Where is PowerShare on Samsung phones?

Introduced with the Galaxy S10 in 2019, Samsung PowerShare lets you use the back of your phone as a makeshift wireless charger. This means you can top up a friend in need, not to the mention the Galaxy Buds the company unveiled at the same time.

The problem is that the presence of PowerShare – or vice versa – isn’t obvious. It’s not like you can just put a device on the back of your phone and watch it charge up. So where is PowerShare on Samsung phones and how do you enable it?

What is Samsung PowerShare?

PowerShare is Samsung’s brand name for its flavour of reverse charging technology. In short, it transforms your phone into a Qi charging pad, letting you sacrifice some of your phone battery to charge another device (assuming you have at least 30% battery available).

There are drawbacks. First, it’s not very fast at just 4.5W. Second, you lose charge on your phone by passing it to other devices. Third, it’s not very efficient, as it loses some charge to heat.

But, in a pinch, it can also be a lifesaver.

Which phones have PowerShare?

Samsung PowerShare debuted with the Galaxy S10 series, but to the company’s credit it seems to be something it’s sticking with. The full list of phones with PowerShare is as follows:

• Samsung Galaxy S10e
• Samsung Galaxy S10
• Samsung Galaxy S10 Plus
• Samsung Galaxy Note 10
• Samsung Galaxy Note 10 Plus
• Samsung Galaxy Fold
• Samsung Galaxy Z Flip
• Samsung Galaxy S20
• Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus
• Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra

If you’re not sure which Samsung phone you own, read our handy guide.

Where is Samsung PowerShare?

• Swipe down from the top of your screen to pull down the notifications panel. If you’re only seeing six, you’ll need to swipe down again to expand it further.
• Tap the button labeled “Wireless PowerShare”. The icon is a picture of a battery with an arrow pointing to the right, like this: 

• The icon will change colour to show it’s enabled, so you’re ready to go. Flip the phone over and place the device that needs charging on the phone’s back.

Can PowerShare charge an iPhone?

Samsung PowerShare can charge any device that uses the Qi wireless charging standard, and that includes iPhones that support wireless charging.

A bigger question is whether you’d want to. As mentioned above, Samsung PowerShare isn’t very fast, and nor is it very efficient. At 4.5W speeds it’ll take a while to charge anything with a decently sized battery, especially when much of the energy is lost to heat. 

In other words, you’ll lose more power from the Samsung phone than you’ll gain in the other device, which is why it’s primarily aimed at things with tiny batteries – think smartwatches and earphones.  

Can you PowerShare while charging?

Yes you can, assuming you’re happy to use a standard charging cable. Plug your Samsung phone into an outlet, turn on PowerShare and you can happily charge another device off the back of it.

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