You've plugged your phone into a wall outlet or wireless charger, but you've noticed the battery isn't charging. You're wondering what could be causing this problem and how to fix it. There are several possible reasons why your phone might be charging, but the battery isn't increasing.
This can be due to a fault in the charger, cable, plug, charging port, or the battery itself. In this article, we will present the most common causes of this phenomenon and the solutions you can try to fix it.
Possible causes of the charging problem
Several factors can explain why your phone is charging, but the battery level isn't increasing . Here are the most common:
- The plug or charger is faulty
- The charging cable or port is damaged or obstructed
- The battery is worn or defective
- The operating system is corrupted or infected
- The phone is exposed to extreme temperatures
Simple solutions to try to solve the problem
Before resorting to more complex solutions, there are a few simple steps you can take to try and resolve the charging issue. Here are the main ones
1. Check if the cable and charger are compatible with the phone
To find out if your cable and charger are compatible with your phone, you can:
- Consult user manual , which indicates the recommended specifications for the cable and charger.
- Check the information printed on the cable and charger, which indicates their actual specifications. You can compare this information with that in the user manual.
For example, if you have an iPhone, you must use a Lightning and a charger that delivers at least 5V and 1A . If you have an Android phone, you must use a USB-C or micro-USB (depending on the model) and a charger that delivers at least 5V and 2A .
2. Check if your phone's charging port and battery are in good condition
To check if the charging port is in good condition, you can:
- Use a lamp or a magnifying glass to look inside the port. You should see small, neatly aligned metal pins.
- If you see any dirt , dust , or debris , you can gently remove it with a toothpick , toothbrush , or compressed air .
- If you see any signs of oxidation or corrosion (green or brown stains), you can clean them with a cotton swab soaked in 90% alcohol .
- bent or broken pins , you should have the charging port repaired by a professional.
To check if the battery is in good condition, you can:
- Check settings to see the battery level and health status.
- If you have an iPhone, you can go to Settings > Battery > Battery Health .
- If you have an Android phone, you can go to Settings > Battery > Battery status .
- This will allow you to see if your battery has lost some of its maximum capacity over time, and if it needs to be replaced.
- You will also be able to see if your battery is affected by a temporary problem such as a temperature that is too high or too low .
These factors may explain why your phone is draining its battery overnight , even if it is switched off or in airplane mode.
If you find that your phone's charging port or battery is faulty, you should contact an authorized service center or repair shop to replace the damaged part.
3. Restart your phone
Restarting your phone means turning it off and then turning it back on. This resets the system and can resolve some issues, such as charging problems. To restart your phone, you can:
- Press and hold the power supply button and power supply “Power off” or “Restart” option .
- Remove the battery if it is removable, wait a few seconds, then put it back in place.
- Force restart if your phone is unresponsive. The method varies depending on the model, but it generally involves simultaneously pressing the power supply button and another button (volume, home, etc.) for a few seconds.
4. Charge wirelessly
If your phone is compatible with wireless charging, you can try this option to bypass the charging port issue.
To charge wirelessly, you must:
- Buy a wireless charger that is compatible with your phone. You can find them in specialty stores or online.
- Plug the wireless charger into an electrical outlet and place it on a flat surface.
- Place your phone on the wireless charger, aligning the center of the phone with the center of the charger. You should hear a beep or see an indicator light that shows charging has begun.
- Leave your phone on the wireless charger until it is fully charged. Note that wireless charging can be slower than wired charging, and you should avoid moving the phone while it is charging.
Advanced solutions to consider
If the simple solutions haven't worked, you can try more advanced solutions that require more steps or equipment. Here are the main ones:
5. Update the software in the settings
Another possible solution is to update your phone's software. There may be an update available that fixes the charging problem or improves battery performance. To do this, you need to:
- Connect to a Wi-Fi or your mobile data . Wi-Fi is preferable because it is faster and cheaper.
- Go to your phone's settings "Software update" or "System update" . This option may be located in different menus depending on the phone model, such as " General ", " About phone ", " System ", etc.
- Check if an update is available and download if so. The update may take a few minutes or a few hours depending on its size and your internet speed.
- Install the update and restart your phone. The update may bring improvements, bug fixes, or new features to your phone.
6. Recharge in safe mode or airplane mode
The charging problem might be caused by an app that's using too much power or interfering with the charging process. To check this, you can restart your phone in safe mode, which temporarily disables all third-party apps.
To activate safe mode, you must:
- Press and hold the power supply button
- Press and hold the “ Shut down ” or “ Restart ” option. You will then see a “ Safe Mode ” option appear.
- Tap it to restart your phone in safe mode. You will see the word “ Safe ” at the bottom of the screen.
To disable safe mode, you simply need to restart your phone normally.
If your phone charges correctly in safe mode, it means an app is causing the problem. You can then try uninstalling recently installed or suspicious apps, or resetting app settings.
You can also try putting your phone in airplane mode, which cuts off all wireless connections (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, mobile data, etc.). This can reduce power consumption and improve charging speed.
To activate airplane mode, go to your phone's settings and look for the " Airplane mode " or " Offline mode " option. Tap it to activate airplane mode. You will see an airplane icon at the top of the screen.
7. Reset phone settings
The charging problem may be due to a bug or incorrect configuration of the phone's software . To resolve it, you can try resetting the phone's settings, which will restore the default settings without erasing your personal data.
Warning: This operation may delete some personalized settings, such as Wi-Fi passwords, ringtones, wallpapers, etc.
To reset the phone settings, you need to go to the phone settings, then look for the “ Reset ” or “ Restore ” option.
Depending on your phone model, you may have several reset options, such as “ Reset all settings ”, “ Reset network settings ”, “ Factory reset ”, etc. Choose the one that best suits your situation.
8. Disable energy-intensive applications
The charging problem may be due to excessive energy consumption by certain applications running in the background or using resource-intensive services such as geolocation, automatic synchronization, etc.
To disable energy-intensive applications, you can:
- Go to your phone's settings "Battery" or "Power Management" . This option may be located in different menus depending on the phone model, such as " General ", " System ", " Maintenance ", etc.
- See which applications are consuming the most energy and close or uninstall if you don't need them.
- Use a battery saver app that optimizes battery usage. Some phones already have a built-in battery saver in the settings; otherwise, you can download one from the Play Store or the App Store.
9. Replace the battery or charging port
If none of the previous solutions worked, the battery or charging port may be worn or faulty. You can then consider having the battery or charging port replaced by a qualified professional.
Warning: Do not attempt to open the phone or change the battery if you do not know how to repair a smartphone yourself or if you are unsure of what you are doing, as you could further damage the phone or injure yourself. Furthermore, if your phone is still under warranty, you could void it by opening it without authorization.
Precautions to take to avoid the problem in the future
If you've managed to resolve the issue and your phone is charging normally, great! But that's no reason to neglect the maintenance and protection of your phone. Here are a few precautions to take to prevent the problem from recurring:
Use certified charging accessories that are compatible with the phone
To choose the right charging accessories, you must:
- Check that they are certified and compatible with your phone model. This guarantees optimal compatibility and maximum safety. Indeed, some uncertified or unsuitable charging accessories can damage your phone or cause accidents, such as short circuits, power surges, or fires.
- Check that the technical specifications of charging accessories match those of your phone, such as voltage , current , and power . These measurements indicate the amount of energy delivered to your phone. If these measurements are too low or too high, charging may be slow or even dangerous.
- Check that charging accessories bear the logo of your phone's manufacturer or the CE (European Conformity) mark. You can find these on the cable, charger, or wireless charging pad. These logos or marks indicate that the charging accessories meet quality and safety standards.
Protect the charging port with a dust cover or case
To protect the charging port, you can:
- Use a dust cover or a case . A dust cover is a small silicone or plastic plug that attaches to the charging port and isolates it from the outside. A case is a cover that protects all or part of the phone from scratches, drops, and splashes. You can find these accessories in specialty stores or online.
- Clean the charging port regularly with a toothpick , toothbrush , or compressed air . This will prevent the charging port from becoming clogged or damaged by dust, dirt, or debris.
Maintain the battery by avoiding full charge cycles and rapid charging
To maintain the battery, you can:
- full charge cycles fast charging . Full charge cycles involve charging the battery from 0% to 100%, which can reduce the number of cycles possible before the battery loses efficiency. Fast charging involves charging the battery in a short period of time, which can increase the battery's temperature and stress.
- partial and regular charging , which consists of charging the battery between 20% and 80%, which helps to preserve the health and performance of the battery.
- Use a battery saver app that optimizes battery usage. Some phones already have a built-in battery saver in the settings; otherwise, you can download one from the Play Store or the App Store.
Do not use the phone while it is charging
Not using the phone while it is charging has several advantages:
- This speeds up charging, because you are not consuming energy while you are charging it.
- This prevents the battery from degrading, because you are not heating the battery or wearing it out prematurely.
- This protects your phone and your safety, as you reduce the risk of short circuits, power surges, or fires.
How do I calibrate my battery?
Your phone might be displaying an incorrect charge level, which can skew your estimates and make you think your battery isn't charging. To fix this, you can calibrate your battery , which means resetting the internal meter that measures your battery's actual charge. To calibrate your battery, you need to:
- Charge your phone to 100% and leave it plugged in for an additional hour.
- Unplug your phone and let it discharge completely until it shuts off.
- Charge your phone to 100% without turning it on or using it.
- Turn on your phone and check that the charge level is correct.
If you successfully calibrate your battery , you should be able to charge your phone normally.
See also: What to do if my Samsung tablet is no longer charging?
Why isn't my phone charging when I plug it into my computer?
Your phone may not charge when you plug it into your computer for several reasons:
- Your computer is switched off or in sleep mode, which cuts off the power supply to the USB port.
- Your computer doesn't have enough power to charge your phone, especially if you're using multiple USB devices at the same time.
- Your cable or USB port is damaged or incompatible with your phone.
To solve this problem, you can try the following solutions :
- Turn on your computer or wake it from sleep mode, and check that the USB port is receiving power.
- Unplug other USB devices that consume power, such as a USB flash drive, mouse, external hard drive, etc.
- Change the cable or USB port , and use a cable and USB port that are compatible with your phone.
How can I optimize my phone's energy consumption to speed up charging?
To optimize your phone's energy consumption, you can perform the following actions:
- Activate power saving mode or airplane mode when you are not using your phone or when you need to extend your battery life .
- Reduce your screen brightness and disable automatic mode.
- Turn off Bluetooth , Wi-Fi , GPS and mobile data when you don't need them.
- Close background applications and uninstall those you are not using.
- Avoid exposing your phone to extreme temperatures , whether too hot or too cold.
