Device Not Detected
Wireless Charger Wireless Charger
Severity: MinorWhat Does This Error Mean?
A wireless charger not detecting your phone is usually caused by misalignment between the charging coils, a thick or metal phone case blocking the signal, or the phone's wireless charging being disabled. Remove the case and reposition the phone directly over the center of the pad.
Affected Models
- Anker Wireless Charger
- Belkin Wireless Charger
- Samsung Wireless Charger
- Mophie Wireless Charger
- Generic Qi Wireless Charger
Common Causes
- Phone not aligned over the charging coil — the coil is not as large as the pad
- Thick case, wallet case, or magnetic case blocking the wireless signal
- Metal plate inside the phone case for a magnetic car mount interfering with charging
- Phone's NFC or wireless charging disabled in settings
- Wireless charger not receiving power — adapter or cable fault
- Foreign object (coin, key) between phone and pad triggering the object detection safety shutoff
How to Fix It
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Remove the phone case and try again.
Cases thicker than about 3mm reduce wireless charging efficiency significantly. Wallet cases with cards or cash completely block charging. Any case with a metal plate (used for magnetic car mounts) will prevent Qi charging entirely — the metal absorbs the electromagnetic field.
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Center the phone carefully over the charging pad.
Wireless charging coils are smaller than the pad surface. The phone must be positioned so its internal charging coil aligns with the pad's coil — typically the center of the device. Slide the phone slowly around the pad center until you feel or hear the charging tone or see the charging indicator appear.
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Check that the wireless charger itself has power.
Verify the charging pad's LED is lit. If there is no indicator light, check the USB-C cable connection at the pad and the wall adapter. Wireless chargers typically require at least a 10W adapter — a 5W phone charger may not provide enough power for the pad to activate properly.
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Check for foreign objects on the pad.
Wireless chargers have foreign object detection — if a coin, key, or metal card sits between the phone and the pad, the charger detects the metal object and shuts off to prevent heating the object. Wipe the pad surface clean before placing the phone.
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Check wireless charging is enabled on the phone.
On some Android phones (Samsung, Google Pixel), wireless charging can be disabled in the battery settings. Go to Settings > Battery (or Device Care) and ensure wireless charging is toggled on. On iPhones, wireless charging cannot be disabled and is always active.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my wireless charger detect my phone but then stop after a few seconds?
A charger that starts then immediately stops is detecting a foreign object (often a card in a wallet case) or overheating the phone (which triggers a thermal shutdown). Remove the case and check for anything between the phone and pad. If the phone itself is hot, let it cool before wireless charging.
Does wireless charging work through any case?
It works through most plastic, rubber, and leather cases up to about 3mm thick. It does not work through cases with metal components (metal back plates, magnetic mount plates, or metal card slots). Thick cases (above 4-5mm) reduce charging speed and may cause the charger to fail to detect the phone at all.