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A Magnet is one of those things that always remain wondrous. As a kid, I used to chase a broken magnet with its repelling end and pretend it was a cop car chasing a robber. Now, it’s similarly satisfying to slap magnetic accessories to the back of an iPhone. It just clicks into place! No wires, screws, or clamps to deal with. It’s wonderful.
MagSafe is the name of Apple’s accessory system that’s integrated into the iPhone 12, iPhone 13, iPhone 14, and iPhone 15 range. A ring of magnets on the back of the phone (and in MagSafe-enabled cases) lets you attach various magnetic accessories, like a battery pack that recharges the iPhone wirelessly so you don’t need to hold it or carry a cable. We’ve covered protection for your iPhone in our Best iPhone 15 Cases, Best iPhone 14 Cases, and Best iPhone 13 Cases guides, but these are our favorite MagSafe accessories to increase their utility.
Updated October 2023: We’ve added accessories from Razer, OtterBox, Speck, and Caseology.
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If you’re anti-case, you can skip this pick. If you prefer protection (smart!), well then you shouldn't buy just any case for the iPhone 12, iPhone 13, or iPhone 14. A standard case will just weaken the magnetic attachment between the iPhone and the MagSafe accessory. Grab a MagSafe case instead—the official ones from Apple are totally fine, with a reliable ring of magnets inside. The silicone ones will do the job, and Apple has new FineWoven cases made of recycled materials to replace its previous leather cases. They all come in a variety of colors. The buttons remain clicky, the cutouts for the ports are accurate, and the entire bottom edge of the phone is protected too. (Though the silicone one tends to attract dust and lint.) The FineWoven case can scuff up easily and might discolor over time, but we'll have to wait and see how it shapes up.
We have plenty of other recommendations. Read our Best iPhone 15 Cases, Best iPhone 14 Cases, Best iPhone 13 Cases, and Best iPhone 12 Cases guides for more.
Several brands sell MagSafe wireless chargers nearly identical to Apple's. Here are the models we've tested and like. Note: Most don't include a power adapter, so you'll want one that's at least 20 watts (like this one).
I love this treelike wireless charger. It saves so much space on my desk, and I can recharge the iPhone at the fastest 15-watt charging speed possible, along with an Apple Watch and AirPods. It's a must-have for anyone who has all three of those devices (or any earbuds with wireless charging support). Belkin also has a pad version that adds MagSafe support for AirPods, but it takes up more room, and I much prefer the floating aesthetic. It's like magic! Read our Best 3-in-1 Apple Chargers guide for more recommendations.
★ Alternative: The Twelve South HiRise 3 Deluxe ($150) is perfect if you want to utilize Apple's new Standby mode in iOS 17. Put it by your nightstand and place your iPhone in landscape orientation and it will show a clock on the screen, along with weather information. This 3-in-1 lets your iPhone sit front and center with no obstructions, plus it charges it at the max 15 watts. You can flip up the Apple Watch charger or leave it flat, and there's a spot on the back for AirPods (or another phone).
Game a lot on your iPhone? This is a phone cooler that magnetically sticks to the back of your device. Plug it into a power source via the included USB-C cable, flip the switch on, and the fan will roar to life (it's actually fairly quiet). It'll keep your iPhone ice-cool as you game. In my benchmark tests, the iPhone using the cooler delivered 30 percent more stable performance, with higher frame rates over a longer period of time. That makes this a must-have.
You can pair it with the Razer Phone Cooler app to toggle the fan speed settings or turn off the RGB lights, but that's not necessary.
If you want to charge AirPods or any other wireless earbuds with wireless charging support alongside your iPhone at the end of the day, this 2-in-1 has you covered. Belkin’s smart design comes in black or white with a shiny metallic post connecting the MagSafe charging pad to the wide-weighted base. It charges at the maximum 15-watt rate, and you can turn your iPhone sideways for iOS 17’s new StandBy mode, converting it into a bedside alarm clock.
In 2022, Apple added a feature called Continuity Camera that lets you use your iPhone as a webcam for a MacBook. The process is wireless and simple—you can see instructions on how it operates here—and it supports a variety of video calling apps, from FaceTime to Zoom. The image quality is significantly better than the standard MacBook camera because it uses the rear camera of the iPhone. But holding your phone as you use it as a MacBook webcam is tricky. Enter the Belkin Mount.
This circular silicone puck magnetically sticks to the back of your iPhone and can be used as a phone grip or kickstand. When it's time to use your iPhone as a webcam, there's a section that pops out so you can mount the iPhone on top of a MacBook to get a more natural video-calling experience. You need to keep your screen close to a 90-degree angle, or else the weight of the iPhone will drag the screen back or forward. The mount itself isn't particularly pretty and tends to attract dust and lint, but it's otherwise quite effective at keeping the iPhone where it needs to be. There's also a mount for external displays, in case you want one for your home desk setup.
Why fuss with cables when you have MagSafe? These portable chargers can stick to the back of your iPhone and recharge it wirelessly, and you don't need to carry an extra cable.
Our favorite is the Anker 622. This slim 5,000-mAh power bank will charge your iPhone just once (and will barely recharge an iPhone 14 Pro Max to full), but it's compact and comes with a built-in kickstand to prop up the iPhone in landscape or portrait orientation. You can use the USB-C port on the side to recharge the portable charger or your iPhone if you need to do the job faster. You can also power off the battery if you only want to use the kickstand. Do note that the screen wobbles a little when you use it on the kickstand. We have plenty of other recommendations in our dedicated Best MagSafe Power Banks guide. Check it out!
★ Alternative: If you also want to juice up your Apple Watch, I like OtterBox's 2-in-1 Power Bank With MagSafe ($150). It's bulky, but you get a 10,000-mAh capacity with a wireless charging stand that can be propped up or laid flat (it fast-charges at 15 watts too). You can keep your iPhone in landscape for Standby mode or in portrait. If you need a faster charge for your devices, you can use the USB-C charging port. The rubber grips at the base prevent it from sliding around too much.
MagSafe phone grips don't require any adhesives. Just pop ’em magnetically to the back of your iPhone or MagSafe case for added security. You can take them off whenever to recharge the phone wirelessly or use another MagSafe accessory. Talk about hassle-free! That said, magnets are only so strong. Don't hold the phone by the grip alone—a little effort can separate the magnets.
My favorite of all the grips I've tried is the PopSockets MagSafe PopGrip. Snap the elongated oval to the back of your iPhone and push out the grip—voilà, you have an effortless way to hold onto your phone. Like with any other PopSocket, you can swap out the top for another style, and it can even act as a kickstand to keep your iPhone propped up in landscape mode. If the PopGrip speaks to you, it's worth looking at PopSockets' PopCase ($60), which comes with an integrated grip you can slide off and MagSafe support.
★ Alternative: If you want something a bit more compact, I like Casetify's Snappy Grip Stand ($38). Like all of Casetify's products, there are practically a million designs to choose from. You can pull out the top part of the puck and it will work as a phone grip. Push this a little toward the center, and it will stay put as a kickstand in any orientation. Neat!
With my old bike mount, I had to wrangle rubber straps around my phone to secure it to my handlebars. It took a few minutes! With Peak Design's Universal Bike Mount, the whole process takes a second. And it's more secure than many other MagSafe mounts because it locks the iPhone in place. (You'll need to push a button to unlock it and remove the iPhone, but you can do it with one hand.) After many miles on roads of varying degrees of quality, my iPhone has yet to fall off. The only quirk? You have to use Peak Design's Everyday Case for it to work with the mount. You can attach other MagSafe accessories to the back of the case just fine (and it still supports wireless charging). Nomad also made a Rugged Case ($60) with Peak Design's SlimLink mount if you want more protection.
Peak Design sells other MagSafe gear that works with its own system, from wireless chargers to a tripod mount.
These three Anker MagGo charging docks are seriously great. The Anker 637 desktop charging station is the most useful day-to-day. The front of the orb is where you can stick your iPhone to wirelessly charge it, but on the back are two USB-C ports, two USB-A ports, and three AC outlets. It makes managing all those pesky cables under the desk so much easier. Then there's the Anker 623 magnetic wireless charger. This dock looks a bit like a flask, but the top “lid” has a hinge, allowing it to be angled out. That's where you place your iPhone to recharge it wirelessly, and you can adjust the angle so it sits upright. In this position, you can plop your AirPods behind the iPhone to recharge them wirelessly at the same time.
Arguably the most ingenious of the lot is the Anker 633, which is essentially a magnetic wireless charging stand that suspends the iPhone in midair. (You can adjust the viewing angle.) But the attachment point doubles as a 5,000-mAh battery. Just slide it out and take it with you, and you can attach it to your iPhone whenever it's low on juice. No need to remember to recharge the battery pack—slide it back into the dock and it'll take care of that for you! Better yet, the base can also recharge the AirPods Pro wirelessly. Truly smart.
Compact and discreet, this vent mount has clingy prongs and a powerful array of magnets to ensure MagSafe-enabled iPhones don't budge an inch, even on bumpy roads. It can wirelessly charge your iPhone at the maximum 15-watt rate. An adjustable ball joint allows you to angle your phone for a better view. The USB-C cable is long and permanently attached, and it comes with a plug-in charger for folks without USB-C ports in their car. We have an option for folks who prefer a dash mount below, but you can find several alternatives in our Best Car Phone Accessories guide.
If your vents are awkward, or you just prefer a dash or windshield mount, this iOttie option has a suction cup. It stays in place well, and the magnets are strong enough to keep your iPhone from violently flying off when you go over a pothole. The telescopic arm combines with a ball joint to give you a wide range of movement to find the ideal position. The 7.5-watt charging rate is disappointing, but I like that the USB-C charging cable is removable, so you can detach and stow it when your iPhone is topped up. The built-in fan also helps to keep the temperature down when the sun is out.
Don't want the bulk of a wallet case? Use a MagSafe wallet! They stick to the back of your iPhone or a MagSafe case so you can carry your transit cards or license. Just know that most of these wallets could get dislodged if you stuff your phone into a particularly tight pocket (and none of them hold more than three cards).
This ESR accessory is a MagSafe power bank and wallet. The 5,000 mAh added around 75 percent to my iPhone 14 Pro’s battery, and there is room on the back to slide in a couple of credit cards (or ID). But the best thing about this gadget is that the entire back hinges open to swing through 50 degrees, which allows you to find the perfect angle to prop your iPhone securely in portrait or landscape orientation. We recommend this and several alternatives in our Best MagSafe Power Banks guide.
I love multipurpose gadgets. Why waste valuable desk real estate with a simple wireless charger when you can have a combo that does the same and holds your headphones? Satechi's headphone stand looks elegant, and the sturdy rubberized base has no problem carrying my headphones when they're out of use. A spot on the stand holds your cables out of the way, which comes in handy if you use the spare USB-C port on the base to recharge your wireless headphones as they dangle.
The base doubles as a MagSafe charger that will recharge your iPhone at 7.5 watts, and it's managed to magnetically hold everything from the iPhone 13 Pro Max to the iPhone 14 Pro with no trouble. Just know that Satechi doesn't include a power adapter, so you'll need one that can at least hit 18 watts, like this one.
Do you need to spend $150 on a charging solution like this? No. But if price is no object, and you have an Apple Watch, iPhone, and AirPods with a wireless charging case, it's really hard to dislike Mophie's 3-in-1 MagSafe wireless charger. It can juice up your iPhone at the full 15-watt speed, the Apple Watch puck pops up for nightstand mode, and the third spot is for your AirPods with the wireless charging case or AirPods Pro (it's hit or miss whether other wireless earbuds will recharge). The whole thing folds upon itself into a very compact size, and Mophie includes a little felt travel case with a charging cable and adapter. It's a neat solution and is much better than carrying several different cables and chargers.
Ringmagnets There's something about having a product do one thing exceptionally well. If you just want a way to reliably prop up your iPhone in a variety of angles without having to carry anything larger than a wallet, then you might like this Tripod Stand from Moft. The magnets are really strong, and you can practically put your iPhone in any angle. It's simple to use too—there's no big learning curve. It's super lightweight, and because it doesn't double as anything else (like a wallet or battery pack), you don't have to remember to take cards out or recharge it. Just keep it in your bag whenever you need it.