Magnetic Cables

A cable that clicks on

A magnetic cable comes in two parts. A small tip goes into the phone's charging socket and stays there. The cable's end clicks onto that tip with a magnet, and comes away again with a light pull. Tips are made for USB-C, Lightning and micro-USB sockets, and some sets come with more than one kind of tip, so one cable can charge different phones by changing the tip.

Why people choose one

• The socket lasts. The plug is never pushed in and pulled out, so the phone's socket is saved from the wear of being plugged in every day.
• It comes away cleanly. If someone trips over the cable or the phone slides off the bed, the magnet lets go, instead of the cable pulling the phone to the floor or bending the plug.
• It finds its own way. Bring the cable near the tip and it snaps into place, which is handy at a bedside in the dark or with a phone in a car holder.
• Less lint gets in. The tip fills the socket, so pocket fluff has less room to pack into it.

Things to check before you buy

The tip stays in the phone, so check that it does not get in the way of your case: a thick case with a narrow opening at the bottom may press against it. Keep the magnetic end away from bank cards. Check the tip matches the phone, USB-C for iPhone 15 and later and most recent Android phones, Lightning for iPhones from the iPhone 5 to the iPhone 14. Check the plug at the charger end, USB-A or USB-C, against your charger. And check whether the cable carries data as well as power, since moving photos to a computer needs data. Small tips are easy to lose, so a spare is worth having.

Magnetic cables and magnetic chargers are different things

A magnetic cable is a wired cable with a magnetic join at the phone end. A magnetic wireless charger has no plug at all: it clicks onto the back of the phone, using the magnets in MagSafe-compatible iPhones or in a magnetic case. See magnetic wireless chargers and magnetic phone cases, and the guide to wireless and magnetic charging.

Questions people ask about magnetic cables

Can I leave the tip in the phone all the time?

Yes, that is how they are used. Take it out now and then to check the socket is clean, and see the guide to cleaning your phone safely for how.

Will a magnetic cable charge as fast as a normal one?

The phone, the charger and the cable together set the speed, and the magnetic join is one more part of the cable. The listing gives the most each one carries.

How long does delivery take?

Delivery is included in every price and tracked to your door. Each product page says when it usually arrives.

More to look at

• Magnetic tip accessories
• Braided cables
• USB-C to USB-C cables
• Lightning cables
• Magnetic wireless chargers
• Dust plugs
• Guide: Which charging cable does my phone need?