Over the past few years, wireless charging has become a common feature in many smartphone models, including all of the iPhone range. Wireless charging is a great feature that can save the hassle of using cables, helping to push the trend to move towards a cordless world. 

With wireless charging appearing to be so simple and seamless, many iPhone users are moving to adopt this feature into their day-to-day lives. However, sometimes it isn't as simple as it seems. Maybe you return to your phone and it isn't charging a few hours later, or possibly it won't connect when you initially place your phone on the charger. Problems can arise when wireless charging your iPhone but in this article we take a look at some common ways to fix them! 

How to fix wireless charging on your iPhone:

When trying to figure out what is causing a charging problem, it is important to try and identify which part of the charging set-up is actually the root of the issue. Is it phone or is it the wireless charger? Let's look at both of these and some solutions for each! 

Is my iPhone causing the issue? 

When it comes to figuring out whether your iPhone is causing your wireless charging problems, it is important to identify whether your device is capable of this function. Wireless charging capabilities was introduced in the iPhone 8 models, so if you have an older device than this your phone won't charge when placed on a wireless charger. 

However, if your iPhone is capable and stops charging, here are some ways of identifying whether it is your device that is causing the issue:

• Charge your phone with another charger: The best way to tell if your iPhone works fine is to put it on another wireless charger to see if it will charge. If you don't have another wireless charger, use the USB charger instead. Although wireless charging and wired charging don't work the same, you can still identify whether your phone has more serious problems such as a faulty battery. 
• Restart your phone: Whether another wireless charger is working or not, restarting your phone is always a good way of refreshing your phone and avoiding any loops within the software that may be happening. If you can't restart the phone because it is frozen, try a force restart.
• Update your phone: If restarting your iPhone doesn't work, check if there's a software update available. A software update can often be a quick fix for some problems when it comes to charging. Some software bugs can affect charging, but Apple are generally quick to release an update if this is a widespread issue. 
• Reset your phone:If your iPhone won't wireless charge and restarting or a software update hasn't helped, a reset is the final step before getting it checked over by a technician. Unfortunately, resetting also means erasing everything on your iPhone. Although you can back up your data beforehand, a factory reset is not just a simple restart, so you might want to consider this a last resort. Before you reset your phone, it is important to take a closer look at your wireless charger incase it is causing the issue. 

Is my charger causing the issue? 

Maybe it isn't your iPhone and it is actually the charger that is not allowing your device to charge. Let's take a look at some reasons why this may be the case! 

• Check your charger is plugged in properly: This may sound simple, but it is a common reason for chargers to not be working! If your wireless charger does not have any way of indicating whether it has power running to it, then you may not notice if a cable or plug has fallen out. 
• Reposition your iPhone: Charging coils inside the wireless charger transmit power across just a few millimetres to the iPhone. So, when the coils and your iPhone don't line up, wireless charging will unfortunately not work. It is important you try and move your iPhone around if it is not connecting to the charger. Some wireless chargers are more sensitive than others, but soon enough you will find the perfect spot for your iPhone! 
• Ensure it has a strong power source: Some people often try to charge their phone through their computer or other USB power source. Although this can work, it is often extremely slow and is becoming less reliable as battery sizes in iPhones grow. When wireless charging, it is important that you have your charger plugged into a wall socket if possible to allow for the maximum power transfer to take place. 

Is it something different? 

If you have tried to isolate whether your charger or iPhone is causing wireless charging problems but have come to no conclusion, there is the possibility that it could be another issue! 

• Remove any case: Apple's QI charging is designed to work through many different cases. However, if your case is made of a thick material or metal there is a change that the power will not be able to be transmitted between the charging coils. Accessories such as card holders on the rear of your phone case can also restrict charging. Try removing any case you may have on your phone to solve your charging issues! 
• Phone too hot: As wireless charging is less efficient than wired charging, it generates more heat. If iPhone battery gets too warm, an automatic protection mechanism is triggered and limits charging above 80 percent. If a warning appears on your screen, remove your phone from the charger and let it cool down before continuing to charge. 

If you are still facing troubles after trying these different steps, it is likely that there is a more serious problem with your phone or charger. This could be to do with the battery or charging coils within your iPhone. Here at DeXTech we have technicians that can take a closer look at your phone for you in order to try and identify what the issue is a resolve it quickly! If you need to get your phone checked out, get in touch with our team and we would love to help! 

Here at DeXTech, we are here to help you with your technology requirements. We stock a wide range of Apple products, from the iPhone 4s all the way through to the iPhone XS, plus the iPad range. Along with this, we carry a huge range of Android smartphones and tablets, including Samsung, Pixel and LG. With these devices on hand we are able to offer technical support every step of the way from assisting to get your device setup to dealing with issues such as network issues or software troubleshooting. We have a helpful team who can lend a hand via our tech support email address: support@dextech.co.nz. Do not hesitate to reach out!