Wireless charging

NFC Wireless Charging (WLC) testing

NFC Wireless Charging (WLC) lets a device draw power over the same 13.56 MHz NFC link it already uses for data — ideal for small devices like wearables and styluses, with no extra coil.

Official specification: NFC Forum specifications ↗

What is NFC wireless charging?

NFC-WLC is the NFC Forum's wireless-charging specification. It delivers up to about a watt of power over the standard 13.56 MHz NFC link, so a small device can be charged through the same antenna it uses for NFC data — no separate charging coil required.

It defines a Poller (the charger) and a Listener (the device being charged), with negotiated and static power-transfer modes. Two NFC Forum specifications, including WLC, were recently adopted as IEC standards, raising the profile of the technology.

WLC vs Qi

WLC is not Qi. Qi (from the Wireless Power Consortium) targets phones and higher power over a dedicated coil; NFC-WLC targets small devices at low power, reusing the existing NFC antenna. They solve different problems.

Test it with cilab

Test NFC-WLC Poller and Listener

The ci230 includes an NFC-WLC Poller/Listener test bench, and cilab is NFC Forum certified for wireless-charging testing — so you can certify and pre-test WLC on the same integrated instrument as your NFC and EMV® work.

Explore the ci230

Frequently asked

What is the difference between NFC-WLC and Qi wireless charging?

NFC-WLC delivers low power (about 1 W) over the existing 13.56 MHz NFC antenna for small devices; Qi delivers higher power over a dedicated coil for phones and larger devices. They are different standards for different use cases.

How much power does NFC wireless charging deliver?

Up to about 1 watt, which suits wearables, styluses, hearables and similar small devices rather than phones.

Related standards

Interoperability certification

NFC Forum certification (CR15)

NFC Forum certification proves an NFC device interoperates with the rest of the ecosystem. CR15 is the current certification release, extending the tested operating range and consolidating the analog, digital and wireless-charging requirements.

Contactless standard

ISO/IEC 14443 proximity card testing

ISO/IEC 14443 is the foundation of contactless — the 13.56 MHz proximity standard behind payment cards, transit, eID and access. Almost every NFC and EMV® contactless product builds on it.

Test smart. Certify easy.

See how cilab runs NFC-WLC on your bench — book a demo with one of our engineers.

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