The Universal Adapter is an adhesive-backed adapter that mounts to the back of a 3rd party phone case, making it compatible with the full line of Peak Design Mobile mounts and accessories. 

So, if it's universal, does it work on other things, like tablets and foldable phones? 

Not only have our customers been curious about this, but our designers have as well. After in-house testing done by our team to answer this question, we found that it does indeed work; however, we can not guarantee its success, and if you choose to do so, you are doing it at your own risk. Let's dig into the testing details and how we got to that answer. 

Issues With Tablets & Folding Phones

The primary issue we found while testing tablets and using the Universal Adapter on a Wall Mount was that the tablets were significantly heavier than traditional smartphones. 

This added weight stresses the magnetic and adhesive strength to its limit and, in certain circumstances, can fail as a result. To have the best success mounting a tablet or folding phone, we recommend that you use devices weighing no more than 700 grams (that's about 24 oz) and adhere the Universal Adapter directly to the device, not to a case. We also found the best results by centering the adapter on the back of the device. 

Centering the adapter on an iPad is relatively straightforward, but when it comes to folding phones, that’s not the case due to the device's construction. The organic fold in the phone will require you to mount the adapter on one side or the other of the device, making it so when it is open and in use, the adapter will be off-center of the phone's overall design. This is problematic as it puts more stress on one side of the magnet, ultimately compromising the strength of the hold. If you decide to do this, we suggest you experiment to understand if this is right for your situation and understand the consequences. 

Ok, so you know the risks but want to do it anyway? 

You rebel, you. Well, we can’t stop you, but we can provide more insight into how you might find a solution that works for you. Let it be known that using our products in ways it was not designed for creates a greater risk of detaching and causing damage to your device. Because of this known risk, you’ll have the best success using your adapter for stationary accessories, like our Wall Mount. 

The amount of force the tablet or phone would be exposed to during activities such as driving and riding will certainly too be too strong for the Universal Adapter to hold up; thus, we don't recommend mounting it in situations where you're moving — not in your car, and certainly not on your bike, motorcycle, boat, hang glider or parasail. 

Another known risk to consider when using a non-locking attachment, such as the Wall Mount, is the tablet or folding phone falling off when you rotate the device. From our testing, however, the tablet should remain firm on the adapter under regular or aggressive tapping.

Will it work better on a locking attachment?  

Not exactly. 

If you're using it on a non-locking mount (like with our Wall Mount), the bigger risk will be your tablet falling off the mount, whereas if you use it with a locking mount (like Universal Bar Mount), the bigger risk is the adhesive failing on the universal adapter. Either way, there is a risk of detachment.

As always, remember to give the adhesive the full 24 hours to cure. After curing the Universal Adapter and mount, please spend the first few minutes testing to make sure it’s a secure connection. If you have any concerns, do not continue using it.

So take risks, but know the consequences.

Please be sure to use your best judgment when it comes to using our products on your device, and note that the Peak Design Lifetime Warranty does not cover product failures or breakages due to misuse, neglect, or intentional damage. We also don't cover damage to your phone/device, your surroundings, or yourself, so whatever you do, be careful out there.