The best iPhone accessories for 2024

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The Apple iPhone is impressive on its own, but the right accessories can take it to the next level, making it more personal and tailored to your needs. Whether you're looking to prop it up with a kickstand, enjoy the convenience of wireless charging or grab something like a PopSocket for a more secure grip, accessories help you get the most out of your device.Investing in the right accessories can also enhance your phone's accessibility, making it easier to use in most situations. Plus, iPhone accessories aren’t just about practicality — they can help you dive into the smart home world, too. Think MagSafe chargers, HomeKit-compatible devices or stands that blend seamlessly into your home setup. Whether you’ve got the latest model or are rocking an older handset, there’s an accessory out there that fits your lifestyle, and we’ve found some of the best ones to help you choose.

Photo by Valentina Palladino / Engadget

Apple’s AirTags make it easy for iPhone users to locate things they might misplace. There are even AirTag cases and keyrings you can buy for added convenience that act as a holder for the device. Just attach one of the tiny Bluetooth trackers to your keys, backpack or wallet and then use the Find My app to keep track of them. If you know your stuff is within reach, you can force the AirTag to play a tune to lead you to it. And when you truly don’t know where something is, you can enable Lost Mode to be automatically notified when the Find My network locates the item. AirTags only have compatibility with iPhones, but iPhone users have other Bluetooth tracker options. But Apple’s gadgets have a convenience level that’s similar to AirPods — your iPhone will automatically identify a new Apple AirTag nearby and immediately pair with it, and, base on our testing experience, it’s quite simple to manage multiple AirTags in the Find My app.

Apple

There are often better and cheaper alternatives to Apple’s first-party accessories, but the company’s MagSafe wireless charger is worth considering if you have a new iPhone. Like all other MagSafe accessories, this charging pad uses magnets to attach to the back of the latest iPhones and it’s surprisingly strong. Not only can you safely pick up your handset and use it with the disk still attached, but the iPhone can dangle by the charger’s cord without falling off. (You still probably shouldn’t do this.)

The charging plate itself is about a quarter-inch thick so it barely adds any heft to the iPhone. The magnets only attach to the latest iPhones, but it will still charge older models wirelessly, going back to the iPhone 8. I only wish the cable were longer than three feet so that you had more leeway to use your iPhone on the couch or in bed while powering it up.

Apple’s MagSafe charger accessory comes in at $39 (and the latest model will cost you $50), but if you want to spend a bit less, Spigen’s $25 ArcField magnetic wireless charger is a decent dupe. It’s magnets are nowhere near as strong as those on the Apple MagSafe charger — so you definitely shouldn’t pick up your iPhone by this cable — but it’ll power up your handset and stay put while doing so.

Apple

Read our full AirPods Pro review

The 2nd generation Apple AirPods Pro are the most feature-rich wireless earbuds the company makes, and after the announcements made at the iPhone event this year, they're about to get even more useful. These have the best sound quality of any of Apple's earbuds, and they come with interchangeable ear tips, which all you to get the most comfortable and secure fit. They have solid ANC and excellent Transparency mode, and a decent battery life that's only aided by the extra hours of life provided by its MagSafe charging case.

Those who are hard of hearing have new reasons to consider the Pros now, too. Via a software update, the Pros will soon gain the ability to provide a clinically-validated hearing test to its users and act as a hearing aid. They'll boost sounds like people speaking and reduce background noise further to help folks hear better.

Anker

We’ve been fans of Anker’s charging cables for a long time and its Bio-Braided USB-C to C cable is no exception. This model supports a max output of 240W so you can use it with your new iPhone or a MacBook, an iPad and most other mobile devices that don’t work with a Lightning cable. It's also 10 feet long, giving you much more flexibility to use it even if you have to park yourself further away from your power source. Plus, it's made from a plant-based nylon that shouldn't crack under pressure — Anker boasts a 10,000-bend lifespan on this cable, so you can use it and abuse it without it failing on you for a long time.

PopSockets

PopSockets have been a great solution for the problem of slippery iPhones for a long time, but the new MagSafe PopGrips make them an even more versatile option. Instead of adhering to the back of your handset or phone's case, they magnetically (and pretty securely) attach using MagSafe. That means you can use it when you need it — to prop up your iPhone to watch a video or take a selfie — and then swiftly remove it when you don't need it or want to power up using a wireless charger. Each of these PopGrips comes with a MagSafe-compatible ring as well, which means you can turn non-iPhone gadgets like an Android phone, an ereader and others into MagSafe-compatible ones, too. And if you prefer a different style grip or a wallet accessory, PopSocket has a number of items to choose from in its MagSafe range.

Anker

Anker's new MagSafe battery pack powered up a dead iPhone 15 to half full in about 45 minutes in our testing. Its 10,000mAh capacity means you'll get a couple of recharges out of it before it needs more juice itself, and we appreciate the strong MagSafe connection, too. Not only does this model provide a faster charge than our previous top pick, but it also has a handy kickstand that you can pop open to prop up your phone to watch views. The small digital display on the side of the battery pack conveniently tells you how much power is left in the bank, too.

Admittedly, this portable charger is on the pricey side, but it's well worth it if you want a no-fuss, no-wires-necessary battery pack that can partially charge up your phone. Plus, you won’t need to fork out more money for additional cables as the power bank comes with an included USB-C cable, which you can plug into the USB-C port on the device and your iPhone 15. For something similar and more affordable, consider Anker's magnetic 5,000mAh battery pack instead.

JETech

A screen protector is arguably the most important accessory for your iPhone that you could get, and that goes for even those who avoid cases like the plague. The last thing you want is to accidentally drop your very expensive new piece of tech and come out of it with a shattered screen. JeTech makes screen protectors for a number of different iPhone models and they’re quite easy to precisely stick onto your handset’s screen. Made with tempered glass, these thin sheets protect your iPhone display from scratches, bumps and drops, and they are fingerprint- and oil-proof as well. Each pack comes with three screen protectors, so even the clumsiest among us will have a couple of backups if they burn through the original shortly after installation.

Elevation Lab

Elevation Lab’s Go stand is a sleek and unassuming way to prop up your iPhone when you want to watch a video or just have its screen visible at all times. It allows you to adjust the viewing angle up to 45 degrees, and it works with iPhones in landscape or portrait orientation. You don’t have to remove your iPhone case to use it either, plus you can power up at the same time if you have a MagSafe charger. And when you’re done with it, the stand folds into a slim, flat profile that will easily slide into a pocket or an overstuffed backpack.

Anker

While Apple’s 20W charger works just fine, you can opt for a more versatile adapter in Anker’s 313 45W fast charger. Not only can it fast-charge an iPhone, but it can also power up a MacBook Air at full speed, along with mid-sized devices like iPads. This USB-C power adapter is 30 percent smaller than Anker's original adapter, and it uses GaN technology to prevent overheating. We also appreciate that its connector prongs flip down to make the adapter even more compact when you need to travel with it.

Speck

Those of us with older vehicles don’t have the luxury of built-in CarPlay, but your iPhone can still help you navigate if you use a car mount like Speck’s MagSafe accessory. The MagSafe Car Vent Mount with ClickLock attaches to one of your car vents and can be positioned so you can easily see the directions on your iPhone’s screen while you’re driving. When we tested it, we noticed the magnets are quite strong, helping to prevent your handset from sliding off when you brake too hard or take a turn too quickly (and if you have a Speck ClickLock MagSafe charging case, you’ll fare even better). Once you have it installed in the right position for your car, an accessory like this should just blend in with the other tools on your dash and Speck’s mount does exactly that. It’s easy to readjust the viewing angle of your iPhone if needed, and there’s built-in cord management on the backside of the mount as well.

Peak Design

Peak Design’s iPhone tripod is a solid, well-designed aluminum frame that folds into a credit card-sized shape. You’re paying a premium for the build design and quality, with a tiny hex key even built into the tripod legs for tightening them, if needed.

With a solid micro-ball head, you can adjust the angle of your iPhone while it’s in tripod mode. Better still, it can firmly attach, magnetically, to the phone in both vertical and horizontal orientations. This makes it an excellent stand for your phone even when you’re not trying to shoot video or photos.

You also don’t need to shell out for a Peak Design case to ensure it works, although it does feel more solidly connected if you do. Any MagSafe iPhone locks onto the peripheral, maintaining a solid hold on this mobile tripod whether in use or folded away.

There are plenty of more affordable MagSafe phone stands, such as Moft’s Snap-On Stand and Wallet, which props up your iPhone while holding a few credit cards, Anker’s MagGo phone grip, and the now-ubiquitous PopSockets. While MagSafe accessories like these are convenient, they won’t be as sturdy as something securely snapped onto your smartphone or a smartphone case. All of the MagSafe stands, wallets, chargers, and other accessories I’ve tried eventually fell off if I applied enough force. However, there’s no sticky residue or the need to use a specific case with Peak Design’s tripod. — Mat Smith, UK Bureau Chief

Spigen

There are many more MagSafe cases available now than there were just a year ago, and they run the gamut from affordable to quite expensive. You could always go with one of Apple’s first-party options, but just know that even if you like the style of the company’s silicone cover or its hard-shell clear cases, you can probably find a decent dupe for much less money. We’ve got a whole list of the best iPhone cases we’ve tried, and a good all-purpose option is Spigen’s Ultra Hybrid MagFit case. It’s a clear cover that has anti-yellowing properties, which should keep your iPhone looking clean and new for longer than other cases, and it'll work well with any screen protector you might already have on your phone. Raised edges help protect the screen and camera array from making too much contact with other surfaces, and you’ll be able to use it with any magnetic accessories you want.