MagSafe card holder: how strong are the magnets?

Strong enough to stay put in your pocket, and too weak to do anything to your bank card. That is the short answer, and it covers the two things people worry about most: will it fall off, and will my cards survive?

Apple publishes no figure for the magnet strength, so anyone quoting you newtons or gauss got it from somewhere else. Below is what you actually notice day to day, what Apple itself says officially, and how to test it in your own pocket.

How does a MagSafe card holder work?

Every iPhone from the iPhone 12 onwards has a ring of magnets around the wireless charging coil. MagSafe accessories carry that same ring mirrored, so they click on in one position and always straight. The card holder uses that ring: it sits against the back of your phone, or against the back of a case with magnets in it.

That last part matters more than people think. A plain case without magnets puts extra distance between the holder and the phone, and magnetic force drops off quickly with distance. That is why a MagSafe holder on an ordinary case is almost always too weak, while on a case with built-in magnets it sits just as firmly as on the bare phone.

How strong are the magnets in practice?

Strong enough for daily use, not strong enough to be rough with. Concretely:

• It stays put in a trouser or coat pocket. Normally no force acts on it in there that pulls it straight off the phone.
• Pulling it off straight takes effort, sliding it sideways does not. That is how magnets work: the holding force is perpendicular to the surface. It is also exactly how you take it off yourself — push it away with your thumb rather than prising it.
• The one risk is your back pocket. Pull the phone out of a tight back pocket by its edge and the holder rides up along the fabric. Not because the magnet is weak, but because the force is then in the wrong direction.
• Taking it out of a bag or backpack is fine, as long as you grab the phone and not the holder.

To test it without instruments: click the holder on, hold your phone upside down and shake it firmly. If it stays on, it will survive anything a day in your pocket does to it.

Do the magnets damage your bank card?

Usually not. That is because a modern payment card does not work on magnetism.

You pay with the chip or contactless. That chip is a small piece of memory with an antenna; magnets do nothing to it. The only magnetic part is the brown stripe on the back, which is barely used any more. That stripe is usually also the "high coercivity" type: erasing it takes a far stronger field than anything in a phone accessory.

What you should watch out for are the weak cards: hotel keys, office access badges and parking cards with a stripe. Those are the sensitive type and go wrong more easily — not necessarily from the magnet alone, but it would be a shame to find out with your hotel room key.

Apple is clear about it, and it is worth reading exactly what they say: do not place credit cards, security badges, passports or key fobs between your iPhone and the MagSafe Charger. That is about charging, not about carrying. According to Apple this can damage magnetic stripes or RFID chips in such cards. That is why the card holder should come off before you charge wirelessly.

Can you charge wirelessly with the card holder on?

No, take it off first. That is not a recommendation but Apple's own instruction: make sure such cards are not between the back of your device and the charger. In practice it would not work well anyway — the cards sit right on the charging coil and block the transfer.

Taking the holder off is one movement with your thumb, so in practice this is no obstacle. The iPhone 18 Pro charges with MagSafe at up to 25 watts; with something in between you never reach that.

How many cards fit in it?

Three fit in our Alcantara card holder.

A layout that works for most people: your bank card, your ID or driving licence, and one card you need often.

What separates a good holder from a bad one?

They all look alike, so watch these three things.

1. A magnet ring, not loose magnets. A proper ring clicks into one position and always sits straight. Loose magnets let the holder hang skewed and slide away more easily.
2. The material on the outside. The holder sits between your phone and your hand, so it goes through everything you do. Smooth faux leather turns slippery and develops shiny patches; a suede-like material keeps its grip.
3. The fit of the slot. Too tight and you cannot get a card out without wrestling; too loose and it slides out in your pocket. This is the one thing you can feel in a shop and cannot see online.

Our card holders are made of genuine Italian Alcantara, the same material as our cases, and there is one in exactly the same colour as every case. More about that material in what is Alcantara.

Frequently asked questions

Does a MagSafe card holder work on every iPhone?

On every iPhone from the iPhone 12 onwards — the first model with the magnet ring. On older iPhones there is nothing to click onto. On Android phones it works only if the phone or the case has the Qi2 magnet ring.

Does the holder work through a phone case?

Only if that case has magnets in it. With a plain case the distance is too great and too little force remains. Our cases have MagSafe magnets built in, so the holder clicks on just as firmly as on the bare phone.

Will the magnets ruin my bank card?

Usually not. Your card works with a chip and contactless, and neither works on magnetism. The magnetic stripe on the back is usually the insensitive type and is barely used any more. Do take the cards out before you charge wirelessly: according to Apple, magnetic stripes or RFID chips can be damaged that way.

Can I keep my hotel key or access badge in it?

Better not. Magnetically those are the weaker siblings and go wrong most easily. Use your coat pocket for those.

Can I keep a travel card in it?

Keeping it there is fine, but take it out when you check in. Two cards with an antenna flat against each other interfere at the gate, and your phone is behind them as well. That is not damage, just a gate that does not open.

Will the card holder fall off in my pocket?

Normally not. No force in a pocket pulls it straight off the phone. Do watch a tight back pocket: pull the phone out straight rather than along the fabric by its edge.

Can I charge wirelessly without taking the holder off?

No, take it off. Apple itself specifies that no cards should sit between your device and the charger, and in practice they block the charging coil anyway.

What does an Alcantara MagSafe card holder cost?

€ 39.99 with us. Together with a case in the same colour it is € 94.98 instead of € 104.98 — a saving of € 16.95. All colours are under MagSafe card holders and the combinations under offers.

In short

The magnets are strong enough for a day in your pocket and too weak to do anything to your payment card. The two things worth remembering: take the holder off before charging wirelessly, and do not keep hotel keys or access badges in it. Beyond that it is simply a wallet that cannot go missing, because it is attached to your phone.