What Metals Are Magnetic? Complete List & Simple Tests
For an ordinary room-temperature hand-magnet test, iron, nickel, cobalt, most carbon and low-alloy steels, ferritic stainless, martensitic stainless, duplex stainless and many precipitation-hardening stainless grades show a noticeable pull. Aluminum, copper, brass, bronze, zinc, lead, tin, magnesium, titanium, gold and silver normally do not.
The useful answer is more precise than “steel sticks and nonferrous metal does not.” Alloy family, phase, cold work, weld metal, temperature, part thickness, coatings and hidden inserts can all change what you feel. Use the guide below for screening—then use traceability or material verification when the decision matters.
Iron filings align locally with the field around a bar magnet. Michael A. Rundel and Vera Wurmsdobler / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Four rules prevent most sorting mistakes.
“Magnetic” here means a noticeable static attraction to an identified hand magnet under ordinary shop conditions. Every material responds to a magnetic field at some level, but the weak response of most nonferrous metals is not something a hand test can reliably feel.
Ferromagnetic phases create the familiar pull that can lift or hold a small part.
A hand magnet normally shows no static attraction, even though the metal still has a weak field response.
Some families are strongly magnetic; annealed austenitic grades may show little pull and can become locally magnetic after processing.
It cannot prove exact grade, carbon content, corrosion resistance, heat treatment or compliance.
Which metals stick to a magnet?
This list covers common bulk metals and industrial alloy families at ordinary room temperature. Use the filters or search box to find a material. “No noticeable pull” is a hand-test result, not a claim that the material has zero magnetic susceptibility.
| Metal or alloy family | Typical hand-magnet result | What controls the response | Practical identification note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pure iron and wrought iron | Strong pull | Iron is ferromagnetic below its Curie temperature. | A strong result supports an iron-rich material but does not distinguish purity or grade. |
| Carbon and mild steel | Strong pull | Ferritic and pearlitic structures are strongly attracted. | Low-, medium- and high-carbon steels can all feel similar to a hand magnet. |
| Low-alloy steel | Strong pull | The iron-based microstructure dominates the field response. | A magnet cannot separate 4140, 4340, 8620 or other common alloy grades. |
| Tool and bearing steels | Strong pull | Annealed and hardened tool steels remain strongly responsive. | Use markings, certificates, hardness and chemistry for grade confirmation. |
| Electrical / silicon steel | Strong pull | Designed for controlled magnetic performance and low core loss. | Strong attraction does not verify sheet orientation, coating or core-loss grade. |
| Gray, ductile and malleable cast iron | Usually strong | The iron matrix attracts a magnet; graphite form and alloying affect properties. | Ni-resist and other high-alloy austenitic irons can respond weakly or differently. |
| Nickel | Strong pull | Nickel is ferromagnetic at room temperature. | Nickel plating may create only a modest signal if the layer is thin. |
| Cobalt | Strong pull | Cobalt is ferromagnetic at room temperature. | A strong response alone cannot distinguish cobalt metal from cobalt-rich alloys. |
| Ferritic stainless steel | Strong pull | Ferritic grades such as 409, 430 and 444 have a ferromagnetic matrix. | Do not use attraction as evidence of low corrosion resistance; grade still matters. |
| Martensitic stainless steel | Strong pull | Grades such as 410, 420 and 440 are normally magnetic. | Hardness and heat treatment cannot be determined from pull strength. |
| Duplex stainless steel | Noticeable to strong | Its ferrite-containing two-phase structure produces a clear response. | A magnet cannot confirm duplex grade or acceptable ferrite balance. |
| Precipitation-hardening stainless | Usually noticeable | Many common PH grades, including 17-4 PH, are magnetic. | Response does not identify aging condition or mechanical properties. |
| Austenitic stainless steel | Little, none or localized | Solution-annealed 304 and 316 are low-permeability; cold work, weld ferrite and casting can increase local attraction. | A weak pull does not prove 304, and “nonmagnetic” does not prove 316. |
| High-manganese austenitic steel | Often little or no pull | A stable austenitic structure suppresses the familiar ferromagnetic response. | Work history and alloy condition still require verification. |
| Nickel-base and cobalt-base alloys | Alloy-dependent | Composition, crystal structure and temperature vary widely across these families. | Never infer “high nickel” or a superalloy grade solely from a magnet. |
| Gadolinium | Temperature-dependent | Its Curie transition is near room temperature, about 294 K. | A small temperature change can alter behavior, so it is a poor casual shop reference. |
| Aluminum and aluminum alloys | No noticeable static pull | Aluminum is weakly paramagnetic, below hand-test sensitivity. | Motion near a strong magnet can create eddy-current drag without static attraction. |
| Copper and copper alloys | No noticeable static pull | Copper is diamagnetic; brass and bronze normally show no hand-magnet pull. | Plated steel, hidden fasteners or ferrous contamination can create a false signal. |
| Zinc | No noticeable pull | Bulk zinc does not show ordinary ferromagnetic attraction. | Galvanized steel is strongly magnetic because the steel substrate is—not because zinc is. |
| Lead and tin | No noticeable pull | Their weak responses are not useful in a hand test. | Use composition methods where toxic-metal control or solder identity matters. |
| Magnesium and magnesium alloys | No noticeable pull | Magnesium is weakly paramagnetic. | Do not confuse “not attracted” with safe grinding or fire behavior. |
| Titanium and titanium alloys | No noticeable pull | Titanium’s weak paramagnetism is not felt with an ordinary hand magnet. | PMI, traceability and procedure control are required for critical titanium work. |
| Gold, silver and platinum-group metals | No noticeable pull | They do not provide a useful ferromagnetic hand-test response. | A magnet can reject some obvious fakes but cannot establish purity or value. |
| Tungsten, molybdenum, chromium and tantalum | Normally no noticeable pull | Their room-temperature responses are too weak for ordinary static sorting. | Some compounds, contaminants or attached steel components may behave differently. |
| NdFeB, SmCo and Alnico permanent magnets | Strong, grade-dependent | These engineered hard-magnet families retain magnetization, but field strength, coercivity and temperature limits differ substantially. | Unmagnetized stock and finished magnet assemblies require different handling; “neodymium magnet” means Nd-Fe-B material, not pure neodymium metal. |
| Soft magnetic alloys | Noticeable / engineered | Electrical iron, Fe-Si, Fe-Ni and Fe-Co families are optimized for permeability or saturation. | A hand magnet cannot verify loss, coercivity, permeability or anneal condition. |
| Ceramic ferrite magnets | Permanent-magnet response | Ferrimagnetic iron-oxide ceramics are common permanent magnets; pull depends on grade, geometry and magnetization. | They are magnetic materials but are ceramics, not metals, and should not be ranked against NdFeB by one blanket strength label. |
Showing all 27 material groups.
Why some metals are magnetic—and others are not.
A magnetic field interacts with electrons in every material. What changes is whether atomic magnetic moments reinforce one another, oppose one another or respond only weakly while the external field is present.
Magnetic moments can align in domains and produce strong attraction. Iron, nickel and cobalt are the classic room-temperature examples.
Moments oppose one another but do not fully cancel. Ceramic ferrites are familiar engineered examples.
The field induces or aligns a small response that generally disappears when the field is removed. Aluminum and titanium fall into this practical category.
An applied field produces a very small opposing response. Copper, silver and gold do not show an ordinary hand-magnet pull.
Neighboring moments oppose and largely cancel. This behavior matters scientifically but rarely creates a simple shop-floor attraction test.
The same chemical element or alloy family can behave differently as temperature or microstructure changes. Gadolinium is a useful temperature example; austenitic stainless is the everyday manufacturing example because cold work and welding can change its local response.
Domains explain the “snap” you feel.
In a ferromagnetic material, microscopic regions called domains carry aligned magnetic moments. Without an external field, differently oriented domains can leave the bulk part with little net magnetization. Bring a magnet close and favorably oriented domains grow or rotate, producing a much stronger force than the weak response of aluminum or copper.
Shape and distance still matter. A thin washer can feel less attractive than a thick block of the same alloy because it contains less material in the field. A coating or air gap weakens the force rapidly. That is why a repeatable sorting test uses the same magnet, the same contact geometry and reference coupons with similar thickness.
The magnetic metals that matter most in manufacturing.
The strongest practical signals come from iron-based alloys and engineered magnetic materials. The attraction can help with fast sorting, but product specifications often care about properties a hand magnet cannot measure.
Carbon and low-alloy steel
Mild steel plate, structural shapes, shafts, gears and most heat-treatable steels produce a decisive pull. The same result can occur across many grades, so use the magnet only to distinguish a ferromagnetic family from a non-attracting material—not to choose a welding procedure or heat treatment.
Cast iron is usually magnetic
Gray, ductile and malleable irons normally attract strongly because of their iron matrix. Graphite form changes mechanical behavior, not the basic conclusion. High-nickel austenitic cast irons such as Ni-resist are an important exception and should be identified through documentation or analysis.
Soft magnetic alloys
Electrical steel, Fe-Si, Fe-Ni and Fe-Co alloys are selected for permeability, saturation, coercivity and loss behavior. A hand magnet may show attraction, but it cannot confirm that a lamination, shield or core meets its magnetic-performance specification.
Permanent-magnet alloys
NdFeB, SmCo and Alnico are engineered to retain magnetization. They can produce high forces, pinch hazards and strong fringe fields. Ferrite magnets are also common, but they are iron-oxide ceramics rather than metallic alloys.
Why a magnet can slow down in copper without sticking to copper.
A stationary magnet is not noticeably attracted to a clean copper plate. But a moving magnet changes the magnetic flux through the conductor, inducing eddy currents. Their magnetic field opposes the change, producing drag.
This is why a strong magnet can fall slowly through a copper or aluminum tube. The effect demonstrates electrical conductivity and electromagnetic induction—not ordinary static ferromagnetism. It should not be recorded as “copper is magnetic” in a material-sorting procedure.
Hold the magnet still near clean copper or aluminum. There is normally no force a hand can reliably detect.
Move a strong magnet quickly near the part. Eddy currents can resist the motion without creating permanent attraction.
Is stainless steel magnetic? It depends on the family and condition.
“Stainless” describes corrosion-resistant iron alloys, not one crystal structure. A magnet is therefore useful for family-level screening but dangerous as a pass/fail grade test.
| Stainless family | Typical examples | Expected response | Why it can vary | Safe conclusion |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ferritic | 409, 430, 439, 444 | Strong | Ferritic matrix is ferromagnetic. | Response supports a magnetic stainless family; it does not prove grade. |
| Martensitic | 410, 420, 440 series | Strong | Martensitic structure is magnetic across common conditions. | Do not infer hardness, temper or carbon level. |
| Duplex | 2101, 2205, 2507 | Noticeable / strong | Contains a substantial ferrite phase. | Magnet response cannot verify grade or phase balance. |
| Austenitic, annealed | 304, 304L, 316, 316L | Little / none | Stable austenite has low permeability. | No pull cannot distinguish 304 from 316 or certify corrosion performance. |
| Austenitic, cold-worked | Formed 301/304 and some 316 conditions | Weak to local strong | Deformation can create strain-induced martensite; 301 is especially susceptible. | Compare flat base metal, bends, cut edges and formed areas separately. |
| Austenitic weld or casting | Welded 304/316, cast equivalents | Localized / mixed | Weld-metal ferrite, segregation and casting structure can increase response. | A localized pull is not proof of wrong filler or wrong base grade. |
| Precipitation hardening | 17-4 PH, 15-5 PH | Usually strong | Common PH stainless structures are magnetic. | Use records or testing to verify solution and aging condition. |
Ferritic stainless appliances, martensitic cutlery, duplex process equipment and many PH components are genuinely stainless and clearly magnetic. Conversely, a non-attracting part is not automatically 316 stainless; aluminum, copper alloys and several other materials also show no hand-magnet pull.
One alloy can contain both magnetic and low-permeability phases.
Duplex stainless steel is deliberately built from ferrite and austenite. The ferritic phase produces a clear magnetic response, while the austenitic phase has much lower permeability. A field instrument can help assess ferrite response, but the reading depends on calibration, surface condition, curvature, thickness, deformation and test location.
A Ferrite Number or ferrite-scope reading is not automatically an exact volume percentage. If phase balance is a contractual acceptance criterion, the drawing or purchase order should name the method, calibration, locations and acceptance range.
“This part contains a magnetic phase” can be a valid screening conclusion. “This part is 2205 duplex and has the correct ferrite balance” requires traceability and a qualified measurement plan.
How to test whether a metal is magnetic in nine steps.
A casual “stick or no stick” test can create false confidence. A useful test controls the magnet, surface, contact, geometry, locations and interpretation—then records what was actually observed.
Prepare a known reference set.
Use one identified, undamaged magnet and keep it with a known ferromagnetic steel coupon plus a known nonferromagnetic reference such as aluminum or annealed austenitic stainless. Similar coupon thickness and shape make comparisons more meaningful.
A small neodymium magnet can reveal weak or localized response better than a low-strength refrigerator magnet, but higher force also makes air gaps, thin sections and handling safety more important. Never compare results obtained with different magnets as though they share a calibrated scale.
Define the decision
Are you separating steel from aluminum, checking an incoming stainless family, or accepting a low-permeability component? The required confidence determines the method.
Verify the magnet
Confirm that the magnet attracts the known steel reference and does not create a false expectation on the nonferromagnetic reference. Inspect it for chips or damage.
Inspect the part
Read markings and certificates first. Look for coatings, plating, welds, formed edges, fasteners, inserts, backing plates and assemblies that may contain mixed materials.
Clean the test spot
Remove loose ferrous swarf, dust and oil without grinding away a coating or changing the part. Steel debris can create a misleading local attraction.
Standardize the approach
Use the same magnet face, orientation and direct approach. Avoid judging by sliding friction, which mixes magnetic force with roughness and operator pressure.
Test multiple locations
Compare flat base metal, bends, cut edges, weld metal, heat-affected areas and hardware separately. Local variation is valuable evidence, not automatically a defect.
Compare like geometry
Thin sheet, wire and small fasteners contain less material in the field than a thick block. Use similar thickness and shape when comparing unknown and reference coupons.
Classify and record
Record “strong,” “weak/localized,” “no perceptible static response” or “moving drag,” plus magnet ID, location, coating, geometry and part condition.
Escalate when needed
Exact grade, low permeability, pressure service, aerospace, medical, MR or safety-critical decisions require documents, controlled measurements or chemistry—not a hand magnet alone.
What does your magnet-test result actually mean?
Choose what you observed, the part context and the risk of the decision. The recommendation updates instantly. It is an interpretation aid—not a material certificate.
Describe the observation
Use the closest match. If the part contains several materials, evaluate each location separately.
A ferromagnetic phase is likely present.
A strong static pull is consistent with iron, nickel, cobalt, many steels, magnetic stainless families or an engineered magnet. It does not identify the exact alloy.
For rough sorting, this can be a useful family-level result when mixed construction and surface contamination have been ruled out.
Eight reasons a simple magnet test can mislead you.
Most disputed results are not mysterious physics. They come from uncontrolled distance, geometry, surface condition, mixed construction or local microstructure.
Paint, scale and coatings weaken force
Magnetic force drops rapidly with distance. A thick coating can make ferromagnetic sheet feel weak, especially when the sheet is thin.
Thin or small parts feel different
A small clip contains less responsive material than a thick plate. Compare like shapes instead of treating pull as an absolute grade scale.
Steel dust creates local attraction
Grinding swarf and embedded particles can make aluminum or stainless surfaces appear magnetic at isolated spots.
Plating can hide a ferrous core
Zinc plating is not responsible for the pull of galvanized steel. Fasteners, springs, inserts and backing plates can also dominate an assembly result.
Cold work can change austenitic stainless
Bends, deep draws and cut edges may contain strain-induced martensite and pull more strongly than a flat annealed region.
Weld metal can respond differently
Ferrite in weld metal, filler selection, dilution and cast-like solidification can create localized attraction without changing the entire base-metal family.
Different magnets are not one scale
Size, grade, face area, orientation and damage change force. Record the magnet used and do not compare operators using unknown magnets.
Motion is not static attraction
Copper and aluminum can slow a moving magnet through eddy-current braking. Classify that observation separately from a stick test.
When a magnet is not enough: choose the next verification level.
The correct method follows the consequence of a wrong decision. Sorting scrap and releasing a pressure-retaining part should not carry the same evidence burden.
Check grade stamps, color codes, part numbers, heat numbers, coatings, welds, inserts and known product form.
Basic receiving or sorting where the identification chain remains intact.
Match the heat or lot identity on the part to the material test report and purchase requirement.
Grade, heat treatment or mechanical properties matter and reliable documentation exists.
Use an identified method, field strength, calibration, locations and part condition. ASTM A342/A342M addresses weakly magnetic materials; duplex ferrite measurements need their own defined procedure.
Low-permeability, ferrite or magnetic performance is itself an acceptance requirement.
Choose an instrument that measures the elements needed for the separation. Conventional handheld XRF does not directly measure carbon.
Alloy family or exact grade must be confirmed and documents are missing or suspect.
Add hardness, microstructure, mechanical testing, corrosion testing or procedure qualification as required by the application.
A wrong decision could affect safety, regulated compliance, service life or critical performance.
Handheld XRF can often separate 304- and 316-type stainless families because 316 contains molybdenum, but it cannot prove low-carbon “L” versus high-carbon “H” suffixes. Select the verification method around the elements and properties the specification actually controls.
Iron, nickel and cobalt are the classic room-temperature examples.
These three elements support the familiar ferromagnetic response under ordinary conditions, but their presence in an alloy does not guarantee the alloy will behave the same way. Crystal structure, alloying and temperature can suppress, strengthen or redistribute the response.
This is especially important for nickel-rich alloys. Pure nickel is ferromagnetic at room temperature, while many nickel-base superalloys and austenitic stainless steels can show weak, complex or condition-dependent behavior. Do not use the rule “contains nickel, therefore sticks.”
Curie temperature provides another boundary: above this transition a ferromagnet loses long-range ferromagnetic order and becomes paramagnetic. Iron, cobalt and nickel have Curie points well above room temperature; gadolinium’s is near room temperature, which is why it must be listed as temperature-dependent.
Turn a magnet observation into a defensible material decision.
A good workflow records the observation, separates it from the conclusion and names the evidence required for release.
Incoming stainless check
A strong pull can quickly flag that a supposed annealed austenitic sheet deserves review. It cannot prove the shipment is ferritic, counterfeit or out of specification. Check markings and MTRs, then use appropriate PMI or permeability measurement.
Scrap and recycling sort
A magnet is excellent for separating many ferrous pieces from aluminum and copper alloys. Keep plated steel, stainless families, mixed assemblies and high-alloy cast irons in an “uncertain” route instead of forcing a binary answer.
Welding and laser processing
Magnetic behavior can alert a fabricator to a material-family mismatch, but it does not choose laser power, shielding gas, filler, preheat or post-weld treatment. Confirm the alloy and service requirement before qualifying the process.
Eight fields worth putting in an RFQ, receiving plan or work instruction
Required alloy designation and governing material standard, not a generic term such as “nonmagnetic stainless.”
Product form, thickness and condition, including annealed, cold-worked, cast, welded or aged state.
Traceability level: heat number, lot number, MTR, CoC and transfer-marking rules.
Purpose of the magnetic requirement: sorting, low permeability, ferrite content, actuator performance or contamination control.
Test method and field strength where permeability or magnetic response is an acceptance characteristic.
Locations and surface condition, especially around welds, bends, cut edges, coatings and local repairs.
Acceptance range and reporting units, including calibration references and instrument requirements.
Escalation rule for ambiguous results, missing records or disagreement between screening and traceability.
Control the magnet as carefully as the material sample.
Small high-energy magnets can accelerate ferrous tools, pinch skin, chip, shatter and affect nearby devices. A shop magnet test should have a simple handling rule, storage location and medical-device caution.
Keep fingers out of closing gaps, wear suitable eye protection and never allow brittle magnets to slam together.
Move tools, chips, blades, electronics and other magnets away before handling a strong magnet near the test part.
The FDA advises at least 6 in (15 cm) between high-field consumer electronics and implanted devices; that is not a universal industrial-magnet safe distance. Consult the device manufacturer and site policy.
MR classification requires the applicable medical-device and facility process. A shop magnet cannot prove safety in an MRI environment.
Store magnets where they cannot be swallowed or accessed by children. Multiple swallowed magnets can cause severe internal injury.
Heating unknown alloys can create burns, fumes, fire, property changes or damage. Temperature-dependent behavior belongs in controlled laboratory work.
From material screening to laser-process planning.
Once the material family and surface condition are known, use application-specific tools to evaluate cleaning or joining feasibility.
What metals are magnetic: practical answers.
What are the three magnetic metals at room temperature?
Iron, nickel and cobalt are the three classic elemental metals that are ferromagnetic at ordinary room temperature. Some alloys and compounds are also strongly magnetic, but alloying and crystal structure mean that simply containing one of these elements does not guarantee strong attraction.
Which common metals do not stick to a magnet?
Aluminum, copper, brass, bronze, zinc, lead, tin, magnesium, titanium, gold and silver normally show no perceptible static attraction to an ordinary hand magnet. Scientifically, they still respond weakly to a magnetic field, but that response is not a useful shop-floor stick test.
Is stainless steel magnetic?
Some stainless steels are strongly magnetic and others are not. Ferritic, martensitic and duplex families normally attract a magnet. Solution-annealed austenitic grades such as 304 and 316 may show little pull, while cold work, welding and casting can create a weak or localized response.
Does a magnet distinguish 304 from 316 stainless steel?
No. Both annealed 304 and 316 are austenitic and often show little hand-magnet pull; both can also develop local response after processing. Use traceability or a suitable chemistry method. XRF can often detect the molybdenum associated with 316-type material but cannot prove low-carbon L versus high-carbon H suffixes.
Is galvanized steel magnetic?
Usually yes, because the underlying carbon-steel sheet is ferromagnetic. The zinc coating itself does not create the strong pull. A magnet can therefore help detect a steel substrate through thin galvanizing, but it does not measure coating mass or condition.
Are brass and bronze magnetic?
Common copper-zinc brass and copper-tin bronze normally show no noticeable static hand-magnet pull. Unusual alloy additions, ferrous contamination, plating or hidden steel hardware can create a signal, so consequential identification still needs documentation or analysis.
Why does a magnet fall slowly through a copper pipe?
Movement changes the magnetic flux through the conductive copper and creates eddy currents. Their field opposes the change, producing magnetic braking. This moving drag does not mean copper is ferromagnetic or that a stationary magnet will stick to it.
Can a magnet test prove that gold or silver is real?
No. A strong pull can reveal some obvious ferrous cores or clasps, but no pull does not prove purity, fineness or value. Many nonprecious metals are also non-attracting. Precious-metal verification uses traceability, density, conductivity, XRF or other qualified methods.
Can magnetic-particle testing identify an alloy grade?
No. Magnetic-particle testing is an NDT method for locating surface and near-surface discontinuities in ferromagnetic parts. It is not a chemistry or alloy-grade identification method.
When should I stop using a hand magnet and request PMI?
Escalate when the exact grade affects welding, corrosion, heat treatment, pressure service, safety, regulation or contractual acceptance; when documents are missing; when the part is coated or assembled; or when the magnetic response conflicts with markings and records.
Sources used to set the boundaries.
This guide synthesizes materials-science, stainless-steel, test-method and safety sources. Always use the current edition of a governing standard or procedure named by the contract.
- OpenStax University Physics — Magnetism in Matter: diamagnetic, paramagnetic and ferromagnetic behavior.
- University of Minnesota Institute for Rock Magnetism — Classes of Magnetic Materials: ferro-, ferri-, para-, dia- and antiferromagnetic behavior.
- NIST — Curie Point: temperature boundary for ferromagnetic order.
- Carpenter Technology — Magnetic Properties of Stainless Steels: stainless families, cold work and microstructure.
- Outokumpu — Using a Ferrite Scope with Duplex Stainless Steel: variables that affect ferrite measurements.
- ASTM A342/A342M-26: test methods for permeability of weakly magnetic materials, including method and field-strength limitations.
- ASTM E1476-04(2022): metals identification, grade verification and sorting framework.
- ASTM E1444/E1444M-26: magnetic-particle testing as discontinuity inspection, not grade identification.
- OpenStax College Physics — Eddy Currents and Magnetic Damping: moving-magnet drag in conductors.
- U.S. FDA — Magnets and Implanted Medical Devices: consumer-device separation guidance and medical-device caution.
Unsure how the alloy will respond to laser cleaning or welding?
Send the known grade, material condition, dimensions, surface contamination, photographs and target result. Oceanplayer can help define a practical sample-test and equipment-selection path without treating a hand-magnet result as a substitute for material verification.