Summary

  • The Galaxy S25 supports Qi 2.1 but offers no visible charging benefits.
  • The charging speed remains the same as that of previous Galaxy phones, capped at 15W.
  • You must also use a magnetic case with the Galaxy S25 to enjoy magnetic wireless charging.

The Samsung Galaxy S25 series isn’t breaking any records when it comes to charging speeds. Wired charging is still limited to 45W on the Ultra model, while wireless charging maxes out at 15W — unchanged from previous iterations. But there’s at least one charging-related innovation in Samsung’s newest flagships. They are the world’s first phones to support the newest Qi 2.1 wireless charging standard. Sadly, this does not bring any visible benefits — the experience of wirelessly charging the Galaxy S25 remains the same as its predecessor.


Related


Samsung Galaxy S25 supports satellite messaging, but there’s a catch

Only on Verizon’s network



1

Finalized in September 2024 and announced at CES 2025, Qi 2.1 is available to all members and companies of the Wireless Power Consortium (via 9to5Google). The newest wireless charging standard only brings modest improvements, and none immediately stand out. Charging speed remains capped at 15W, with Qi 2.1 adding support for magnetic accessory covers.

The Wireless Power Consortium highlights the following Qi 2.1 improvements over Qi2:

  • Support for Automatic Alignment Profile (AAP) Power Transmitters
  • Support for Magnetic Accessory Covers – MCPE and MCPM Profiles
  • Updated Power Profile and Feature definitions
  • Updated tests to resolve smartphone camera bump mechanical interference with wireless charger
  • Error corrections

The main benefit of Qi 2.1 is its support for wireless charging coils inside vehicles that move around based on the phone’s position and then lock itself in place for a secure connection. The Wireless Power Consortium revealed this improvement at CES 2025. However, vehicles with Qi 2.1 wireless chargers have yet to hit the market.

Qi v2.1 will not improve the Galaxy S25’s wireless charging experience

Despite supporting Qi 2.1, the Galaxy S25 does not natively feature MagSafe-like wireless charging. It only becomes ‘Qi2 ready’ when you use a magnetic case with it. Otherwise, the phone will not magnetically align with the coils inside a wireless charger for a more secure connection. Samsung is selling several magnetic cases for the Galaxy S25, but you can also buy one from your favorite case maker.

In comparison, the OnePlus 13, despite lacking native Qi2 support like the Galaxy S25, delivers a superior wireless charging experience with speeds of up to 50W.

Admittedly, it would have been great if Qi 2.1 introduced a slight boost to wireless charging speeds. Hopefully, that arrives with Qi 2.2, with Google leading the development of the standard and providing the WPC with its fast wireless charging technology.