When your iPhone won’t charge, it’s easy to panic—you can’t call anyone or check social media when your phone is dead! Luckily, most charging issues are easily resolved, and a majority of the time you won’t even need to bring your phone into an Apple store. Check out these 9 ways to fix an iPhone that won’t charge before you run out and buy a new phone.
1) Clean the charging port
- If your iPhone won’t charge, you first want to clean the charging port. To do this, take a toothpick and gently poke around in the charging port. Do not insert the toothpick more than an inch into the hole as doing so may damage your iPhone’s circuitry. Make sure that no dirt or debris remains in the hole.
- Once you’ve cleaned out any debris from the charging port, plug in your iPhone charger again and try charging it.
2) Check the cables and other accessories
One way to fix an iPhone that won’t charge is by checking the cables and other accessories. It’s a good idea to unplug the phone, plug it back in, then disconnect the cable from a power source (or outlet). Then connect it again and make sure the charging indicator is turned on. This method often works for a phone that won’t turn on.
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3) Reset your iPhone
If the iPhone doesn’t charge or turn on, resetting it will often fix the problem. Holding down the sleep/wake button and home button together for ten seconds should restart the phone. If that doesn’t work, try plugging in your charger or connecting to a computer with iTunes. To avoid similar problems in the future, avoid running out of battery during heavy use (like GPS navigation) and if an app is draining your battery rapidly, delete it from your phone.
4) If it still doesn’t work, take it in to be checked out
If your iPhone still won’t charge or work, try turning it off, then back on. This will refresh the battery and often fix the problem. You can also check for any additional charging cables or accessories you may have purchased with your iPhone and make sure they are compatible with the model of iPhone you have. If none of this works and you’re under warranty, contact AppleCare.
5) Use a battery pack
Another common reason for an iPhone not charging could be that it’s not connected properly to the charger or plug. Remember that this will only work if the iPhone is physically connecting with the power source and has enough charge left in it’s battery to make a connection. If your iPhone doesn’t have a good connection, try using a battery pack for instant power until you can get it connected properly. Plus, we’ve heard from many customers who have this problem! So maybe try some of these fixes as well!
6) If you have AppleCare+ it covers more than just the phone itself
With AppleCare+, it’s covered. If you have an iPhone, chances are that you will eventually run into an issue with your phone not charging properly. If this has happened to you and your phone isn’t under warranty, it can be difficult trying to decide what the best solution is. You could try purchasing a new charger or battery or have your repair shop take a look at it for you. In many cases, the issue is that there’s too much gunk built up in the connection between the cable and iPhone charger port from everyday use. This can usually be cleaned with a toothpick or cotton swab and also some rubbing alcohol–or just water if you’re somewhere where alcohol isn’t allowed.
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7) Put your phone on airplane mode
This is more of a rare occurrence, but it still happens. The best way to fix this problem is by placing your phone on airplane mode, if you can’t place your phone on airplane mode, the next best thing is to plug in the phone and restart it.
8) Reset your router too!
The first thing to do is check your phone’s settings. There might be an option that you’ve changed and this is turning off the phone’s ability to charge. Go into Settings, then tap General. Make sure Airplane Mode isn’t on and look for things like Night Shift and CarPlay or other options that would affect how you can charge your phone. You might have also lost the ability to charge your phone because it has been in too many locations with different WiFi connections. Keep in mind that charging your phone when traveling changes WiFi signals even more than home use, so make sure the setting allows it or you will have trouble charging your phone again.
Fix an iPhone That Won’t Charge by resetting it?
9) Don’t leave your phone in extreme temperatures
Your iPhone is one of the most valuable things you own and a dead battery can really put a damper on your day. In the event that your iPhone doesn’t charge, follow these steps below to troubleshoot:
Make sure that the USB connector is clean. Dirt and grime can cause a poor connection between your cable and charger or device. You should also check for any damage to the charging port by using compressed air, cotton swabs, or an electronics cleaner such as Goo Gone or alcohol-based fluid.