TL;DR
- OnePlus 13 users are reporting extreme difficulty in taking off the official Wood Grain magnetic case.
- One unfortunate user even bent their phone while trying to pry the case off.
- User-suggested methods of removing the problematic case include strategic corner pulling, brute force, and even using a hairdryer.
The OnePlus 13 is one of the best flagship phones you can buy right now, boasting top-tier design and performance. But if you want to embrace OnePlus’ take on MagSafe-style magnetic wireless charging, there’s a small catch. You’ll need to slap on a magnetic case to use the company’s new wireless charger. OnePlus sells official magnetic cases for this purpose, including the aesthetically pleasing $39 Wood Grain variant.
At first glance, the Wood Grain magnetic case seems perfectly stylish and functional, with its hot-pressed wood veneer promising a natural, premium feel. Unfortunately, users are discovering that this case isn’t just a snug fit; it’s more like a permanent one.
The struggle is real
Multiple OnePlus 13 users have reported serious struggles when trying to remove the Wood Grain magnetic case. One unlucky Reddit user even claimed they bent their phone in the process.
“I tried shoving stuff under and using it as a wedge with no luck. I eventually just had to brute force it with my thumbs, which were damn near bleeding by the time I was done. I’m not a small dude either—I’m a 185lb man, and I really had to put some force in to get that thing off. It took a ton of attempts, and even trying my best to be careful, I still bent the device,” they said.
Some customers believe OnePlus should pull the product off the market.
While hard-shell cases can sometimes be a pain to remove, the OnePlus 13’s Wood Grain case seems to take things to an extreme.
“I just got this case the other day and after almost 30 minutes of trying to get it off without breaking my phone, I immediately initiated a return for a refund. Worst case I’ve ever seen,” noted another frustrated user.
With more reports surfacing, some customers believe OnePlus should pull the product off the market entirely.
“They need to take them off the store until they redesign them and ship new ones for free to everyone who bought one. People are literally gonna break their devices trying to put them on and take them off.”
OnePlus has yet to acknowledge these complaints, but given the growing user frustration, a case recall or revision might be in order.
How to (and not to) remove the OnePlus 13 Wood Grain case?
While some users have given up on the problematic OnePlus 13 case entirely, others have figured out creative (and sometimes questionable) ways to remove it.
“The easiest way I found to get the case off is to flip your phone over and put your thumb on the camera lens. Gently pull up and back from the left corner (corner near the toggle switch). It should pop off with relative ease, and then you can just pull it off the rest of the way,” said one user.
Another suggested a more forceful approach — “Get to a corner of the case, push down until it separates, then slowly work your way around. You’ll have to use a lot of force in my experience.”
And then there’s the DIY heat treatment method someone used — “I use a hair dryer to take off the case every time. Love the case, but it’s way too snug and secure, which is great and annoying at the same time.”
Though this technique might work, it’s probably not a good idea to blast your phone with excess heat unless you want a case removal method that involves melted internals.
So if you’re considering buying a OnePlus 13 Wood Grain magnetic case, you might want to think twice or at least be ready to wrestle your phone out of it. You could also just use a OnePlus 13 case that doesn’t require an engineering degree to remove.
