Magnetic Tip Accessories

What a magnetic tip is

A magnetic tip is a small plug, not much bigger than the socket it fills, that goes into the phone's charging socket and stays there. The cable's end has a magnet that finds the tip and clicks onto it, and comes away with a light pull. The tip does the plugging in once; after that, the cable is attached and taken off by the magnet alone. This page lists the cables from Charging Cables whose own listing says magnetic, as they are added; the magnetic cables range holds them too.

Tips for each kind of socket

Tips are made for the three sockets phones use: USB-C for the iPhone 15 and later and most recent Android phones, Lightning for iPhones from the iPhone 5 to the iPhone 14, and micro-USB for older Android phones and small gadgets. Many sets come with more than one kind of tip, so one cable can charge an iPhone and an Android phone by leaving a tip in each. That makes a magnetic cable handy in a house, car or office shared by people with different phones, as long as everyone keeps their tip in.

Why people choose them

• The socket is spared. The plug is never pushed in and pulled out every night, so the phone's socket is saved that wear.
• It lets go. If the cable is caught or the phone slides off a bed, the magnet comes apart instead of yanking the phone or bending the plug.
• It finds its own way. In the dark, or with the phone in a car holder, the cable snaps onto the tip without fumbling.
• Less fluff gets in. The tip fills the socket, so pocket lint has less room to pack into it.

Before you buy

Check that the tip will not press against your case: a thick case with a narrow opening at the bottom can push on it. 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 if you copy photos to a computer. Tips are small and easy to lose, so a spare or two is worth having, from the same set as the cable, since tips from different makers may not fit each other's cables. Keep the magnetic end away from bank cards.

Questions people ask about magnetic tip accessories

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

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

Is a magnetic cable the same as a magnetic wireless charger?

No. A magnetic cable is a wired cable with a magnetic join at the phone end. A magnetic wireless charger has no plug at all and clicks onto the back of the phone.

More to look at

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