When a phone stops charging, it's easy to fear the worst. In practice, a surprising number of charging problems come down to a worn cable, a weak plug or a setting doing its job. Work through these checks in order and you'll either fix it or have a much clearer idea of what's wrong.
Safe checks to try first
- Try a different cable. Cables fail far more often than phones, especially near the connector ends. Look for fraying, kinks or bent tips, and borrow one you know works.
- Try a different plug and wall socket. Plug adapters fail too. Charge from a wall socket rather than a laptop, car or extension lead while you're testing, as those can supply less power.
- Look inside the charging port. Shine a torch into the port. Pocket lint often packs into the bottom and stops the cable going in fully. Don't dig at it with anything metal; see our charging port guide for why.
- Restart the phone. A software glitch can stop the phone recognising a charger. A restart is quick and harmless.
- Try wireless charging, if your phone supports it. If it charges wirelessly but not by cable, the port or cable is the likely cause rather than the battery.
- Give a flat phone time. If the battery is completely empty, it can take several minutes before a charging symbol appears. Leave it on a known-good charger for at least 30 minutes.
Settings and protections that can pause charging
Some apparent charging faults are features working as intended:
- Charge limits. Many phones can hold charging at around 80 per cent, or delay the final part of charging overnight, to protect the battery. Check the battery or charging settings if your phone keeps stopping at the same level.
- Temperature. Phones pause or slow charging when they're too warm, for example in direct sun, under a pillow or while gaming on the charger. Let it cool down and try again.
- Slow chargers. An old, low-power plug will charge a modern phone very slowly, especially while you're using it.
Warning messages on screen
If an iPhone says an accessory may not be supported, try a different cable, preferably a certified one. If an Android phone, particularly a Samsung, shows a moisture detected warning, unplug it and let the port dry completely before trying again. Don't try to override the warning, as charging a wet port can cause corrosion. If the phone has been in water, our water damage guide covers what to do.
Signs it may be the charging port
- It only charges if you hold the cable at a certain angle.
- The cable feels loose or slips out easily, with several different cables.
- Charging keeps connecting and disconnecting.
- You can see debris you can't safely remove, or green or white residue on the contacts.
These point to a worn, dirty or damaged port. Our guide to charging port repair symptoms and options goes into more detail.
Signs it may be the battery
- The phone charges, but the percentage drops very quickly afterwards.
- Charging gets stuck at a certain percentage, or the reading jumps around.
- It switches off unexpectedly even when showing charge left.
- The phone or battery looks swollen.
Our guide on why a phone battery drains quickly explains how to check battery health.
What not to do
- Don't push pins, paper clips or SIM tools into the port.
- Don't keep charging a phone that's very hot, smells of burning or looks swollen.
- Don't charge a phone that's wet or has recently been in liquid.
- Avoid unbranded, very cheap chargers and damaged cables.
If you've worked through the checks and the phone still won't charge properly, it needs a proper diagnosis. A phone that won't charge might need a new port, a new battery, or neither, and finding out first means you don't pay for the wrong fix.
