iPhone 12 Pro Max Not Charging Wirelessly With MagSafe (Fix?)

iPhone 12 Pro Max not charging error

iPhone 12 Pro Max not charging error


Is your brand new iPhone 12 Pro Max not charging wirelessly with Apple’s original MagSafe charger? You’re not the only one affected by this problem. One of our readers Brac, has just reported that his recently purchased iPhone 12 Pro Max unit, with no case on it, running iOS 14.2, isn’t charging at all when using the MagSafe puck!

We’ve previously got reports about iPhone 12 models that are getting stuck on the MagSafe charging animation, but this issue had been fixed by the iOS 14.2 software update. It’s also known that the new MagSafe puck is charging older iPhone models very slow. However, complaints regarding iPhone 12 not charging when connected to MagSafe are pilling up.

iPhone 12 Not Charging With Magsafe Causes

In most cases this issue is caused by a software glitch.
The iPhone 12, 12 mini, 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max models can be all affected by the MagSafe not charging bug.

The iPhone 12 Pro Max MagSafe charging problem started with a few isolated cases, but we’ve received dozens of similar reports in the meantime.

Some users claim that the issue manifest itself right after unboxing, while other say that it starts after a few weeks of usage.

How To Fix iPhone 12 Pro Max Not Charging

Here are some early troubleshooting tips:

  • Change Power Outlet and filter out the possibility of a broken power supply.
  • Reboot iPhone, using the force restart trick and try to MagSafe charge again.
  • If possible, use the same MagSafe puck to charge another iPhone that supports wireless charging.
  • Workaround: regular wired charging should work normally. Use the standard wired USB-C to Lightning charger, that’s still shipped in the box, to charge your iPhone 12.

(Updated July 7, 2021)

How To Fix iPhone 12 Pro Max Not Charging With MagSafe

Here are a few tested and working fixes for iPhone MagSafe charger not working:

1. Tap Battery Icon in Status Bar

tapping battery icon to fix MagSafe not working
Tap the battery icon available in the status bar, while you’re on the iPhone Home screen. If the screen turns black and a spinning wheel is displayed in the middle, it means that a glitch was present and the device re-springs. MagSafe charging should work now.

2. Reboot iPhone With MagSafe Puck Connected

Austin has shared in the comments section that he managed to get his iPhone 12 Pro Max charging by rebooting the device while still connected to the MagSafe charging puck!
Apparently, the iPhone starts charging as soon as iOS finishes booting up!
Please try this troubleshooting tip and confirm if it works for you too, using the comments section available below!

3. Remove MagSafe Case

Some users have confirmed that the iPhone charges wirelessly after third-party MagSafe cases are removed. Is this your case too?

iPhone 12 Pro MagSafe Not Working Video Guide

Here is a video that shows how you can fix an iPhone 12 that’s not charging with MagSafe:

Fact: iOS 14 doesn’t have a Settings option to enable/disable wireless MagSafe charging, so there’s no setting that you could tweak to make this work. Your only option is to contact Apple support and ask for help. If the problem is hardware related you will surly be offered a replacement unit, or asked to wait for a software update.

If your iPhone 12 Pro Max or iPhone 12 mini is also experiencing MagSafe charging problems, please use the comments section available below and share your feedback. We’re curious if this still is a widespread issue is!

iPhone 12 Pro Max Not Charging Report

Here is a quote of the initial feedback:

I just received my IPhone 12 Pro Max. My phone does not charge at all with the MagSafe. I am running iOS 14.2. No case and I’ve tried multiple outlets, plugs and power cycled several times. Nothing works. The same MagSafe charges my wife’s 12 Pro perfectly. So sorry I’m thinking the Max has an issue unknown to Apple at this point.

Related: There is a known iPhone 12 MagSafe related bug that alters the Lock Screen sound on your device when a MagSafe case is attached to it. You can read more about it here.
Did you know that you can 3D print your own MagSafe charging dock or a flush mount adapter?