The best iPhone 16 and 16 Pro cases for style and protection

It’s no big surprise, but we’d still recommend Mous cases as some of the top options for the latest iPhones. And it isn’t just that the British brand has maintained its high-protection designs from the last iteration; it has further refined and improved on them for its next-generation “Limitless 6.0” series. The changes? The case is now thinner than its predecessor and more reinforced at the corners, making it easy to hold and not bulky overall, while still being ultra-protective.

We’re fans of the shockproof lining, well-designed raised edges around the most vulnerable areas and strong, built-in magnets. The designs are sleek and sophisticated, including the finishes Mous is known for like Carbon Fibre, Black Leather, Walnut, Speckled Fabric and Bamboo. These cases also have great clicky buttons and a very accessible cutout for the Camera Control button. Future versions will now offer a standalone button, which many will prefer, although we find it unusual that it's a tiny, replaceable part rather than fully built into the case.

The Casetify Impact Case for the iPhone 16 continues to be a top pick for its blend of style and protection. We're yet to find another option available with this sheer variety of customisation options. From collaborations with artists to florals, gradient pastels, personalisations and pop culture tie-ins, there’s a design for everyone.

Many styles are also available with reinforced corners (the "Ultra" or "Bounce" series), with or without MagSafe magnets, and with a handy "Ring Stand" integrated around the cameras. On test, we were impressed by the robustness offered without added bulk. These cases are slim yet durable, with raised edges around the screen and cameras and great 2.5-metre drop protection, which should be enough for most of us!

Whether you choose a clear version or opt for something bolder, the Impact Case delivers reliability without compromising on aesthetics. The only notable downside is the high price.

If you're looking for a rugged iPhone 16 case that isn't so heavy that it feels like a brick in your pocket or bag, the UAG Metropolis LT is our top pick. It strikes a great balance between protection and style, offering solid durability without the bulk.

With reinforced corners, an impact-resistant core, and a 5.4-metre drop rating, it’s built to handle everyday bumps and tumbles – and then some. In fact, UAG advertises this as "MIL-STD 810G 516.6", which means it passed an American military standard where devices are tested with drops 26 times, on all sides. We doubt you'll be dropping it often, though, as the grippy texture makes it super secure to hold.

While it's not the most extreme option for protecting the new Camera Control button, it does offer a well-designed cutout for easy access. Plus, it's impressively sleek for a rugged case, has clicky raised buttons and strong MagSafe compatibility. Our only major downside is that the price feels a bit steep, but if you want a tough case that looks good and feels premium, this one's worth considering.

If your priority is finding a high-quality leather case with a precise Camera Control cutout and excellent clicky buttons, you don’t need to look any further than the Woolnut option. While we also tried rival leather cases from Nomad and Mujjo, this Scandinavian full-grain leather one gets our vote overall (but it’s worth saying that, for protection and leather, we’d still highly recommend the premium Mujjo Shield case, only available for the Pro phones).

The overall finish of the Woolnut case is fantastic, and we love that it comes in multiple colours that all look lovely. It has a soft microfibre lining, strong MagSafe support, and raised edges in all the right places to protect the screen and cameras. The aluminium buttons might be our favourite aspect of the case overall, but there’s loads to like, and the tapered cutout for the Camera Control is one of the most seamless of all the options we tested.

Peak Design’s new “GNAR” case is squarely aimed at those looking for outdoor protection and accessory compatibility, with a few key upgrades over the brand's existing Everyday Case. It can withstand drops from 4.5 metres, has a built-in button for the Camera Control and a textured grip surface around the entire edge.

We like how it has a secure alignment system, not only for MagSafe attachment, but also for Peak Design’s accessory ecosystem. This is ideal if you want to lock it into a handlebar mount on a bike, onto a wall mount, or to use the brand’s excellent magnetic tripod.

It’s worth noting that the case has a bit more heft than most (especially at the top and bottom), and it’s only available for the iPhone 16 Pro or 16 Pro Max. But there aren’t many more downsides if you’re fine with those drawbacks. Compared to many cases that work with mounting systems, it’s not that bulky.

It’s easy to grip (the brand says you won’t have trouble even when wearing gloves), and its buttons are made of anodised aluminium, with a great clicky feel. There’s also a soft microfibre lining and built-in silicone plug for the USB-C port to keep it covered and prevent dust, dirt and water from getting in – helpful if you use your phone on hikes or in the garden.

Going with an Apple-made case is always a safe bet, and there’s even more benefit to opting for the official clear case this time around.

Unlike most designs, which have made a cutout into the case for the Camera Control button, Apple’s has a built-in button that works exactly like the Camera Control itself, responding to clicks at different levels of forcefulness, as well as swipe gestures so you can zoom in and move between different photographic options while in supported apps.

Beyond the added Camera Control button, we like the feel and finish of the case. It’s quite smooth so will be slippery and doesn’t add much grip, but it does feel premium and has strong magnets on the back, for those who like to use MagSafe charging stands, power banks or wallets.

Nomad makes our favourite leather cases with their soft Horween leather that will age well and gain a distinctive patina over time. This does mean they might pick up marks and scratches, and if you use MagSafe charging, you’ll start to see a ring around that area too.

These cases easily have the best feel of all the leather models we’ve tried, though. We’ve also tried the “Traditional” design, which is a full leather wrap (but not Horween leather), but we'd pick the “Modern” one if we were buying for ourselves.

It’s a lovely case overall, especially if you know you like the feel and finish of genuine leather products. It’s available in the gorgeous Rustic Brown that we tried and a Black, as well as limited-edition options that tend to sell out quickly.

We know a lot of users would prefer an iPhone case that gets out of their way, and there are several super-thin options on the market that do just that, allowing you to keep your phone lightweight and access everything without requiring buttons built-in to the case.

However, if you’d like that feel but would prefer to still get decent protection, that’s where MOFT’s “Invisible Case” comes in – it's a smart-looking clear option with strong MagSafe magnets, but it also has exposed sides so you can get to the buttons.

It's light and strong but still protected around the most vulnerable zones – the corners and the cameras. It feels, as the name suggests, almost invisible in use, and it's one of our favourite clear cases for the iPhone 16. We like how it feels in the hand and we expect it would be more protective than it looks.

The Mous Clarity 3.0 cases are ideal for both durability and style, and they're our overall favourite for protection and showing off the colour of your phone. The brand has made optimisations to its latest design, adding extra grip to the sides, a slightly thinner profile and reinforcements around the camera compared to Clarity 2.0. These all add up to an excellent clear case, albeit one with black detailing around the edges and MagSafe ring that may not suit everyone.

Much like Mous Limitless, it features some of the signature design elements from the brand. That includes raised edges and shock-resistant materials for robust drop protection. The Clarity styles are available either with or without MagSafe. And there's a fun “Iridescent” finish, adding a shimmering gradient that shifts under different lighting conditions.

The Mous Collabs range is also worth noting here, as a great way to get more artistic designs with a high level of defence for your phone. You can pick from a lot of creative and vibrant designs by artists. So, whether you're focused on durability, aesthetics, or a mix of both, Mous offers some fantastic choices for iPhone 16 users.

Always watching movies or TV shows on the commute to work or when travelling? This clever case has a stand that flips out from the MagSafe ring on the back. This means you get both an incredibly versatile stand with 360-degree rotation and a lot of adjustment – plus you can still use the MagSafe charging and accessory attachment features. This wouldn’t be true with a lot of rivals with built-in stands or Pop Sockets that require you to use adhesives, preventing you from using MagSafe.

The Torras case is made with a grippy material too, and it’s worth noting that the stand is strong enough to prop the phone up in horizontal and vertical orientations – that means it’s as good for watching videos as it is for FaceTime calls. The rest of the case is well-designed, with impressive protection around vulnerable areas, reliable buttons and a good cutout for the Camera Control button.

We tried a fair few “ultra-thin” cases as part of our review, including options from Totallee and Pitaka. These styles are designed with almost no drop or impact protection in mind, and are best viewed as a slim cover to protect your phone from marks and scratches only. After testing, we ended up favouring the Mous Super Thin option in this category.

It is, as the name suggests, super thin, but easier to get on and off than the rivals while still offering a strong magnet for MagSafe charging and accessories. While we wouldn’t trust it to protect the phone if it's dropped on the ground, it does have decent raised camera protection and a good cutout area for the iPhone 16’s new Camera Control button. We tried it in the new clear style, but it’s available in Stone, Black, Forest Green and Navy Blue too.

After a case that combines standout style with practical protection? We think the Burga Elite is an excellent choice. There are over 200 prints to pick from, offering something for every taste, from bold and vibrant patterns to elegant finishes. Burga also extends these looks to matching accessories – including AirPods, iPad and MacBook cases – allowing you to coordinate your whole tech setup.

The Elite cases themselves are stylish and protective, made from strong materials, and they have a precise cutout for the iPhone 16's new camera button. You get all the features we expect from high-quality cases, including raised edges to protect your screen and cameras, a soft interior, a strap attachment point and shock-absorbing materials. It does cost extra to get MagSafe support for magnetic accessories, though, and the case makes your phone a bit heavier. Overall, however, we'd pick this "Elite" option over Burga's more basic "Tough" version.

We're still not sure what "sport" has got to do with these cases, but we'll continue to recommend them as terrific options for any iPhone owner. The cases for the 15 impressed us, and we're still fans here. They're well-priced, have a sleek and functional design, and now have a precise cutout for the iPhone 16's new Camera Control button. At the time of writing, they're available in black, blue or white colours, but we know limited editions (like the current Magma) will be available. It's also only available for the 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max.

There isn't anything essential missing from the Sport Case for us, though. We love the anodised aluminium buttons that are tactile and clicky, it has a soft microfibre-lined interior, shock-absorbing bumpers and a slim, pocket-friendly profile. It was one of the cases we kept coming back to during testing, and we like how the screen feels protected, but that the lip isn't so pronounced that it interferes with swipe gestures. The shades on offer feel sophisticated, and the design is minimal and smart overall.

If you're after more protection from Nomad, the brand's Rugged Case is also a good option, but it sacrifices the Sport Case’s slim profile for the extra durability.

While we've previously tried and love the Peak Design iPhone cases as great options for a wider ecosystem of accessories, especially for photographers, we've got to say that we're really impressed by what MOFT has to offer.

You can buy the case on its own and add accessories as you see fit, or go for the MOFT Creator Kit. This all-in-one accessory bundle is designed for those who are productive or creative on the go, as the name suggests. It includes the Snap Phone Case, a Phone Lanyard, the Snap-on Stand & Wallet, an Invisible Tripod, and the Snap Notepad Stand. Each piece is fully MagSafe-compatible, so you just pop it right onto the back of the case.

The Snap Case itself feels durable and soft to hold with a good amount of grip, and powerful MagSafe support. It also has a good cutout for the iPhone 16 camera button, and those raised edges around the screen and camera that we're always looking out for. What takes it up a notch, though, are the accessories. Our favourites? The Snap-on Stand & Wallet – it can hold two cards and works as a stand and phone grip too. And the excellent Invisible Tripod – this has a clever folding design and extends to a great height for video calls, photography or vlogging.

Basically, if you're after an excellent phone case kit for multitaskers and content creators, this is the one we'd recommend. It's a bit of an investment, but they'll thank you for it.

If you like the idea of an affordable case made from biodegradable materials, we continue to recommend the options from Wave as the best pick for your new iPhone. The range offers inexpensive options that are constructed from biodegradable wheat straw.

We like how they come in a great range of colours, either with or without MagSafe, and they still feel strong and light while not being made of plastic – Wave says they’ve been tested with 26 continuous drops onto hard surfaces. They can be a tiny bit more slippery to hold than some rivals, so some extra grip would be nice, but it’s not a major downside if you like a minimal case.

And you get to pick from an extensive range of eight different vibrant hues, or you can go with the “etched” styles featuring plants, flowers or turtles.

Yes, there’s yet another leather case worth considering. The Mujjo Shield is made with a natural leather back and grippy sides, plus a smooth microfibre lining and excellent clicky buttons, as well as a perfect cutout for the iPhone’s new capture button. It is, overall, a premium and well-designed case, although it is quite a bulky one. It’s also only available for the top-tier Pro and Pro Max iPhone 16 models.

In use, The Shield is excellent as a tough case, and we can’t think of any major downsides. It has drop protection from a five-metre height and is made with both high-grade leather from the Netherlands and shock-resistant materials. It has a useful attachment point for a wrist strap too, which is great for some added peace of mind if you’re anything like us and a bit worried that you might drop your phone when taking photos sometimes!