Apple's MagSafe Battery Pack Unlocks Long Rumored Reverse Charging Feature

Apple's MagSafe Battery Pack designed for the iPhone 12 models has a unique feature that's long been rumored but never introduced in an Apple product -- reverse wireless charging.

magsafe battery pack 2
When attached to an ‌iPhone‌ that's charging via Lightning, the ‌iPhone‌ can deliver power to the MagSafe Battery Pack, which is the first instance of an ‌iPhone‌ being able to route power to an accessory device.

We've long heard rumors of reverse wireless charging capabilities for the ‌iPhone‌, a feature that's been talked about as a possibility for both the ‌iPhone‌ 11 and the ‌iPhone‌ 12. Apple hasn't actually implemented reverse wireless charging until now, and the way that it works with the ‌MagSafe Battery Pack‌ is limited in scope.

With the ‌MagSafe Battery Pack‌, the ‌iPhone‌ has to be plugged in for the charging feature to work, but it's certainly a step in the right direction and hints at more expansive reverse wireless charging capabilities in the future. Given the ‌MagSafe Battery Pack‌'s reverse wireless charging feature, it seems technically possible that an ‌iPhone‌ 12 could deliver power to the AirPods or AirPods Pro, but Apple has not yet implemented this feature.

Apple has suggested that ‌MagSafe Battery Pack‌ users might want to use the ‌iPhone‌ passthrough charging feature when the ‌iPhone‌ is connected to a power source like wired CarPlay and is able to charge both accessories.

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro and Air Feature

Two iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone Air Colors Appear to Scratch More Easily

Friday September 19, 2025 10:02 am PDT by
As reported by Bloomberg today, some of the new iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone Air models on display at Apple Stores today are already scratched and scuffed. French blog Consomac also reported on this topic. The scratches appear to be most prominent on models with darker finishes, including the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max in Deep Blue, and the iPhone Air in Space Black. Images Credit: Consoma ...
iOS 26

Everything New in iOS 26.1 Beta 1

Monday September 22, 2025 12:44 pm PDT by
Apple released the first beta of iOS 26.1 today, just a week after launching iOS 26. iOS 26.1 mainly adds new languages to Apple Intelligence, but there are a few other features that are worth knowing about. New Apple Intelligence Languages Apple Intelligence is now available in Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese (Portugal), Swedish, Turkish, Chinese (Traditional), and Vietnamese. AirPo...
Apple Foldable Thumb

Foldable iPhone Like 'Two Titanium iPhone Airs' Joined at the Hinge

Monday September 22, 2025 2:16 am PDT by
Next year's rumored foldable iPhone will showcase an ultra-thin design resembling "two titanium iPhone Airs side-by-side," according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Writing in the Q&A section of his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman says Apple's first foldable device will be "super thin and a design achievement," combining Apple's thinnest iPhone form factor with cutting-edge folding...
Apple Intelligence General Feature 2

iOS 26.1 Adds New Apple Intelligence Languages and Expands AirPods Live Translation

Monday September 22, 2025 11:15 am PDT by
With iOS 26.1, Apple Intelligence is gaining support for additional languages, including Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Portuguese (Portugal), Swedish, Turkish, Chinese (Traditional), and Vietnamese. Apple announced plans to expand the languages that can be used with Apple Intelligence last year, and now the added language support is here. Apple Intelligence is now available in the following...
iPhone 17 Pro and Air N1 Feature

Some iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone Air Users Experiencing Intermittent Wi-Fi Issue

Monday September 22, 2025 8:44 am PDT by
Apple's latest iPhone models launched on Friday, and some early adopters of the devices are experiencing intermittent Wi-Fi issues. Affected customers say Wi-Fi connectivity periodically cuts out on the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air, with hundreds of comments about the issue posted across the MacRumors Forums, Reddit, and the Apple Support Community over the...
iOS 26

iOS 26.0.1 Coming Soon, Likely With iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro Fix

Thursday September 18, 2025 9:17 am PDT by
Apple is preparing to release iOS 26.0.1, according to a private account on X with a proven track record of sharing information about future iOS versions. The update will have a build number of 23A350, or similar, the account said. It is likely that iOS 26.0.1 will fix a camera-related bug on the new iPhone Air and iPhone 17 Pro models. In his iPhone Air review, CNN Underscored's Henry T. ...

Top Rated Comments

szw-mapple fan Avatar
55 months ago
Does this mean I can eventually use the iPhone mini as a MagSafe Battery for a Pro Max? :p
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
_Spinn_ Avatar
55 months ago
I’m surprised the rumors were actually true. Hopefully they enable reverse charging for AirPods though I’m not holding my breath.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
arn Avatar
55 months ago

I knew it. This thing has no port.
no, you can plug the battery into the Battery Pack and charge it that way too. And it will also charge the iPhone at the same time. so it goes both ways.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT212174

Charge your MagSafe Battery Pack

Before you use your MagSafe Battery Pack for the first time, fully charge it using a Lightning to USB cable with a 20W or higher power adapter.

1. Plug one end of a Lightning to USB cable into the Lightning connector on your MagSafe Battery Pack.
2. Plug the other end of the cable into a 20W or higher USB power adapter, then plug the adapter into a power outlet.
3. You'll see an amber status light while your MagSafe Battery Pack is charging. When the MagSafe Battery Pack is fully charged, you'll briefly see a green status light.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Eorlas Avatar
55 months ago
$100 for a bulge that has less than half the phone’s capacity.

much less money can buy high quality battery packs with substantially higher capacity, and will charge other things
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macsplusmacs Avatar
55 months ago
and the "bulge" is the easiest bulge to put on and take off ever.

if you have plenty of charge in your iphone, don't put it on.

if you are running out of power. put it on.

in this respect much more flexible than the smart case from apple which i loved on my iphone 11.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Black.Infinity Avatar
55 months ago
As always Apple limits things by its software. Unfortunately I still love iOS.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)