10 Ways to Fix It When Your Android Phone Won't Charge (2024)

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Power sources, frayed or old cables, charging ports, and more could be the culprit

By

Julia Borgini

10 Ways to Fix It When Your Android Phone Won't Charge (1)

Julia Borgini

Writer

  • Queen's University at Kingston
  • George Brown College

Julia Borgini is a former Lifewire writer and a technical copywriter. She's written for B2B News Network, Kissmetrics, Social Media Examiner, and more.

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Updated on February 5, 2024

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This article explains what to do when your phone won't charge.

Reasons Why Your Android Phone Isn't Charging

There are several causes for this problem including, but not limited to the following:

  • There's a hardware issue with your cords or charger.
  • There's an issue with your power source. This can be the outlet, USB port on your computer, or a drained power bank.
  • Hardware-intensive apps might demand too much power for your phone to charge normally.
  • There could be a system-wide problem caused by an Android OS update.

What to Do If Your Phone Won't Charge

To find out why your Android phone isn't charging, begin troubleshooting from the outside in.

  1. Check the outlet or power source. The outlet you've plugged your phone into may not be working for some reason, so try a different one. Likewise, try a different power bank or USB port on your computer to see if that solves the issue.

    USB ports on computers are notorious for being slow to charge phones since they're multi-use ports. Try charging the phone directly from a power outlet or power bank.

  2. Check your charger and cable. A frayed or old cable could also be the culprit, so try a different cable. Your charger also might not be working properly, so try a different charger. Check the prongs on the charger and the connection port for the cable.

  3. Check the charging port on your phone. Inspect the port on your phone to see if it looks damaged. If there are any issues here, it'll stop the charge from passing from the cable to the phone. Try blowing into the port to clear out any dust or particles.

    Don't stick anything into the charging port. You can damage it further and injure yourself.

  4. Check the case on your phone. Some cases prevent the cable from being fully inserted into the charging port. If your phone isn't charging, check out the port and see if the case is preventing it from being fully plugged in. If so, remove the case. Other Android cases might work better.

  5. Close all apps while charging. There could be apps open using a lot of power as the phone charges. This includes you using the phone.

    For better performance while your phone is charging, close all open apps and don't use your phone. Check back regularly to see if the charging progresses at all.

  6. Clear your phone's cache. Sometimes an app will continue to run in the background, even if it appears you've closed it. The app could also be malfunctioning and continue running incorrectly when it shouldn't. Clearing your phone's storage cache might fix this issue, so it's worth giving a try.

  7. Restart your phone. In some cases, the operating system might be glitching, causing charging problems. Turn off your phone, wait a minute or so, then turn it back on.

    If you think an app is consuming all the resources on your device, you can try booting it into Safe Mode to troubleshoot the issue.

  8. Turn your phone off or use Airplane Mode. Many background services continue to run while a phone is charging—even if you've closed all the apps. For example, leaving Bluetooth enabled can prevent a phone from charging quickly as it uses a lot of power. So do location and Wi-Fi services.

    To see if these are preventing your phone from charging, turn your phone off completely or enable Airplane Mode. With Airplane Mode turned on, you'll know pretty quickly if they were the culprit.

    How to Make Your Phone Charge Faster
  9. Your battery might be toast. For some Android phone owners, it might be the physical battery in your phone that's the problem. Depending on the phone you have, you may be able to inspect the battery yourself, but most people will have to take it to a repair shop to have this done.

    Check your phone manufacturer's website for an official service center location so a certified technician can take a look at it.

  10. Your phone might be dead. There are other hardware components in your phone that could also prevent it from charging. Only a certified technician from your manufacturer's official service center or your mobile phone provider would be able to tell you this.

    If you've tried all the previous fixes and it's still not working, it's time to take it to the repair shop to see what can be done.Depending on the price for repairs, you might consider buying a new phone.

FAQ

  • How can I tell if my phone is charging or not?

    You'll know your Android phone isn't charging when it's plugged in and:

    • No charging icon appears on the display.
    • It didn't make a sound when you plugged it in as some phones do.
    • The battery icon continues to show low charge, it's still red, or it's still blinking.
    • Nothing happens, because the battery is completely dead and the phone is turned off.
  • What can damage a phone's charging port?

    Over time, simply using a phone's charging port can lead to wear and tear that can damage the port. Loose connections and using incompatible chargers can also cause damage so be sure your cable fits snugly into the port and that you are using only chargers recommended for your specific phone.

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