You probably don’t think much about the process of charging your phone; just plug in the cable and walk away. That is, until the day your phone doesn’t charge when you plug it in, at which point you could find yourself tearing your hair out trying to make it work.
Fortunately, you don’t have to rush to a chance service center when your phone stops charging because there’s a good you can fix it yourself at home. A lot of the time, the solution is pretty simple. So if your Android phone won’ t charge, try out these tips and tricks to fix it.
1. Reboot Your PhoneTo start, try turning your phone off and on again. Often, the reason your phone won’t charge when it’s plugged in because there’s been a connection hiccup. To rule out a temporary glitch like this, you just need to reboot your device. After all, restarting a phone can fix all kinds of problems.
Restarting your phone will kill all background services and could solve your mobile charging problem. A restart also refreshes your phone’s core components in case one of them has crashed while performing a task.
To perform a reboot quickly, simply hold the power button and tap the Restart option. Depending on your phone, you may need to press the power and volume up buttons at the same time instead.
2. Try Putting Your Phone in Safe ModeIf your phone doesn’t charge after a reboot, the next step it to try booting your phone in safe mode. Essentially, safe mode is a sandbox environment that restricts your phone to just the software it originally shipped with. This means any third- party apps you’ve downloaded won’t run in safe mode.
To enter safe mode on most Android devices, tap and hold the Restart button when powering it off. You should see a prompt offering to reboot to safe mode. To exit safe mode, just restart your phone normally.
Reboot to safe mode pop up in AndroidIf you’re able to charge your phone in safe mode, you know for sure that the culprit is a third-party service. Once you’ve confirmed that this is the problem, look at any apps you’ve downloaded recently. One of those could be the cause of your charging issues. Try uninstalling recently installed or untrustworthy apps. Then reboot your phone normally and see if it charges.
3. Switch to a Different Cable, Adapter, or OutletIf you’re still stuck and wondering why your phone isn’t charging, then it’s time to take a look at your charging cable. Your cable might have a loose wire, the adapter could have malfunctioned, or the socket it’s plugged into could be malfunctioning. To rule out faulty hardware, attempt to charge your phone through a different cable, adapter, or power source.
The easy way to check whether the cable is to blame for your troubles is to connect your phone to a computer via USB. If your phone can charge via a PC, you can narrow the troubleshooting down to the adapter and socket.
In case an alternative cable did the trick, invest in a new one. The best charging cables are either first-party accessories or those from trusted third-party names like Anker—avoid junky knockoffs.
4. Make Sure It’s Not a Software BugIf your phone isn’t charging even though it says it is, or if your phone is charging but says it isn’t, then this could be a software bug. Installing the free Ampere app will tell you once and for all if any power is making it to your phone.
Ampere is a simple app that allows you to view how much current your phone is discharging or charging at any one time. It also tells you whether your phone’s battery is in good condition, gives you the available voltage, and shows the current temperature.
2 ImagesAmpere App ChargingAmpere app Not Charging screenshotWith the Ampere app installed, connect your phone to a power source, then fire up the app and see if it says your phone is charging. If your phone is charging but isn’t displaying a charging icon, then this is probably a software bug You can either update your Android OS or try a hard reset to fix it.
5.Clean the Charging PortIf the Ampere app shows no charge getting to your phone, then the culprit could be debris in your charging port. Dust particles can quickly accumulate in the charging inlet and hinder your phone’s connection to a power source.
Inspect your phone’s charging port and if you notice a buildup of dirt or other grime, clean it. You can do this easily by gently scrubbing the area with a dry cotton swab. Keep a light touch and don’t go ramming anything too far into your charging outlet.
To get a better look at what’s going on inside your port, use a flashlight to fully inspect the area. If you notice any foreign debris stuck inside, you can do heavy cleaning using a SIM ejector tool or a toothpick. Just be extra careful not to damage any of the charging pins, which could permanently brick your phone. After giving your port a good cleaning, try to charge your phone again.
6. Check Your Phone Isn’t Water DamagedWater pouring on a smartphone’s screenWater and electronics don’t mix, and even highly water-resistant phones need special care to keep them watertight. If your phone has gotten wet, and you’re now wondering why it won’t charge, then it’s likely that water is the culprit.
You’t charge your phone at all if there’s a possibility of water damage. First, you have to make sure your phone’s internals are completely dry. Ignore all the other advice online, the only safe way to do this is to leave your phone in a well ventilated area and wait a day or so. Don’t put it in a bowl of rice.
After 24 hours of drying off, try plugging your phone in and see what happens. Once the connections are dry you may find that it starts charging again.
7. Visit a Service CenterIf all else fails, and your phone still isn’t charging, it’s time to go to a service center and ask a professional for help. They may be able to find a fault that you’ve missed or diagnose a hardware failure. Hopefully, your phone is still in warranty, so you don’t have to pay anything for the repair. Otherwise, it may cost you to replace whatever component has broken.