How to Fix a Phone That Won't Charge: Troubleshooting Guide

Quick and easy fixes to get your phone charged in a hurry

Co-authored by Linh Le and Darlene Antonelli, MA

Last Updated: October 17, 2024 Fact Checked

Is your phone not charging even if it's plugged in or charging only in very specific positions? These are popular questions regarding why an Android or iPhone isn't charging, so read on to learn more about solving this issue. We gathered some tips from repair specialist Linh Le to help you fix your charging issue.

Reasons Your Phone Won't Charge

Check your phone's charging port for lint or debris, and make sure the charger works. Try plugging your phone into a different outlet to rule out power issues. Charging limits and Optimized Battery Charging can prevent some phones from charging beyond 80%.

1

Check the charging port.

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The charging port could be clogged with lint or debris. Most phones, including the newer iPhones and Google Pixel, don't have a cover over the charging port, making the ports susceptible to gathering lint when you shove the phone into your pocket. This lint and debris can pile up until your charger no longer works, or sometimes the phone will only charge if the cable is in a very specific position.
- Add some rubbing alcohol to something like a Q-Tip and gently wipe away the lint or debris that you can see. You can use any other small non-metal tool, like a toothpick, to get rid of gunk.
- If you're cleaning a Lightning port on an iPhone (14 or older), you can clean side-to-side.
- If you're cleaning a USB-C port on a newer iPhone (15 and newer) or Android, there's a charging piece in the middle that you'll need to clean around.

2

Check the charger cable.

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The charger may no longer be working. If you've had one charger for a while, it might be dead or have damage on it that is preventing it from charging your phone. This might be the case if you leave your phone plugged in and notice that it loses charge instead of gaining charge.
- Try a different charging cable.

3

Check the power adapter.

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The charger's adapter may have stopped working. This is the brick between the power source and the charger cable; you may not even have one. If you have a USB-C to USB charger, you might plug it directly into a USB port from the power source.
- Try a different charging adapter. They are each rated for different charging levels, so make sure the one you're using provides the correct amount of voltage.

4

Check the outlet.

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Try plugging your charger into a different outlet. If you're plugging your phone into your laptop's USB port, try plugging it into a surge protector or an outlet on your wall.

5

Update your phone.

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Go to Settings and check for software updates for your Android or iPhone.

6

Clean the Lightning cable for iPhones.

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Check the Lighting end of the cable for grime. Le advises that you get a bit of diluted isopropyl alcohol or a medical cleaning wipe to clean an iPhone's lightning cable, but don't do it too often since the alcohol is corrosive.

EXPERT TIP

Linh Le
Certified Mobile Repair Specialist
Linh Le is a Certified Mobile Repair Specialist and the Owner of SC Mobile Repairs in San Clemente, California. With more than 12 years of experience, he specializes in smartphone, tablet, and smartwatch hardware repair. Linh has an iTech Mobile Device Repair Certification and an iOS Certification. He holds a Bachelor’s degree from The Franciscan University of Steubenville.

Linh Le
Certified Mobile Repair Specialist

Alcohol wipes can come in handy. If you have any medical cleaning wipes (the little squares), they work well to remove dirt and grime from your Lightning charger.

7

Check Optimized Battery Charging settings on iPhone.

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Optimized Battery Charging is enabled. Since iOS 13, iPhones now use Optimized Battery Charging to maintain battery health by slowing down the charge to your phone. Your iPhone uses machine learning to figure out your daily usage habits and keeps your charge at 80% until you really need it.
- If you don't want this setting on, you can turn it off in Settings > Battery > Battery Health & Charging.
- If you have an iPhone 15 or later, you can adjust the charging limit so your iPhone stops charging at 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or 100%.^{[1]
  X
  Research source} To see your charge limit and make changes if needed, go to Settings > Battery > Charging and drag the slider to pick your charge limit.