iPhone 12 Won't Wireless Charge? Here's The Fix!

Colin Boyd

MARCH 24, 2021

The iPhone 12 has a great battery, but it doesn't last forever. You placed your iPhone on a wireless charger, but the battery life keeps going down. Today, I'll show you exactly what to do if your iPhone 12 won't wireless charge.

Is It My iPhone 12 Or My Charger?

One of the most common complaints we've heard about wireless charging is how finicky it can be. Unless you place your iPhone perfectly in the center of the charger, it's possible that the two devices won't connect and your iPhone won't charge.

Before you get too far into the troubleshooting process, double-check that your iPhone is in the right spot on your wireless charger. If you're sure this isn't the problem, it's time to start looking into some other solutions.

You may also want to remove your iPhone 12 from its case before moving ahead. Some iPhone cases can be too thick to form a successful wireless charging connection.

Do I Need A MagSafe Charger?

When Apple announced the iPhone 12, they also revealed their new MagSafe design. MagSafe, in this case, is meant to guarantee that the wireless charger is always in the right place on your iPhone.

You don't, however, need a wireless charger specifically designed for MagSafe to get successfully charge your iPhone 12. Any Qi-enabled wireless charger will do.

If you're looking for a new wireless charger, Anker makes one of our favorites.

How To Repair An iPhone 12 That Won't Wireless Charge

9 Steps Total
1.

Turn Off Your iPhone 12

Powering down your iPhone 12 can give its system the chance to rest and reset. Sometimes, the act of shutting down your iPhone 12 and turning it back on again can be all you need to do to resolve a minor software issue.

How Do I Turn Off My iPhone 12?

  1. Press and hold the side button and either volume button.
  2. Release both buttons when slide to power off appears on the screen.
  3. Swipe the red and white power icon from left to right to turn off your iPhone 12.
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2.

Hard Reset Your iPhone 12

Hard resets can temporarily fix display issues, but they don't get to the root of the software problem that made your iPhon 12 malfunction to begin with. If your iPhone 12 continues to have problems, we recommend trying a deeper software troubleshooting step like Reset All Settings or a DFU restore.

How Do I Hard Reset My iPhone 12?

  1. Quickly press and release the Volume Up button.
  2. Quickly press and release the Volume Down button.
  3. Press and hold the side button.
  4. Keep holding the side button until the display goes black and the Apple logo appears on your iPhone 12.
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3.

Make Sure Your Wireless Charger Is Plugged In

The term "wireless charging" itself is kind of a misnomer. After all, you still need to connect the wireless charger to power. What makes them wireless is that you never have to plug anything into the iPhone's Lightning port.

How Do I Make Sure My Wireless Charger Is Plugged In?

  1. Remove your iPhone from your wireless charging platform.
  2. Check the place where the wireless charger connects to the power cable. Make sure that both of these components have a solid connection.
  3. Check the outlet your wireless charger is plugged into. Make sure the power cable and power source are securely connected.
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4.

Make Sure Your Wireless Charger Is Qi-Enabled

When it comes to both standard chargers and wireless chargers, iPhones are pretty selective. A knockoff or cheap charger can have any number of things wrong with it that could potentially be harmful to your iPhone.

For example, some chargers are designed at higher voltages than made-for-iPhone (MFi) chargers are. If you plug your iPhone into one of these charges, the power could damage your iPhone's components, or your iPhone might just reject the charger altogether.

For this reason, iPhones will only work with Qi wireless chargers. If you want to learn more about Apple's charger requirements, check out Apple's USB power adapter standards.

How Do I Make Sure My Wireless Charger Is Qi-Enabled?

  1. Look over your wireless charger to find the brand name.
  2. Research the manufacturer's name on a website like Amazon to make sure the company is reputable and well-reviewed.
  3. If you can't find any information on the company that makes your wireless charger, you may want avoid charging your iPhone with it.
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5.

Update iOS On Your iPhone

If your iPhone is running an outdated version of iOS, you may run into problems that could be fixed simply by updating to the most recent version of iOS.

How Do I Update iOS On My iPhone?

There are two ways to update iOS on your iPhone: in the Settings app and by using iTunes.

Update iOS In The Settings App

  1. Open up the Settings app.
  2. Tap General.
  3. Tap Software Update.
  4. If an update is available, tap Install Now or Download and Install.

Update iOS Using iTunes (PCs and Macs running macOS 10.14 or older)

  1. Connect your iPhone to a computer using a Lightning cable.
  2. Open iTunes.
  3. Click the Phone button in the upper left-hand corner of iTunes (see image 3).
  4. Click Check For Update.
  5. If an update is available, click Download and Install.

Update iOS Using Finder (Macs running macOS 10.15 or newer)

  1. Connect your iPhone to your Mac using a charging cable.
  2. Open Finder.
  3. Click on your iPhone under Locations.
  4. Click the General tab.
  5. Click Check for Update.
  6. Click Download and Install if an iOS update is available.
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6.

Clean Your Wireless Charger

If dust or debris accumulates on your wireless charger, it can prevent your iPhone from charging successfully. Wiping down your wireless charger regularly will ensure that nothing interferes with your iPhone's ability to charge.

How Do I Clean My Wireless Charger?

  1. Unplug your wireless charger from power.
  2. Wipe away any debris on the surface of your wireless charger with a damp paper towel.
  3. Allow your wireless charger a few minutes to dry before placing your iPhone back on it.
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7.

Back Up Your iPhone

It's important to back up your iPhone before doing any major restores (such as a DFU restore). If something goes wrong while you're trying to fix your iPhone, having a back up means you won't lose any of your data (such as contacts, photos, apps, and more). Restoring from a back up is a lot more convenient than having to go and reenter all the information that was saved on your iPhone.

How Do I Back Up My iPhone?

There are a few different ways to back up your iPhone:

Backup Your iPhone Using iCloud

  1. If you have a WiFi connection, you can back up your iPhone using iCloud.
  2. Open the Settings app.
  3. Tap on Your Name at the top of the screen.
  4. Tap iCloud.
  5. Scroll down and tap on iCloud Backup.
  6. Make sure the switch next to iCloud Backup is on. You'll know the switch is on when the switch is green.
  7. Tap Back Up Now.
  8. A status bar will appear to tell you how much time is remaining.

Backup Your iPhone Using iTunes

  1. Plug the Lightning connector on your Lightning cable (charging cable) into the Lightning port on your iPhone.
  2. Plug the other end of your Lightning cable into a USB port on your computer.
  3. Open iTunes on your computer.
  4. Click on the iPhone icon in the upper left hand corner of iTunes.
  5. Click the circle next to "iCloud" or "This computer" to select whether you want to backup your iPhone to iCloud or your computer.
  6. Click Back Up Now to backup your iPhone.
  7. When the backup is complete, you'll see the time and date updated under Latest Backup.

Backup Your iPhone Using Finder (Macs Running Catalina 10.15 or newer)

  1. Connect your iPhone to your Mac using a charging cable.
  2. Open Finder.
  3. Click on your iPhone under Locations.
  4. Click the circle next to Back up all of the data on your iPhone to this Mac.
  5. Click Back Up Now.
  6. When the backup is complete, you'll see the time and date updated under Latest Backup.
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8.

DFU Restore Your iPhone

A DFU restore has the potential to fix software problems by completely erasing the code which may be causing your problem. The code is rewritten as if your iPhone is brand new, so the software problem may get solved.

Think of it like a house that has cracks in the foundation. Rather than try and fix the cracks, we are building an entirely new foundation.

If you can, back up your iPhone before completing a DFU restore. Any time you do a restore, it erases everything from your iPhone. However, after the restore is completed, you restore all your backed up data back onto your iPhone.

How Do I DFU Restore My iPhone?

How To DFU Restore An iPhone SE, 6s, Or Older

  1. Using a Lightning cable, plug your iPhone into a USB port on your computer.
  2. Open iTunes if you have a PC or Mac running Mojave 10.14 or earlier. Open Finder if you have a Mac running Catalina 10.15 or newer. It doesn’t matter if your iPhone is on or off.
  3. Press and hold the Home button and the power button simultaneously.
  4. After 8 seconds, release the power button, but continue to hold the Home button.
  5. Let go of the power button when your iPhone appears in iTunes or Finder.
  6. Your iPhone’s display will be completely black if you’ve successfully entered DFU mode. If it’s not, try again from the beginning.
  7. Restore your iPhone using iTunes or Finder.

How To DFU Restore An iPhone 7 Or 7 Plus

  1. Using a Lightning cable, plug your iPhone into a USB port on your computer.
  2. Open iTunes if you have a PC or Mac running Mojave 10.14 or earlier. Open Finder if you have a Mac running Catalina 10.15 or newer. It doesn’t matter if your iPhone is on or off.
  3. Press and hold the power and volume down button simultaneously.
  4. After 8 seconds, release the power button, but continue to hold the volume down button.
  5. Release the volume down button when your iPhone appears in iTunes or Finder.
  6. You'll know your iPhone is in DFU mode if the display is completely black.
  7. Restore your iPhone using iTunes or Finder.

How To DFU Restore An iPhone 8 Or Newer

  1. Connect your iPhone to your computer using a charging cable.
  2. Open iTunes (PCs and Macs running macOS 10.14 or older) or Finder (Macs running macOS 10.15 or newer).
  3. Quickly press and release the volume up button.
  4. Quickly press and release the volume down button.
  5. Press and hold the side button until the screen goes black.
  6. When the screen goes black, press and hold the volume down button while continuing to press and hold the side button.
  7. Hold both buttons for five seconds.
  8. After five seconds, release the side button while continuing to hold the volume down button.
  9. Keep holding the volume down button until your iPhone appears in Finder or iTunes.
  10. Restore your iPhone using iTunes or Finder.
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9.

Repair Your iPhone With Apple

Apple repairs iPhones at the Genius Bar in Apple Stores and through their online mail-in repair service. Apple repairs are high-quality, but out-of-warranty repairs can be much more expensive than third-party solutions. If you're looking to save some money you're not covered by Apple's warranty, you may want to check out our other recommendations.

How Do I Repair My iPhone With Apple?

How To Repair Your iPhone With Apple's Mail-In Service

  1. Visit Apple's support website to begin the online mail-in repair process.
  2. Alternatively, call 1-800-MY-APPLE (1-800-692-7753) to set up a repair.

How To Repair Your iPhone At The Genius Bar Inside Your Local Apple Store

  1. Visit Apple's website to make a Genius Bar appointment before you go into the store. Apple Stores are extremely busy, and if you don't have an appointment, you may have to wait for hours or end up being turned away. (Editor's note: I'm a former Apple tech and we're not exaggerating — please, do yourself a favor and make an appointment first!)
  2. When you arrive, go to the Genius Bar to check in for your appointment.
  3. Genius Bar appointments always include free diagnosis. If you're under warranty, many repairs can be done on the spot, but it all depends upon which parts are in stock. If you're not under warranty, the Genius will give you a quote for the cost of a repair.
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No Wire Required!

Wireless charging can be extremely convenient and extremely powerful. However, it does not seem to be a perfect science yet. Hopefully at this point we've helped you repair the wireless charging on your iPhone. Be sure to leave any further questions or comments you have down below!

AUTHOR

Colin Boyd

I'm Colin, the Creative Coordinator for Payette Forward.

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