been wet. Liquid damage can affect charging in ways that show up days later.
• Cable charging is also unreliable. Then the cause may be the battery or charging system rather than the wireless parts. Work through our checklist for a phone that’s not charging.
• The battery drains fast or the back swells. Stop using a swollen phone and get it checked.

Keep in mind that a cable is still a reliable backup. If wireless charging has quit but the charging port works, you’re not stranded while you sort it out.

Wireless charging still not working? Visit MyChoice in Downtown Vancouver

If you’ve run through these checks and your phone still won’t charge on a pad, bring it to MyChoice Mobile Repair, our kiosk on Granville Street in Downtown Vancouver. We work on iPhone, Samsung and other major brands, including charging problems and back glass damage, and we’ll take a look and talk you through your options. Bring your pad and adapter too if you can, so we can rule them out together.

We’re open every day from 9 AM to midnight. Call (236) 785-8300 to check your model, or ask for a quote online.