How to Fix Wireless Charging Issues After iOS 18/18.1 Update

Recent iPhones offer wireless charging, making it easy and convenient to power up your device. However, after updating to iOS 18.1, it’s possible you may face some wireless charging issues on your iPhone. In this guide, I’ll explain how you can fix this so your wireless charging works smoothly again.

How Do I Fix Wireless Charging Issues on iOS 18/18.1

1. Wirelessly Charge iPhone Correctly

First, make sure nothing is between your iPhone and the charger, like a phone case. This can interfere with the electromagnetic field and stop charging. Avoid plugging the iPhone into USB while wirelessly charging, as it can cause issues.

Lastly, always place the charger on a flat surface and position your iPhone right in the center, with the display facing up for the best results.

2. Restart Your iPhone

If you’ve followed the correct charging practices above but still face issues, try restarting your iPhone. A simple restart often resolves connectivity problems.

3. Examine The Health of Your Phone’s Battery

If an iPhone’s battery is old or not in good condition, it might not charge properly. You can check the battery health by following the steps below:

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Tap Battery > Battery Health & Charging.
   
3. Check the Maximum Capacity of your phone’s battery. It’s a measure of its capacity compared to when it was new. Anything above 80 percent should be fine, but if it is lower than that, you should look for a replacement.

You can also follow our guide on how to stop your battery health from falling too fast to ensure optimal performance.

4. Check The Optimized Battery Charging Feature

Optimized Battery Charging is a feature that helps extend your battery’s lifespan. When enabled, the iPhone pauses charging at 80% and resumes once it predicts you’ll need it soon. If you want to fully charge your iPhone to 100%, you can easily disable this feature by following a few simple steps:

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Tap Battery > Battery Health & Charging.|
   
3. Turn off Optimized Battery Charging.
   

5. Uninstall Battery Draining Apps

After updating iOS, you might notice some apps draining your battery and causing your iPhone to have trouble charging properly. You can try uninstalling these apps to see if it fixes the problem. You can identify such apps by going to Settings > Battery and scrolling down to the Battery Usage by App section.

6. Wait For Your iPhone to Cool Down

If an iPhone gets hot, its protection mechanism kicks in, and wireless charging stops. When that happens, let your iPhone cool down before trying to charge it again. To do so, pause using your phone and place it in a cool, shaded area.

7. Quit All Apps

When your iPhone doesn’t charge after you put it on the charging pad, try killing all running apps and stopping any media playback. This can often help resolve the issue.

1. Swipe up from the bottom of the screen to bring up the App Carousel.
2. Swipe up on the apps to close them.
   

8. Clean the Charging Pad

Make sure to clean the wireless charging pad before placing your iPhone on it. Dust or debris on the pad can prevent the iPhone from charging properly. This is especially noticeable in places like cafes, where wireless charging pads might not be as clean as you’d like.

9. Update iOS

If you’re having trouble with wireless charging, it could be due to bugs in your version of iOS 18. Apple often releases fixes in later updates, so a good option is to update your iOS to the latest version. It might include patches that solve the charging issue you’re facing.

1. Go to Settings > General.
   
2. Tap Software Update, and if there’s an available update, tap Update Now.
   

10. Reset Your iPhone

If you’ve already tried all the solutions above and the charging issue persists, resetting your phone to factory settings could help fix the problem. Keep in mind that this will reset all your settings to their default and erase all your data, so make sure to have a backup ready.

1. Go to Settings > General.
   
2. Tap Transfer or Reset iPhone > Erase All Content and Settings.
   
3. Tap Continue and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process.

11. Contact Apple Support

If you’ve tried every possible fix, but the issue persists, it likely points to a hardware problem. Water exposure may have damaged your iPhone’s internal components, affecting wireless charging.

To resolve the issue, you can contact Apple Support or take the iPhone and charging pad to an Apple Store and have them inspect it. It’s a good idea to schedule an appointment before heading in. Setting up a Genius Bar appointment is simple and can help get your device checked efficiently.