You Can Charge Your Phone With Another Phone - Here's How

Many Android flagship smartphones and even some iPhones come with a hidden feature you may not be aware of — the ability to charge other devices they're connected to. That connection is typically either by way of a USB-C cable or through the Qi wireless charging protocol. The latter lets smartphones charge other compatible devices as long as they remain back-to-back in physical contact. You can even get older phones to charge via Qi through this method with a few tweaks. However, be aware that wireless charging can generate additional heat, which can impact your device's battery health.

While phones can typically charge other or smaller devices, it's rare that those other devices can reciprocally charge phones. For example, you couldn't recharge your smartphone from your wireless earbuds' charging case. That said, everything from earbuds to smartwatches to other phones can be charged from your smartphone using this method. Exactly how it's enabled varies between phone models, so here's how to enable this variety of charging on a number of popular flagships.

Battery sharing is a supported feature on the Apple iPhone 15 and later, and is done simply by connecting a compatible device via a USB-C cable. For devices that have a USB-C port, simply connect them to your phone with a standard USB-C cable; for those with Apple's proprietary Lightning port, you'll need a USB-C to Lightning cable. To shift power to an Apple Watch, you'll need to connect your iPhone to an Apple Watch Magnetic Fast Charger to USB-C cable.

On the Android side, wireless PowerShare is supported on Samsung's recent flagship Galaxy phones, including the Galaxy S10 and newer, Galaxy Note 10 and Note 20, and all Galaxy Z Fold and Z Flip models. Just find and activate Wireless PowerShare on your phone's notification panel to enable it. Place the device you want to charge on the rear of your phone with their backs together. PowerShare can be used to charge up Samsung wearables, including the Gear S3/Sport, Galaxy Watch, Galaxy Watch Active, and Galaxy Buds, as well as a wide range of WPC Qi-compatible devices from Samsung and other brands.

Google's flagship Pixel phones from the Pixel 5 onwards also support wirelessly charging other devices by Qi, though Google refers to the technology as Battery Sharing. Just look for Battery and then Battery Share in Settings to toggle it on. Google also supports the option to discontinue charging when your phone's battery hits a certain level, or if the phone itself exceeds a certain temperature.