We’ve all done it. We’ve scrolled through Amazon, found the cheapest, coolest-looking phone case we could find, and clicked the “buy now” button. And that may even be where the story ends, but for a lot of people, once they receive their new case, they’re frustrated that the device they paid so much money for doesn’t function like it should, especially when it comes to wireless charging.

Maybe it overheats, or maybe the charge is simply too slow for your liking, but the point is that it doesn’t work as well as it should, and that’s frustrating. But the actual problem might not even be the phone itself, believe it or not. Most of the time, a phone case causes issues before the device itself does, and thankfully, a few helpful tricks can fix them more often than not.

Your case is too thick

it may look cool, but it can put stress on charging

Most people think that a really thick, hard-shelled phone case can solve most of your problems. We’ve all seen the belt-clipped phone guys, right? Those things are like tanks. But in reality, it puts real stress on the magnetic charging mechanism and can trap heat around the phone: a two-pronged problem that sends just about every device into a sort of panic.

Believe it or not, the recommended maximum thickness for the back of any phone case is just 3 millimeters. If that seems pretty thin, it’s because it is pretty thin, but in reality, it makes sense. Typically, dropping your phone flat on its back won’t cause all that much damage anyway. That’s why most phone cases now are bolstered around the corners rather than all throughout the case. Placing something more than 3 millimeters puts extra stress on the phone’s charging coil, which drastically lowers power transfer efficiency.

Stop stacking stuff on the back of your phones

Every year, someone comes out with a new toy to slap on the back of an iPhone and then rakes in the money. First, there were the phone flip wallets, and those were fine. I even had one for a long time. Then came pop sockets, which, to this day, annoy me to no end. Now there are metal stands, wallets, pop sockets, and entire websites dedicated to pushing these accessories to consumers. I’m sure they make more money than I do, but someone has got to talk about the damage they can do to wireless charging.

If there’s a metal object in between your wireless charger and the phone you’re trying to charge, it simply will not work. That includes metal stands, wallets, and anything else that uses your MagSafe magnets for mounting. Plain and simple, MagSafe and extra metal simply do not mix.

Trapping heat is easily noticeable

If you can cook off the back of your phone, something’s off

One telltale sign of a phone not properly charging wirelessly is excess heat. Believe it or not, wireless charging isn’t meant to generate that much of it. Your phone shouldn’t get close to a temperature that could singe your eyebrows, and there are a few common causes. We’ve already discussed a case that’s too thick, but another one, which we’ll get to momentarily, is simple misalignment. However, the big thing here is heat.

What’s happening with your phone is that the MagSafe charger is putting extra stress on the phone’s battery coil because it’s having a harder time transferring power through the magnets. This extra friction causes something that friction often does: excess heat. That heat sends your phone into panic mode, where it automatically throttles back charging to protect the battery and the phone’s charging system. If that’s happening to you, consider swapping cases, grabbing a new charger, or making sure everything is in order before you lay your phone down to charge.

The fixes are right under your nose

As frustrating as it can be, fixing these issues is pretty routine

While these issues are understandably frustrating, the fixes are both commonplace and pretty simple. Switching to a compatible case that measures 3 millimeters or fewer in thickness can solve most problems, but users must make sure it’s MagSafe/Qi2 compatible. Most will say that in the product description, you just might have to dig for it. Additionally, companies have realized that customers now expect wireless charging capability as the bare minimum, and they’re starting to offer most cases at competitive price points with the technology already in use. I think my phone case cost a whopping $20 from Amazon.

However, there is a completely foolproof option. If you don’t like wireless charging, find it too slow, or simply can’t be bothered, running the old-fashioned wire will never go out of style. I just refuse to add to the already immense clutter on my desk.