Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold

Here’s the best wireless charger I’ve used with Pixel 9 Pro Fold, and what to look for

Ben Schoon | Sep 24 2024 - 1:45 pm PT

The Pixel 9 Pro Fold doesn’t work with all wireless chargers, but the good news is that some do still work. Here’s the best wireless charger I’ve found for the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, as well as what you should look for when buying one.

Right before the Pixel 9 Pro Fold started shipping to customers, Google announced that the new foldable wouldn’t be compatible with the company’s own Pixel Stand wireless charger. The reason? The wireless charging coils don’t align, something we quickly noticed when we started using the device.

This is an issue that might have been solved if Google had adopted Qi2 and its magnetic alignment in its latest smartphones, but without that, we’ve got to look to alternative solutions.

One of those solutions is to simply buy a wireless charger that actually aligns with the Pixel 9 Pro Fold.

To do that, you’ll need to look at chargers that have coils in the right location. The easiest way to do this will be with mat-style chargers, as you can place the phone down in a way that the coils are aligned. This style of charger also tends to have two or three coils inside to ensure it’s easy to place your device down and start charging without any fuss.

But what about stands, like the Pixel Stand?

That’s where things get tricky. A normal wireless charging stand tends to have only one coil, usually towards the middle. With the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, this will often mean the the coil isn’t aligned, either resulting in charging not working at all, or it being very slow and heating up the device too much.

What you want to find are stands that have two or three coils. These are usually marketed as being able to charge the phone in landscape orientation, or as being able to charge a pair of AirPods. You can find these remarkably cheap sometimes. One option I found and tested from Amazon costs just $16, though I’m not all that confident in the quality, and I’ve still had a couple of occasions where the Fold doesn’t seem to recognize the charger for a few seconds, implying imperfect alignment.

The wireless charger I’ve found so far that works perfectly with Pixel 9 Pro Fold in place of the Pixel Stand is the Nomad Base Station Stand (v2).

This leather-clad wireless charger is built from premium materials, stands up at roughly the same angle as the Pixel Stand, and works perfectly with Pixel 9 Pro Fold. The coils are clearly aligned pretty darn well, as the Fold reacts to the charger immediately as I place it down.

This is because the Nomad Base Station Stand (v2) is designed to be able to charge AirPods, and as such has a second coil lower down on the stand. The original Base Station Stand lacked this, and doesn’t work with the Fold at all.

This isn’t a cheap option by any means at $80 (or $100, if you don’t find it on clearance), but it’s the best option I’ve found so far.

You’ll also want to keep this alignment information in mind when it comes to MagSafe cases. Many of the options I’ve seen on the market so far are clearly not aligned with where the coil actually is, which is quite a bit below the “G” logo. The only option I’m currently aware of that should work is from Thinborne.

Do you have a trusty wireless charger for your Pixel 9 Pro Fold? Let us know your recommendations in the comments below.