Phone not charging? First things first – what type of phone do you have?

iPhone won’t charge

If your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch has issues with charging, this is what you can do:

If it charges slowly or won’t charge

These are some steps you can try if your iPhone is charging slowly or not at all.

Try to get your phone to charge again after you’ve completed each step.

1. Make sure the cable is not damaged. Check both ends for any wear or bent prongs. If you see anything, make sure to replace the cable as soon as possible, and never use damaged or broken cables.

2. When the phone is plugged in, test how firm the connection Is between the phone and the wall. A loose cable could be the problem. If it’s not, try a different cable or maybe even a different plug.

3. Check the charging port on your phone for any dirt/debris and clear it out. If it’s damaged at all, you might need to get it repaired.

4. If your phone’s power had completely run out, it might just need some time to come back on. Let it charge for half an hour and if there’s still no response, you can try ‘force restarting’ it. Plug the phone into a computer with iTunes open and then:

   • iPhone 8 or later: Press and quickly release the Volume Up button. Press and quickly release the Volume Down button. Press and hold the Side button until you see the Apple logo.

   • iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, and iPod touch (7th generation): Press and hold both the Side (or Top) button and the Volume Down button for at least 10 seconds, until you see the Apple logo.

If your device stopped charging at 80 percent

If your iPhone gets a little overheated when it’s charging, to preserve the lifespan of the battery it’ll try to limit any charging above 80%.

Once it’s cooled down, your phone will fully charge again. If it’s in direct sunlight or it’s just a hot day, try to get it into a shaded place to recharge.

If an alert says that your accessory isn't supported or certified

You might see this alert for a few reasons; the charging port is dirty/damaged, the accessory is damaged, you’re using an incorrect USB charger or the accessory is non Apple-certified.

Here’s what you can try:

1. Clean out your charging port and make sure it’s not damaged.

2. Reboot your iPhone.

3. Try using a different cable.

4. Make sure your software is up to date.

If you’re charging wirelessly…

If you’re trying to use a wireless charger for the iPhone 8 or later, you should first check that you can charge the phone normally with the USB adapter cable.

If that works then there’s possibly a problem with your wireless charging kit. Plug the phone in and make sure that it still works using the cable.

As your device charges, you'll see a lightning bolt beside the battery icon in the status bar, or a large battery icon on your lock screen.

Android phone won’t charge

These are the steps you can try if your Android phone isn’t charging or is charging slowly.

Try a different power source

Your phone or your charger might not actually be the problem at all – it could be a faulty plug. If you’re trying to charge from the wall, try a different socket if you can. If not, try charging straight from a USB port on your computer.

If your phone starts to charge normally once you’ve changed power sources, you’ve located the problem.

Check the charging cable and wall adapter

The two things you should check before you restart your phone and start booking repairs are the wall adapter and the charging cable.

Check the cable for any damage including bends, rips or tears, because these things are subject to a lot of wrapping and flexing, which can all cause the cable to break over time. If you’ve got a spare one lying around, test it with that too.

Next, you should check the wall adapter, particularly those where the cable can be removed. Look inside the adapter’s USB port and check for signs of wear or damage, and if you’ve got a spare one, give that one a try.

If you don’t have a spare adapter to test, try plugging the phone into your computer or laptop. If it starts to charge with the cable, you’ll know it’s probably the adapter at fault.

Turn your phone off

Some games and apps are power-intensive and using them, even while charging, can mean the phone is using power faster than it’s gaining it, which makes it seem like it’s not actually charging.

Try turning your phone off (or at least locking the screen) when it’s charging, or you could even switch over to airplane mode to try and get a power boost a little faster.

Check the charging port

If the cable and the adapter have been ruled out, it’s time to check the charging port on your phone. Inside it there’s a small metal connector – if that gets bent, it can’t make proper contact with the charging cable and that’s where the problems start.

There are some ways you could try to straighten it out yourself, however it’s quite delicate and fiddly so if you do suspect it’s damaged, we suggest booking it in for a repair, because you don’t want to end up causing any more damage to the phone (or yourself).

If you can see any debris in there though, like pocket fluff, a can of compressed air could help you gently blast away whatever is causing the blockage.

Replace the battery

Our phones are generally built to outlive their batteries, and if yours is only lasting a few hours off charge, you might need to replace it.

Some battery faults are easy to spot, especially if they’re damaged, but most phones today don’t even let you have access to the battery, so you’ll have to book it in to be repaired so they can sort out a replacement for you.

It might be a pain, but it’s much easier than having to get a whole new phone.

Update your operating system

If you haven’t done a software update for a while and your phone starts to slow down, it could be because of the software version the device is running. It can have a bigger effect than you’d think, because these updates will usually iron out any issues or bugs that can cause your phone to use more power.

Make sure to keep your phones software up to date, and don’t ignore those little messages that pop up, telling you it’s time for an update.

If you’re still having problems with charging, chances are your phone needs replacing. Have a look at our range of mobile phones.