Guide · Wireless charging · Australia
How Does Wireless Charging Work? Qi and Fast Charging Explained
How a phone charges with no cable, what makes wireless charging fast, how it compares with a cable, and which of our pop up power points have a wireless charger.
By Seb Aroney, founder of Modern Power Solutions · Updated November 2026
Quick answers
How it works
How a phone charges with no cable
The lid’s coil makes a magnetic field. Power runs through a flat copper coil under the lid. The current switches direction more than 100,000 times a second, so the coil makes a magnetic field that keeps changing.
The phone’s coil picks it up. A matching coil sits in the back of the phone, a few millimetres above. The changing field makes a current flow in it: that’s magnetic induction.
The phone charges its battery. The phone turns that current into the steady power its battery needs, just as it does with a cable.
Charger and phone keep talking. They agree how much power to send, the charger stops when you lift the phone off, and Qi chargers watch for stray metal, like coins or keys, so it doesn’t heat up.
That’s why position matters: the coils work best lined up and close together, with no thick case, cards or metal between them. Phone not charging? See our wireless charging troubleshooting guide.
Fast charging
What makes wireless charging fast
Charging speed is power, measured in watts (W). The Qi standard has added faster levels over the years, and a phone charges at the fastest level that both it and the charger support.
Our lids are rated up to 10 W, or 15 W on the V14J (5 W on the V14B-HNR), from each product page. The pages don’t list them as Qi2 or MagSafe chargers; Qi2 and MagSafe phones still charge on a Qi charger, at a standard Qi level.
Wireless or wired
Wireless or wired charging: which is better?
Neither is better at everything, which is why most of our wireless pop up power points have USB-C ports too.
- No cable to find, plug in or tangle.
- Nothing left lying on the benchtop: the charger is part of the lid.
- Ideal for top-ups while you cook, eat or work nearby.
- Slower: up to 10 W on our lids, or 15 W on the V14J. The phone has to sit still and centred.
- Faster: the V3L’s USB-C port gives up to 30 W.
- At 30 W, USB-C also charges tablets and smaller USB-C laptops.
- You can pick the phone up and use it while it charges.
- Works with any case on.
Our advice: use the lid for everyday top-ups and the USB-C port when you need charge fast. Either way, your phone manages its own battery: it slows the charge as it warms up and as it nears full, on a cable or on a lid.
How to use it
How to charge a phone wirelessly
Check your phone supports Qi. iPhones from the iPhone 8 on do, and so do most Android phones with wireless charging. There’s nothing to turn on; some Android phones also have a fast wireless charging switch in their battery settings.
Take off a thick or metal case. Remove cards and anything metal too. On the V3C and V3L, the manuals say to charge with the case off. On the V14J, only thick or metal cases need to come off.
Centre it on the lid. The charging coil is usually in the middle of the back of the phone, so leave even spacing all round.
Check it’s charging. Look for the charging symbol on the screen. If it doesn’t appear, centre the phone again.
Our models
Our pop up power points with wireless charging
V3C motorisedThe charger is in the lid, with a small cooling fan.
V3L slim motorisedDouble-tap to raise. Two USB-C ports.
V14J quad-sidedCharges raised or lowered. Three power points around it.
V14B-HNR with HDMIFour power points, plus HDMI and RJ45 pass-throughs.Point Pod models have no wireless charger: they charge phones from their USB ports.
Speeds are each model’s maximum from its product page; your phone may charge more slowly.
Find your wireless pop up power point
Our island guide compares every model, with a finder and a fit checker. Builders and designers can order at trade prices.
Questions
Wireless charging FAQs
How does Qi wireless charging work?
A coil in the charger carries a current that switches direction many thousands of times a second, making a changing magnetic field. A matching coil in the phone picks it up and turns it back into electricity for the battery. That’s magnetic induction.
What is Qi BPP?
The Baseline Power Profile: the original Qi level, up to 5 W. Every Qi phone and charger supports it, so it’s the speed they fall back to when one of them can’t go faster.
What is Qi EPP (Extended Power Profile)?
The Qi level for fast wireless charging, added in 2015: up to 15 W. The phone and the charger both need to support it; otherwise they charge at a lower level.
How fast is wireless charging?
From 5 W for basic Qi up to 15 W for EPP and Qi2, or 25 W with Qi2 25W, depending on the phone and the charger. A USB-C cable is usually faster: the V3L’s USB-C port gives up to 30 W.
Does my phone support fast or wireless charging?
Check its specs: they say whether it has Qi wireless charging and list its fastest wired and wireless speeds. iPhones from the iPhone 8 on support Qi wireless charging, and so do most Android phones with wireless charging.
What’s the difference between WPC and Qi?
The Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) is the industry group that writes and certifies the standard. Qi is the standard itself.
Is RF charging the same as Qi?
No. Qi uses magnetic induction between two coils a few millimetres apart. RF (radio frequency) charging sends power by radio waves over a longer distance, but at far lower power, so it isn’t used to charge phones quickly.
What is inductive charging?
Another name for the way Qi works: power passes between two coils through a magnetic field (induction), with no metal contacts.
What frequency does Qi charging use?
Roughly 105 to 205 kHz, set by the Qi standard. The magnetic field only works over a short distance, which is why the phone has to sit on the charger.
Is wireless charging safe?
Yes. Qi chargers only send power once they detect a Qi device, and they watch for stray metal so it doesn’t heat up. Phones get a little warmer than on a cable; take a thick case off if yours gets hot. The V3C has a small fan in the lid to keep its charger cool.
How do I turn on Qi wireless charging?
There’s usually nothing to turn on: put a Qi phone on the charger, centred, and it starts. Some Android phones have a fast wireless charging switch in their battery settings.
Is wireless or wired charging better?
Wireless is easier: put the phone down and it charges, with no cable on the benchtop. Wired is faster and charges laptops too. Most of our wireless pop up power points have both.
Does the Point Pod have wireless charging?
No. Point Pod models charge phones from their USB ports, not wirelessly.
