Samsung Galaxy phones can wirelessly charge other devices with PowerShare

Engadget reports that the phones able to both give and receive power through Wireless PowerShare include the Galaxy S20 through S26 series and the S10, the Note 20 and Note 10 series, the Z Fold series, the Z TriFold and the Z Flip series. The guide also says some older phones can receive power but cannot share it, including the S7 and S7 Edge, S8 and S8+, S9 and S9+, Note8 and Note10. The guide's list contains an overlap: the Note 10 series appears among phones that can both share and receive power, while the Note10 is listed among phones that can receive but not share.

To start PowerShare, Engadget says users should swipe down to the notification panel on the phone supplying power, tap Wireless PowerShare, and place the device to be charged back-to-back with the sharing phone. The sharing phone must have more than 30 percent charge to start, and PowerShare stops when that phone falls below 30 percent, according to the guide.

If the connection does not work, Engadget advises removing the phone case and any connected accessories, cleaning the back of the phone and placing the receiving device on the center of the sharing phone. The guide says PowerShare can charge any WPC Qi-certified phone, including iPhones and phones from many other brands. It also works with a range of Samsung wearables, including the Galaxy Ring, most Galaxy Buds and most Galaxy Watches, except models such as the Watch7.

Engadget says the feature has clear limits. Wireless charging wastes more electricity than wired charging, and PowerShare charges slowly, producing more heat than regular wired charging. That heat can degrade the lithium-ion batteries in both devices, the guide says. A simple portable charger remains faster and more efficient, but PowerShare can serve as a last-resort option when no other power source is available.

Editor's Summary

Samsung's Wireless PowerShare lets several Galaxy models charge other phones and compatible wearables, with a 30 percent battery threshold for the sharing phone. Engadget's guide says the feature works with many Qi-certified devices but is slow, inefficient and generates heat, making it a fallback rather than a routine charging method.