iPhone 17 Scratchgate: Apple quietly swaps out MagSafe chargers that allegedly left 'residue' on new handsets

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New silicone rings may not leave marks

iPhone 17 pro back with scratches
(Image credit: Future)

With the release of the iPhone 17, Apple owners have been discovering a slew of issues from dropped calls to Apple Intelligence glitches. The most notable of these — dubbed Scratchgate — has customers spotting signs of wear and tear on the back of iPhone 17 demo units in Apple Stores.

Apple asserted that the marks were caused by residue transferred from older MagSafe chargers used in stores, adding that the same effect could be seen on iPhone 16 models. Apple also noted that users could remove the residue by wiping down their new phone.

At the time the scratching reports surfaced, Apple said it was working to resolve the issue, and that solution may have found its way into stores. French publication Consomac — which reported the initial Scratchgate news — says it's seen new MagSafe chargers with a silicone ring being used at Apple Stores.

Presumably, the new silicone ring protects against material transfer between the charger and the back of the phone. Consomac believes this is a temporary solution until new chargers are manufactured.

Here at Tom's Guide, Scratchgate has been a mixed bag. Global editor in chief Mark Spoonauer said that he hasn't seen any scratches on his iPhone 17 Pro Max. But senior editor John Velasco found several small scratches on his Cosmic Orange iPhone 17 Pro after just over a week of ownership. John noted that he tends to carry multiple phones in a bag for testing, like in our 200 photo face-offs.

According to the repairability gurus at iFixit, Scratchgate is real and largely based on how the anodization process doesn't adhere the protective aluminum oxide layer to the camera plateau, though Apple has maintained that the iPhone 17 Pro plateaus have similar characteristics to the edges of other of anodized cases on other Apple products.

We have a guide with tips to avoid scratching up your new iPhone 17 Pro, and the most obvious one is to buy a case for your phone. We've got guides to the best iPhone 17 Pro cases as well as the best iPhone 17 Pro Max cases to help you pick an accessory for your particular model.

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Scott Younker
Scott Younker
West Coast Reporter

Scott Younker is the West Coast Reporter at Tom’s Guide. He covers all the lastest tech news. He’s been involved in tech since 2011 at various outlets and is on an ongoing hunt to build the easiest to use home media system. When not writing about the latest devices, you are more than welcome to discuss board games or disc golf with him. He also handles all the Connections coverage on Tom's Guide and has been playing the addictive NYT game since it released.

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