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More phones are landing with reverse wireless charging, allowing users to top-up smartwatches, earbuds, or other supported handsets. But how often do our readers make use of this feature?

We posed the question in a recent poll, and the results are now in.

How often do you use reverse wireless charging?

Results

This poll proved pretty popular, racking up 2,000 votes since it was published on January 21. However, it seems that reverse wireless charging is among the least used features on modern smartphones.

The vast majority of readers (61%) claim to have never used reverse wireless charging, even though their devices support it. Those who do use the feature employ it so infrequently that it’s easily forgotten. Just 17.1% of respondents use wireless reverse charging “once or twice a year,” 6.7% use the feature at least once a week, and 8.6% use it “once or twice a month.”

See also: The best phones with wireless charging

While reverse wireless charging is by no means a must-have, it’s extremely useful when a companion wireless device needs a minor, impromptu power boost. This is evident by the results skewing towards more infrequent use. That said, several readers in the comments would trade reverse wireless charging for other features, like microSD card support, in a heartbeat.

Your comments

• Thelonius: I don’t even use regular wireless charging. It’s so slow and inefficient. Just a waste of time and electricity IMO. Plus, I can’t even use my phone while charging it. I can’t see much utility for it in any scenario.
• daftrok: If you have some downtime and your headphone/watch batteries are running low it’s convenient but it isn’t a super critical. It is also nice if you are at someone’s house and you plug your phone into the wall to charge and simultaneously use it as a wireless charger pad for an iPhone user that needs charge but the household doesn’t have proprietary nonsense.
• Tony Talks: I forget it’s even a feature… it’s nice… I guess? If the poll is anything to go by if even enthusiasts like us aren’t using it I can only imagine the general public not using it.
• Eduardo Pagani: At the time I voted, I see 61% of people never used it. That’s one of those features no one cared about or asked for — even though it’s nice to have. At the same time, some of us are in desperate need of a microSD slot and Samsung just nixes it.
• vmxr: I don’t have this feature I would love to have it.
• meh…: What’s the point of this feature? It’s something that makes no sense to add since phone batteries are still prone to dying halfway through a full day. Until we get phones with 3- or 4-day battery life, it will not make sense to do this.
• JZ VR: Reverse wireless charging on my Huawei Mate 40 Pro Plus has saved the day multiple times when people needed to make a call/text but their phone ran out of battery. It’s useful when you need it and for charging small gadgets like earphones.

That’s it for this poll. Thanks for your votes and comments. If you have any additional thoughts, be sure to drop them below.