What to do if your Android phone won’t charge:
1. Restart Your Phone
If you plugged in your Android phone and made sure it’s securely connected on both ends, but it still won’t charge, the first thing you should try is to restart your phone. Certain apps that run in the background may affect the battery. A reboot will kill these services and allow the phone to start fresh. To reboot your phone, hold down the Power button until a menu pops up on the display allowing you to select the Restart option.
2. Put Your Phone in Safe Mode
If you’ve tried rebooting your phone, but your Android device is still not charging, try to put your phone in safe mode. This allows you to determine whether any third-party apps on your phone are causing the issue, since in Safe mode, your phone is restricted to running only the software it shipped with. To enter safe mode on the majority of Androids, press and hold the Power button. On the screen, press and hold the Power off button to go into Safe mode. When you’re done with Safe mode, restart your phone as you would normally. If you see your phone is charging while in safe mode, you can go ahead and assume that one of the third-party apps on your phone is causing the charging issues. Uninstall some of the apps you’ve recently downloaded and see if that fixes the issue.
3. Try Another Charging Cable
The charging cable goes through much twisting, and it’s not always handled with care. If it doesn’t connect to your device with ease, it may mean it has been damaged. Fortunately, there’s a good chance you have more than one cable lying around, so try switching cables to see if that’s the problem.
4. The USB Port Needs a Fix
The constant plugging and unplugging might have disrupted some of the metallic surfaces inside the USB port. If so, good contact won’t be established, and your phone will obviously not charge or will charge slowly. Turn off your device (and remove your battery, too, if the phone model allows that). Use something small like a toothpick and “lever up” the tiny tab inside the USB port of your device. Make sure to approach this as gently as possible. Once you’re done, plug the phone in again and see if it starts charging. You should also try cleaning the charging port, especially if the build-up of dirt is visible to the naked eye. Use a dry cotton swab to give it a good clean before plugging in the charging cord again. You’ll probably be amazed how much dust and other particles can get into your phone. Maybe you didn’t put your phone in the same pocket as the snack you were eating, but you can bet that some dirt from other sources still managed to get in it. This is why you should clean your phone’s ports regularly. If you can. Using a can of compressed air is your best bet. If not, try blowing into the ports. See if you can take out any tiny debris that may have made its way in there.
5. The Wall Adapter Might Not Be Working
If you have the kind of charger that can be separated from the cable, this is another possibility to consider. The constant removal of the cable might have caused damage to the USB port. To check whether the adapter is the problem, try switching adapters. Ask a friend if you can use theirs, or you can always buy a new one. Also try connecting your device to your computer or a powerbank. If it charges, then you should probably try that’s get your hands on a new adapter quickly.
6. Install Ampere
To make absolutely sure your Android phone is charging, install Ampere. It’s free to get from the Google Play Store and gives you all sorts of information on the health and performance of your battery. You can see things like how much current is being drawn, build ID, Android version, temperature and whether it’s a battery or AC charge. If your phone is charging but isn’t showing the charging icon at the top like it should, then y’ou could be dealing with a software bug. In this case, you may want to perform a factory reset on your phone to clear up this issue. If you don’t know how to do that, check out our article which details the full instructions (section 10).
7. Use the Original Charger
It’s something we’re all guilty of. You can’t find your phone’s dedicated charger, so you just grab an old one thinking it can do the job just as well. Chargers are made to meet certain voltage and amperage specs for the phones they ship with and are not necessarily universal. If you don’t use the original charger, you could face a slow charge, or the phone may not charge at all. There are certain phones that won’t charge or power on if you’re not using the original charger.
8. Check for Water and Moisture
One of the reasons your Android phone won’t charge may be because it is wet. Could your phone have accidentally been splashed with water? Some smartphone models, like a Samsung Galaxy, can detect water or moisture and will display a waterdrop icon on the screen above the charging port. If you notice this on your Galaxy, the best thing you can do is leave your phone out to dry for a few hours.
This usually takes care of the moisture issue. If the water infiltration problem is more severe, you could also try blowing on it gently or exposing it to cool, dry air.
If you own a different kind of device, then you may want to follow iFixit’s instructions to displace the water inside by using 90%+ isopropyl alcohol and a toothbrush.
9. Take Your Device to a Service Center
If none of these methods have worked for you, you should consider taking your device to a service center to have the battery replaced. Older phone models used to come with a removable battery, so in theory, you could replace your battery at home if you’re still holding on to one, although it can be a risky procedure. Newer models don’t really have removable batteries anymore, so you’ll most likely have to visit a service center or a repair shop where they have the necessary tools to replace. Who knows – they may be able to diagnose another issue like a separate hardware failure problem. If your phone is still under warranty, you can take it to an authorized service shop, where they should fix it with no extra fees involved. Keep in mind that using an unauthorized repair shop to fix your issue may void your device’s warranty.
1. Can I use a third-party charging adapter?
If you are using the original charging adapter, you can try using a third-party charging adapter to see if it works. Similarly, if your third-party charging adapter is not working, then you should switch back to the original charging adapter and see if it solves the issue.
2. Can I change the battery if it is sealed?
Yes, you can, but you’ll need to visit an authorized center or a repair shop to do so safely without harming your device. You will risk voiding your warranty if you plan to do it on your own.
3. Do I need to change to a new phone?
Very rarely do you need to change to a new phone when your Android phone won’t charge. However, if all methods we’ve outlined above fail, and your phone is old with an expired warranty, your best option may be to get a new phone.
Wrapping Up
It can be frustrating when your Android phone won’t charge and is low on battery. With the above tips, you’ll be prepared to handle this situation if it ever arises. Going forward, if you wish to take better care of your battery, then you may want to install one of these apps that notify you when your Android battery is full. Alternatively, get up to speed regarding how to prevent Google Play Services from draining your battery.
