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220-1201 Practice Question: That their smartphone's wireless charging pad…
A user reports that their smartphone's wireless charging pad stops charging after a few minutes. The phone charges fine with a cable. The charging pad works with another phone. What is the most likely cause?
⚠ Common exam trap
CompTIA often tests the distinction between 'doesn't work at all' vs. 'works then stops' to trap candidates into blaming the charging coil or pad, when the real issue is thermal or FOD-related interference from the case.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The phone case is too thick or contains metal.
Wireless charging relies on inductive coupling between the phone's receiver coil and the pad's transmitter coil. A thick case (especially one containing metal) can physically separate the coils beyond the effective range or cause eddy current losses that trigger thermal protection, causing the pad to shut down after a few minutes. The fact that the pad works with another phone and the phone charges via cable isolates the issue to the case, not the phone's battery or charging coil.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
The charging pad is defective.
Why it's wrong here
If the charging pad successfully charges another compatible smartphone, it confirms that its internal power transmission circuitry and induction coil are fully functional. A truly defective charging pad would exhibit a complete inability to generate the necessary electromagnetic field or deliver power to any device, indicating a fundamental hardware failure rather than a selective issue with a single phone. Therefore, the pad itself is unlikely to be the root cause of the problem.
- ✗
The phone's battery is faulty.
Why it's wrong here
A faulty smartphone battery would typically manifest charging problems regardless of the power source, affecting both wired and wireless charging capabilities. Since the user's phone charges without issue when connected via a cable, the battery's internal health, charging controller, and capacity are likely operating within normal parameters. The problem is therefore specific to the wireless charging mechanism itself, not the battery's ability to accept or hold a charge.
- ✓
The phone case is too thick or contains metal.
Why this is correct
Wireless charging relies on efficient electromagnetic induction between the pad's transmitting coil and the phone's receiving coil. A phone case that is excessively thick increases the physical distance between these coils, significantly reducing charging efficiency and generating more heat. Furthermore, cases containing metallic elements can absorb the electromagnetic field, causing both the phone and the pad to overheat and trigger safety protocols that prematurely stop the charging process to prevent damage.
- ✗
The phone's wireless charging coil is damaged.
Why it's wrong here
A damaged wireless charging coil within the phone would typically prevent any wireless charging from occurring whatsoever. If the coil were physically broken, disconnected, or short-circuited, the phone would not be able to establish an inductive link with the charging pad. The symptom of charging initiating and then ceasing after a few minutes points towards an environmental factor or a safety shutdown mechanism, rather than a complete hardware failure of the coil itself.
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Key term
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A smartphone is a handheld mobile device that combines cellular communication with computing capabilities, running an operating system that supports third-party applications, internet connectivity, and a touchscreen interface.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This 220-1201 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the 220-1201 exam.