Apple confirms iPhone 12 MagSafe problem — what you need to know

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MagSafe can damage your iPhone 12 case, though it's not quite as serious as you may have feared

iPhone 12 Pro review
(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

Apple has been making a very big deal out of the relaunch of the MagSafe brand, but it’s clear that the new magnetic wireless charging system isn’t without its problems.

One problem that has cropped up are concerns that the charger may end up damaging the iPhone 12’s cases, forcing Apple to quickly address the issue. The short story is MagSafe can affect your case, but it’s not all bad news.

It’s not often Apple is so quick to deal with rumors of this kind, especially when it involves damage one of its own products can cause. But it has confirmed MagSafe can affect the leather on the back of the official leather iPhone 12 case over on the Apple Store, though calling it damage might be a bit of an extreme reaction.

According to Apple, long term use of the MagSafe charger can cause round marks on the back of the cases. And Apple even shows an image of the kind of “damage” you should expect if you insist on using one with MagSafe for extended periods.

iphone 12 case magsafe damage

(Image credit: Apple)

If that’s an accurate interpretation of what MagSafe does to leather, it’s not such a big deal. Actual damage to the leather would be one thing, but a round indentation is something completely different. While some people may get annoyed about the fact it’s there, it can easily be written off as a design quirk, especially since it’s right around the existing Apple logo.

If you don’t want the indent, Apple advises customers to pick a different case instead, and said: “Interaction with MagSafe accessories will leave slight imprints (as shown in the last image of the gallery). If you are concerned about this, we suggest you use an iPhone 12 | 12 Pro Silicone or Clear Case.”

Thankfully there are a lot of great choices when it comes to iPhone 12 cases, including MagSafe compatible ones. So you don’t need to pick up an official Apple case, be it leather or otherwise, though you may want to pick something pretty solid if you want to avoid the MagSafe imprints.

You should also make sure to keep your credit cards and any other sensitive equipment away from the MagSafe charger itself, lest you cause damage that’s actually serious and not just a minor inconvenience.  

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Tom Pritchard
Tom Pritchard
UK Phones Editor

Tom is the Tom's Guide's UK Phones Editor, tackling the latest smartphone news and vocally expressing his opinions about upcoming features or changes. It's long way from his days as editor of Gizmodo UK, when pretty much everything was on the table. He’s usually found trying to squeeze another giant Lego set onto the shelf, draining very large cups of coffee, or complaining about how terrible his Smart TV is.