Chargers & Accessories
Everything we publish about cables, chargers, power banks, cases and protectors sits here. Work through the routes for charging, accessories and fault checks.
Three routes, and you only need one of them
Take the route that matches what you are choosing or fixing.
Pick the charger
Take this route when buying power. Wattage is only half the story: the protocol the phone speaks decides whether you get fast charging or a slow trickle.
Choose the cable or bank
Take this route when the accessory has to last. A cable that charges is not necessarily a cable that transfers data, and capacity claims do not translate directly into usable charge.
Fix what stopped working
Take this route when an accessory or a port misbehaves. Most accessory faults are compatibility or debris rather than a failed device.
Protection and the repair ticket
Protectors and cases are the accessory lines a repair shop can sell with confidence, because the shop already knows what the device needs.
Screen protectors that do not break the repair
A protector fitted badly creates the very complaint the customer came in to avoid: bubbles, dust, or a fingerprint sensor that stops reading. The guides here cover what causes each symptom and when the protector is genuinely at fault, including the cases where the protector rather than the phone is interfering with touch. For a repair shop this is a small sale with a large effect on whether the customer trusts the next recommendation.
Cases, hinges and waterproofing
Case choice is not cosmetic on a folding phone, where the hinge is the vulnerable part, and it is not trivial on a device the customer takes near water. Waterproof cases have a finite life and a fitting procedure, and a case that was fine last summer may be the reason the phone is wet this winter. Checking the seal before the customer relies on it is the difference between an accessory sale and a claim.
What actually decides whether an accessory works — four things
Four variables, and the first one is behind most "faulty charger" complaints.
The protocol, not the wattage
Fast charging depends on the charger and phone agreeing on a standard. High wattage without the right protocol charges slowly.
Cable specification
Charge rating and data rating are separate. A cable can power a laptop and still not carry a file transfer.
Condition and debris
Lint in a port and wear in a connector mimic electronic faults. Cleaning and a known-good cable settle it in seconds.
Fit and alignment
Wireless charging and cases are tolerance games: a thick case or a misaligned coil turns a working charger into an unreliable one.
Where to go from here
Accessories sit next to charging repairs and shop add-on sales.
Charger and accessory questions
The short answers, each linked to the article set behind it.
Why does a fast charger charge my phone slowly?
Because fast charging needs a shared protocol as well as enough power. The charger, the cable and the phone all have to support the same standard, and a cable that is not rated for the current will cap the rate even when the charger is capable.
Does a higher wattage charger damage a phone?
No. A phone draws what it needs and the charger provides the voltage and current the two have negotiated, so a 100W charger does not push 100W into a handset that asks for 20W. What does matter is buying from suppliers whose ratings match their labels.
How much usable charge does a power bank actually give?
Less than the label, because conversion loses energy and capacity is quoted at cell voltage rather than at the phone. Expect roughly two-thirds of the stated capacity in usable charge, and less in cold conditions.
Can I take a power bank on a flight from the UK?
Within limits that depend on capacity and on the airline, and only in cabin baggage for most sizes. The rules here cover the capacity bands and how they are declared, which is worth checking before travelling rather than at the gate.
Why does my screen protector affect the fingerprint reader?
Thickness and adhesive interfere with the sensor, particularly on under-display readers. Some protectors are made for specific reader types, and the check is to compare behaviour with and without the film before assuming the phone is at fault.
Ask about accessory stock for your shop
Tell us the models you sell most and whether you want chargers, cables, protectors or cases. You will get the accessory lines that match those handsets with trade pricing attached.
Ask about accessories