Today we’ll look at what to do (or not do) when your iPhone won’t charge. In this article, we will look at the possible reasons and try to find a solution for each of them.
If your iPhone has stopped charging, read this article to the end. We’re sure you’ll find some of the tips below helpful.
As you probably already understand, there is more than one reason why an iPhone may not charge. We’ve gathered the most common reasons below. Let’s start with the simplest ones and then move on to the more serious causes.
Follow the advice given and try to absorb what you have read. I’m sure some of the tips will help you charge your iPhone.
Reason 0: Software (firmware) error
Believe it or not, in most cases, the reason your iPhone won’t charge is because of the software (firmware), not the hardware. If you didn’t know, inside the iPhone there is a controller (a chip on the motherboard) that is responsible for charging the battery. This controller is controlled by software commands.
So when you connect the cable to the iPhone, power is not supplied directly to the battery, but first to the motherboard with the controller, which is then controlled by a program that is part of the phone.
So what did we actually find out? The fact that the iPhone’s software component detects when a power source is connected to the phone, which instructs the driver to start charging. If the software doesn’t respond (e.g. the phone is stuck), no command will be issued and your iPhone won’t charge.
A hard reset of the device usually helps resolve this issue. To do this, hold down the Home and Power buttons simultaneously for at least 30 seconds.
- If you need to restart your iPhone X or 8 – read this article
Reason #1: Charging port contamination
80% of the population carry their phones in their trouser pockets. We don’t know about you, but we try to clean the dirt out of our pockets regularly, but there’s always some left behind. Plus, this dirt (dust, lint, hair, etc.) tries to get into every nook and cranny on your iPhone.
Just imagine, this is the first and most common reason why an iPhone may not charge! You can’t even imagine what a pile of dust and dirt can get into your iPhone’s charging slot!
The accumulated compressed dust does not allow the cable plug to insert normally into the connector hole, which leads to the problem. Don’t believe us?
Try cleaning it yourself! Take a wooden toothpick and thoroughly clean the accumulated debris from the charging connector. Try to clean the charging hole in both corners. However, be careful not to damage the contacts!
You may be surprised to see how much dirt you have managed to remove. Next, blow out the connector and connect the cable to charge. If the battery in your iPhone is very low, it can take up to 15 minutes for the first signs of life to appear.
Reason 2: The USB port is faulty
If you’re trying to charge your iPhone via the USB port on your PC, but the iPhone won’t charge, the first thing you should do is check if this or that port is even working. For example, there are several USB connectors on our Windows work laptop that don’t charge the iPhone at all. We don’t know what this is related to, but the phone simply won’t charge. It appears that the 5V power needed to charge the battery in the iPhone is not being supplied to these USB ports.
Now we will list some information to understand the principle of battery charging in iPhone:
- The usual USB port on a PC or laptop has a voltage of 5V and an output current of 0.5A
- Standard iPhone charging with an adapter from a power outlet has a voltage of 5V and an output current of 1A
- Standard iPad charging with an adapter to the socket has a voltage of 5V and an output current of 2A
Check it out. If this is the case, try a different USB port or connect the iPhone to normal 220V. If the charger also fails to charge your iPhone, read on for another possible reason.
Reason #3: Charger (adapter) / faulty cable
As is generally known, genuine Apple chargers are quite expensive. For this reason, many people buy iPhone charging components on AliExpress and similar platforms in China.
!!! We strongly advise against it! In no case DO NOT buy or use cheap, Chinese, non-original adapters!!!
According to customer reviews and personal experience, we can assure you that sooner or later Chinese chargers will affect the charging and battery condition and may cause the phone to malfunction altogether! You yourself must realize that cheaper does not mean better and that in the end, replacing the battery or charging components may cost you several times what you would normally pay for a genuine Apple charger.
So, if your iPhone won’t charge using a Chinese (non-original) charger, try buying, or borrowing from someone to try out, an original Apple adapter.
However, if you have an original and genuine Apple adapter and your iPhone still doesn’t charge, it’s your turn to test the Lighting cable. From personal experience, we can tell you that even the original cables that come with your new iPhone fail.
Original cables are inherently quite fragile. If you don’t use them carefully enough, then the outer sheath often gets damaged, but also the conductive “cores”. For example, we recently threw away an original cable because it started charging the iPhone at no more than 60%…
“This cable or accessory is not supported …”
Probably some of you have already encountered this message “This cable or accessory is not supported, so its operation with this iPhone is not guaranteed to be reliable.” There could be several reasons for this and we will consider them in a separate article.
We can say only one thing, starting with iOS 7, Apple has taught its devices to recognize the originality of USB cables.
As previously mentioned, a special chip is installed in the plug of the Lighting cable that allows the iPhone (iPad) to recognize the origin of this cable. The Chinese, of course, have learned to make fake Lighting chips, but with the release of iOS 7 Apple has changed the rules of the game again.
Therefore, try to use only and exclusively original cables.
Use only the original Lighting cable and original Apple adapter. However, if even this doesn’t work and your iPhone still won’t charge, one of the components in your iPhone is probably defective. Read about it below.
Reason 4: iPhone battery
Any battery is a consumer product. This means that batteries do not last forever and require regular replacement. We recently replaced the battery on a MacBook Air, at the stage where the battery was absolutely no longer responding and charging was no longer possible, the MacBook could not be used without the cable.
It can also happen with an iPhone, although it’s relatively rare. Four- to five-year-old phones are especially prone to this diagnosis, which manifests itself as a gradual battery failure and degradation of fitness, up to complete battery failure, where in extreme cases the iPhone cannot be turned on at all.
Replacing an iPhone battery is not complicated, but it requires some experience, tools and skills. If your device is brand new or newer, we don’t think the battery is the problem. We often have people come to us who have been charging their devices with chargers of unknown origin, and therefore have had battery or charging issues in the future.
In this case, the charger or power controller will usually fail. But more on that below, see reason number 5.
Reason 5: iPhone components are faulty
The final reason why the iPhone won’t charge is because of a failure of internal components. Yes, and don’t be surprised, it’s quite common! Most often, the battery or power controller will fail. You can only find out exactly what has failed after a service diagnosis.
Many people complain that their iPhone doesn’t charge at all, or quickly loses % charge, is too hot, or won’t accept a cable, all signs of a faulty iPhone power/charging controller. We will describe the theory behind replacing iPhone power and charging components in detail in a separate article.
If you need to explain it simplistically, then basically the U2 controller is a chip (microcircuit) on the iPhone board that can be replaced (re-soldered) with a new chip. In service centres, this procedure is commonly performed and the cost of repair ranges from 1 200 to 4 500 crowns (depending on the model).
We can’t tell you right away, remotely and without a physical diagnosis, exactly what has failed in your case. Therefore, if your iPhone is experiencing charging problems, poor battery life, etc., you should visit a service center right away. After replacing the power controller or battery, it is always a good idea to check the overall performance and battery life of your iPhone.
Even new iPhone batteries (again of Chinese origin) can be faulty, and may not even charge.
Or the technician who repaired your iPhone accidentally replaced a part but didn’t find the real problem that caused you to take your phone in for service.
Therefore, ask the service center to connect your iPhone to a power source and make sure that the phone turns on and the charging indicator gets at least a few percent.
In any case, write in the comments which method helped you. If the iPhone still does not charge, write to us about it and we will try to find another solution for you. We’re always in the same place, so come in and ask.
If you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. contacts can be found here
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