Phone Won't Charge? Fix It
You plug it in and nothing happens, or it charges painfully slowly. Most of the time it's the cable or lint in the port. Here's how to find out, in order.
Is it the phone, or the charger?
Try a different cable, a different charger and a different wall socket. If any combination works, the problem was the part you swapped, and your phone is fine. Cables fail far more often than phones.
FIXTry these in order
Open a step, try it, then tell us if it worked.
Pocket lint packs into the port over time and stops the cable going in fully. If the plug feels loose or doesn't click in, this is very likely the cause.
- Turn the phone off.
- Shine a light into the port. If you see fluff, gently scrape it out with a wooden toothpick, working from the back of the port outwards.
- Never use metal (like a pin or paperclip), and don't blow into the port; moisture from your breath can cause corrosion.
Force restart: press and release volume up, press and release volume down, then press and hold the side button until the Apple logo appears. Leave it charging for at least 30 minutes.
Press and hold the power button (on some phones, power and volume up together) and tap Restart. If the phone won't respond, hold power for about 30 seconds while it's plugged in.
A completely flat battery can take 15–30 minutes of charging before the phone shows any sign of life.
- Too hot or cold: phones pause charging to protect the battery. Take it out of its case, away from sun, and let it cool down.
- Liquid detected: if you see a moisture warning, unplug, let the phone dry for several hours, and don't override the warning.
- Stuck at 80%? That's on purpose. iPhone may hold at 80% to protect the battery. Check Settings › Battery › Charging.
- Stuck at 80%? Many Android phones have Adaptive charging or a battery protection setting that stops at 80% or 85%. Look in Settings › Battery.
Wireless charging is fussy about position. Centre the phone on the pad, take off thick cases, and remove cards, magnets and metal grips from the back. Check the charging icon appears.
Go to Settings › General › Software Update. Updates sometimes fix charging bugs.
Go to Settings › System › Software updates (or Settings › Software update on Samsung).
Go to Settings › Battery › Battery Health. If Maximum Capacity is below about 80%, or you see a service message, the battery is worn out and Apple can replace it.
On Pixel, go to Settings › Battery › Battery health. On Samsung, use the Samsung Members app › Support › Phone diagnostics › Battery status. Other phones vary.
Batteries normally wear out after two to three years. A replacement is much cheaper than a new phone.
The charging port or battery may need repair. Contact the phone maker or a trusted repair shop. A port repair is usually quick and inexpensive.
FAQCommon questions
Is it bad to charge my phone overnight?
No. Modern phones manage charging and slow down near 100%. Features like Optimised Charging and Adaptive Charging help further.
Why does my phone charge slowly?
A low-power charger or USB port on a computer, a worn cable, heat, or using the phone heavily while charging. A fast wall charger and good cable help most.
Can I use any USB-C charger?
Generally yes for USB-C phones, as long as it's from a reputable brand. Very cheap chargers can be unreliable or unsafe.
My phone says “Accessory not supported”. What does that mean?
The cable or charger isn't recognised, often because it's damaged, dirty or a poor-quality copy. Clean the port and try a certified cable.