Samsung's ridiculous S Pen saga continues — users complain magnetic accessories cause issues

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It's an old issue on a new device

Galaxy S25 Ultra display showing home screen and S Pen
(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

Anyone looking for a new case for their Galaxy S25 Ultra should take note, the S Pen does not like magnetic cases, and it hasn't for a long time.

There's been a lot of comments in recent months about the Galaxy S25 Ultra and Samsung's removal of the S Pen's Bluetooth features. However, it seems the S25 Ultra's S Pen does share at least one thing with the Galaxy S24 Ultra's pen, and it's not good.

According to the site, when connecting magnetic accessories or cases to the Galaxy S25 Ultra, a popup will appear that claims, “Magnetic accessories can interfere with your S Pen: The magnets in accessories can interfere with the signals your S Pen sends to your phone. They may cause your S Pen to not write correctly or cause Air commands to occur unintentionally.”

Magnetic warning on Galaxy S25 Ultra

(Image credit: Android Central)

The idea of the magnets affecting the pen seems odd, but there will likely be several factors at play. For instance, Android Central's Andrew Myrick reported separately the warning didn't appear when he used a MagSafe adapter with a Samsung Silicone case.

That would indicate that one of the possible factors is the distance between the S Pen and the magnet. Other factors are likely the strength and size of the magnet, and how deep it is kept inside the case.

It's also worth noting that this isn't a new problem. Samsung devices have had the same issues since the Galaxy Note 8. In a post from 2020, Samsung states that S Pen actions may not work properly when using a magnetic cover. This is especially prevalent around specific areas affected by magnetic force like the front camera.

In a post from 2020, Samsung states that S Pen actions may not work properly when using a magnetic cover.

Samsung went on to recommend that, on the Note 8, users should hold the S Pen upright and use more force when this issue occurs. This isn't something we'd recommend ourselves nor should it even be necessary half-a-decade later in 2025.

Unfortunately, there aren't any real solutions for this, outside of not using magnetic cases at all. But since most of the best Galaxy S25 Ultra cases make use of MagSafe features, this seems like an additional feature tax on the consumer. Especially since owning a case is still one of the best ways to protect your new phone.

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Josh Render
Josh Render
Staff Writer

Josh is a staff writer for Tom's Guide and is based in the UK. He has worked for several publications but now works primarily on mobile phones. Outside of phones, he has a passion for video games, novels, and Warhammer. 

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