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Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →The Samsung Galaxy Watch7 and 2024 Galaxy Watch Ultra cannot charge from the back of a Galaxy phone using Wireless PowerShare. They still charge wirelessly on a dedicated magnetic Galaxy Watch charging puck—the change is about phone-to-watch charging, not wireless charging altogether.
What changed: Wireless PowerShare, not ordinary wireless charging
Wireless PowerShare is Samsung’s name for using a compatible Galaxy phone to send power wirelessly to another device. Samsung says the Watch7 and Watch Ultra do not support that phone-based feature. A dedicated magnetic charging cable or compatible Galaxy Watch charger remains the normal charging method; Samsung lists WPC-based wireless charging for the Watch7 in its specifications.
That distinction matters if you are upgrading from a Watch4, Watch5 or Watch6 and used your phone as an emergency charging surface. Samsung’s regional support guidance lists those earlier generations as supporting Wireless PowerShare and excludes the Watch7 and Watch Ultra. Support pages are regional, so check Samsung’s guidance for your market if you need a local compatibility listing.
Why the Watch7 and 2024 Ultra no longer work with a phone
Samsung attributes the incompatibility to the redesigned rear sensor arrangement. It increases the distance between the watch’s charging coil and the phone’s reverse-charging coil, making the phone’s Wireless PowerShare system unsuitable for these watches, according to Samsung’s explanation.
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![Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 44mm Bluetooth AI Smartwatch w/Energy Score, Wellness Tips, Heart Rate Tracking, Sleep Monitor, Fitness Tracker, 2024, Silver [US Version, 1Yr Manufacturer Warranty]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41hxsdN0AOL._SL160_.jpg)
- PUSH PAST YESTERDAY: Looking for a great way to bring out your personal best every day. Challenge yourself to excel on your next run or bike ride using tracking with Galaxy AI¹ that lets you compare your current performance to your last one²
- START YOUR DAY WITH YOUR ENERGY SCORE: Know how ready you are to take on the day using your personalized Energy Score with Galaxy AI¹; It calculates today’s physical readiness based on what you did yesterday
- KEEP A CLOSER EYE ON YOUR HEART HEALTH: Get the most out of your fitness workouts using improved Heart Rate Tracking³ with Galaxy AI¹ that filters out your body’s movements for a more accurate reading
- GET A BOOST TOWARD YOUR GOALS: Stay on track toward your goals using personalized suggestions from Wellness Tips⁴; Your Watch collects the insights and then they’re analyzed on your phone
- BETTER SLEEP. A HEALTHIER YOU: Learn better habits for more restful nights using sleep tracking⁵ with Galaxy AI¹ — it also helps detect moderate to severe sleep apnea⁶; Get helpful insights collected by your Watch and analyzed by your phone
Reporting by Android Authority connects the redesign with the broader sensor and health-tracking changes in these models. Samsung’s stated explanation establishes the coil-distance issue; it does not establish that improved health accuracy was the sole reason for the design or that a future hardware design could never restore phone charging.
Which watches are affected?
| Watch | Phone Wireless PowerShare | Dedicated watch charging |
|---|---|---|
| Galaxy Watch7, 40mm and 44mm | Not supported, according to Samsung | Supported with a magnetic Galaxy Watch charger |
| 2024 Galaxy Watch Ultra, 47mm | Not supported, according to Samsung | Supported with a magnetic Galaxy Watch charger |
| Galaxy Watch4, Watch5 and Watch6 | Listed as supported in Samsung’s regional compatibility guidance | Use a compatible dedicated Galaxy Watch charger |
Samsung’s support documentation groups the Watch7 and Watch Ultra together on this limitation. The Ultra in this article means the 2024 launch-generation model, not a later product with a similar name.
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Do older Galaxy Watch charging pucks still work?
Yes, an older Samsung Galaxy Watch puck can still charge a Watch7 or Ultra, but charging may be slower because of the changed sensor and charging geometry. Samsung notes this on its Hong Kong support page. Slower charging from an older puck does not by itself mean the watch or charger is broken. For expected performance, use the supplied charger or a compatible Samsung fast-charging puck.
Do not assume that any generic Qi pad, wireless battery pack or another brand’s phone reverse-charging feature will work. Samsung recommends the Galaxy Watch charger or an approved compatible watch charger; compatibility depends on the charging hardware, not simply on whether an accessory is described as wireless.
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- PUSH PAST YESTERDAY: Looking for a great way to bring out your personal best every day. Challenge yourself to excel on your next run or bike ride using tracking with Galaxy AI¹ that lets you compare your current performance to your last one²
- START YOUR DAY WITH YOUR ENERGY SCORE: Know how ready you are to take on the day using your personalized Energy Score with Galaxy AI¹; It calculates today’s physical readiness based on what you did yesterday
- KEEP A CLOSER EYE ON YOUR HEART HEALTH: Get the most out of your fitness workouts using improved Heart Rate Tracking³ with Galaxy AI¹ that filters out your body’s movements for a more accurate reading
- GET A BOOST TOWARD YOUR GOALS: Stay on track toward your goals using personalized suggestions from Wellness Tips⁴; Your Watch collects the insights and then they’re analyzed on your phone
- BETTER SLEEP. A HEALTHIER YOU: Learn better habits for more restful nights using sleep tracking⁵ with Galaxy AI¹ — it also helps detect moderate to severe sleep apnea⁶; Get helpful insights collected by your Watch and analyzed by your phone
What to carry instead of relying on your phone
For everyday charging, use the watch’s magnetic puck with a suitable USB-C power source. If you previously relied on your Galaxy phone as an emergency charger while travelling, the practical change is that you now need to bring the puck as well as a power source. Options include the supplied puck, a spare puck, a USB-C power bank connected to the puck, or a multi-device charger that explicitly includes a Galaxy Watch-compatible mount. A generic wireless power bank is not a guaranteed substitute.
Official replacement charger
Samsung’s U.S. listing identifies the Galaxy Watch Charger (Fast Charging), model EP-OL300BBEGUJ. The page listed it at $39.99 when checked in August 2026; prices and availability can change. Samsung states that, under its specified conditions, it can charge a Watch7 to 45% in 30 minutes and a Watch Ultra to 35% in 30 minutes. These are manufacturer figures, not guaranteed results for every battery state, temperature, adapter or software version. The charger is listed at Samsung’s U.S. store.
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![Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 40mm LTE AI Smartwatch w/Energy Score, Wellness Tips, Heart Rate Tracking, Sleep Monitor, Fitness Tracker, 2024, Green [US Version, 1Yr Manufacturer Warranty]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/414u6mCC97L._SL160_.jpg)
- PUSH PAST YESTERDAY: Looking for a great way to bring out your personal best every day? Challenge yourself to excel on your next run or bike ride using tracking with Galaxy AI¹ that lets you compare your current performance to your last one²
- START YOUR DAY WITH YOUR ENERGY SCORE: Know how ready you are to take on the day using your personalized Energy Score with Galaxy AI¹; It calculates today’s physical readiness based on what you did yesterday
- KEEP A CLOSER EYE ON YOUR HEART HEALTH: Get the most out of your fitness workouts using improved Heart Rate Tracking³ with Galaxy AI¹ that filters out your body’s movements for a more accurate reading
- GET A BOOST TOWARD YOUR GOALS: Stay on track toward your goals using personalized suggestions from Wellness Tips⁴; Your Watch collects the insights and then they’re analyzed on your phone
- BETTER SLEEP. A HEALTHIER YOU: Learn better habits for more restful nights using sleep tracking⁵ with Galaxy AI¹ — it also helps detect moderate to severe sleep apnea⁶; Get helpful insights collected by your Watch and analyzed by your phone
Samsung says fast charging requires a Watch5-series-or-newer watch and a power adapter rated at 10W or higher. The adapter is sold separately on the cited product page. These details apply to the U.S. listing; check the equivalent local Samsung page for regional pricing and availability.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What to do if the watch will not charge
If you are placing a Watch7 or 2024 Ultra on the back of a Galaxy phone, stop there: Samsung says phone Wireless PowerShare is unsupported for these models. Removing a phone case, changing phone settings or repositioning the watch cannot restore compatibility. If a dedicated puck is failing, use this sequence instead:
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- Next-Generation 3nm Processor: Exynos W1000 chipset delivers significantly faster performance and smoother app navigation.
- Confirm you are using a dedicated magnetic Galaxy Watch charger, not the back of a phone or an unverified Qi pad.
- Connect the puck to a suitable USB-C source. For Samsung’s fast-charging puck, use a 10W-or-higher adapter for fast charging.
- Remove dirt or moisture from the watch’s rear and the charger, then carefully reseat the watch on the magnetic puck.
- If it is an older watch puck, allow for slower charging. If there is still no charging indication, try another known-good USB-C adapter and inspect the cable and puck for damage.
- If possible, test the puck with another compatible Galaxy Watch. If the watch still fails on its intended charger, contact Samsung support or pursue warranty service.
These checks address ordinary dedicated-charger problems; they are not workarounds for phone-to-watch Wireless PowerShare.
Is this a reason to avoid upgrading?
It is a real convenience loss for someone who regularly travels light and used a Galaxy phone to top up an older watch in an emergency. It is not the removal of the Watch7 or Ultra’s normal wireless charging. The trade-off is phone-based backup charging versus the newer models’ hardware and sensor changes.
If phone charging is essential, Samsung’s regional list points to the Watch4, Watch5 and Watch6 generations as compatible alternatives. That does not by itself make a used older watch the better buy: battery condition, software-support horizon, features, warranty and price all matter, and the compatibility list is not a current purchase recommendation.
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