Your iPhone won’t charge when plugged in, and you’re wondering what could go wrong?
It could be the USB charging cable, the power adapter, the charging port on your iPhone, or even the iPhone itself.
In this guide, we’re going to discuss some of the easy solutions to resolve the issue of your iPhone won’t charge when plugged in.
iPhone won’t charge tips
Here’re all the tips you’ll learn in this guide:
To jump to a specific section, use the quick links above.
Depending on what may have caused your iPhone to stop charging, you may need a different solution than somebody else.
In fact, a friend of mine came to me complaining about her iPhone’s charging issues. She was ready to buy a new phone, but by following a simple step her iPhone was charging again. So, let’s get started.
1. Hard Reset Your iPhone
The very first thing you should do if your iPhone won’t charge is to perform a hard reset. You’ll want to do that because it’s your iPhone’s software that allows it to charge when you plug it into a power outlet. Here’s how to do it.
For iPhone 6S, 6S Plus, SE, and older models press and hold the power button and the Home button together until the Apple logo appears on the screen.
Since the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus lack the mechanical home button, you’ll need to press and hold the power button and the volume down button together until the Apple logo appears on the screen.
If you have an iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone X, you’ll do it in three steps. Press and quickly release the volume up. Next, quickly press and release the volume down button. Finally, press and hold the side button until you see the Apple logo on the screen.
Finally, let go when the Apple logo shows up. Your iPhone will turn back on in a few seconds.
It’s recommended to leave your iPhone (any model) plugged in for at least half an hour to see if it will respond.
2. Check Lightning Cable for any Damage
If your iPhone still won’t charge after you’ve performed a hard reset, it might be a hardware problem. It’s time to check your lightning cable.
Take a closer look at the cable. If you see any visible signs of wear, especially at the end that connects your iPhone, it might be to blame.
But the easiest way to confirm that is to charge your iPhone with another cable. If it’s charging, it’s time to buy a new lightning cable.
There’re lots of third parties Apple-certified lightning cables in the market that are actually good. If you’re skeptical and don’t want to buy any counterfeit or uncertified cable, I’d suggest you buy Apple’s to have peace of mind.
If your iPhone is still under warranty, Apple will change your cable as long as it’s in good shape.
3. Check iPhone Charging Port
If you’ve tried another cable and your iPhone won’t still charge, it might be your USB port itself that’s broken.
Check your iPhone charging port for any debris, lint, or dust that gets stuck in there. They might prevent the lightning cable from connecting properly to your iPhone. If you carry your iPhone in your pocket every day chances are the lightning port will collect lint.
Before proceeding to the cleaning, make sure to back up your iPhone to your computer or iCloud. Power off your iPhone, get a dry brush or a toothpick, and gently remove all the debris. Be careful to not damage any of the pins. Once the port is cleared out, try to charge your iPhone again.
4. Check Wall Charger
Gone are those days when phone chargers come in one piece. Now they come in two pieces: the USB/Lightning cable and wall charger.
If there is not a firm connection between these two components, and/or wall outlet your iPhone won’t charge.
If iOS determine any power fluctuations, it will prevent your iPhone from charging to protect your device. Replace any charging components that do not plug securely or try a different outlet.
5. DFU Mode And Restore
iOS is what allows your iPhone to charge when you plug it into a power source. If something is wrong with iOS your iPhone won’t charge properly or won’t charge at all.
On some occasions, you might need to perform a DFU restore to fix complex software issues. When you do a DFU restore, you erase everything on your iPhone and restore it to factory settings. I’d recommend you have a backup just in case anything goes wrong.
Here’s how to put your iPhone in DFU mode:
- Plug your iPhone into a mac or a computer with iTunes installed on it.
- Open iTunes, it doesn’t matter if your iPhone is off or on.
- Press and hold the sleep/wake button and Home button (volume down button for iPhone 7) together for 8 seconds.
- After the 8 seconds, release the sleep/wake button but continue to keep holding down the Home button until iTunes shows “iTunes has detected an iPhone in recovery mode”.
- Release the Home button or volume down button. If you’ve successfully entered DFU mode your iPhone screen will turn dark.
- Restore your iPhone using iTunes.
For those folks who own an iPhone X, 8, or 8 Plus it’s a little different to get into DFU mode
- Press and release the volume up button, then press and release the volume down button.
- Press and hold the side button until the screen turns dark
- Press and hold the volume down button while you keep holding the side button.
- Now, release the side button but keep holding the volume down button until you see your iPhone on iTunes
- Once your iPhone appears in iTunes, release the volume button to put it in DFU mode.
Book Genius Bar Appointment
If you have tried all the steps above and your iPhone still won’t charge, then your best bet is to book a Genius bar appointment. You can also take your iPhone to an Apple Authorized Service Provider to get it fixed.
If you enjoyed reading this article and found a fix for your iPhone charging problems, please share and/or recommend it, so your friends can benefit from it too.
