Is your iPhone not charging when you plug it in? I know how frustrating that feels when you need your phone. You might see a lightning bolt, but nothing actually happens here. Maybe your iPhone’s charging port just stopped working out of nowhere. Sometimes problems appear right after you do an update.
This guide walks you through everything step by step, slowly. We will figure out the iPhone not charging problem together. Even when your charger is working, the phone might not. I promise by the end you will know what to. Let’s get your phone charging again so you feel better.
Which Charging Problem Do You Have?
Okay, so first we need to figure out what is happening. Different problems need different fixes, so let’s identify yours now. Here are the main situations I see people dealing with the iPhone not charging problem:
Your phone shows no charging symbol at all anywhere. When you plug the cable in, absolutely nothing happens at all. The screen stays dark, and the battery icon looks the same. It feels like your phone does not even know anything.
Your phone shows a lightning bolt, but the battery does not move. You can see the charging symbol on your screen clearly. But the battery percentage just sits there frozen and stuck. iPhone not charging but showing a lightning bolt thing, which is weird.
Your phonecharges slowlyw or stops at eighty percent. The battery goes up, but it takes forever to happen. Sometimes it just stops at eighty and refuses to continue. This usually means settings or heat are causing the problem.
How to Fix iPhone Not Charging When Plugged In
Method One: Check Your Cable and Adapter First
Start here because this fixes most problems with the iPhone not charging, I swear, really. Cables break way more often than you think they do.
- Look at your lightning cable for any damage you see.
- Check if the metal part is bent or looks weird.
- Look at your power adapter for cracks or burnt spots.
- Grab a different cable and see if that one works.
- Try using an Apple cable instead of a cheap one.
- Plug it into the wall instead of your computer port.
- Make sure everything connects tightly to the wall super firmly.
- Borrow your friend’s iPhone charger and test that one too.
Method Two: Clean the Charging Port on Your Phone
You would be shocked at how much lint gets in there. I pulled out a huge chunk from mine once before.
- Turn your iPhone off before you do anything else here.
- Grab a wooden toothpick or something soft and plastic now.
- Gently scrape around inside the port to get stuff out.
- Use your phone flashlight to see what is in there.
- Blow softly into the port to get loose stuff out.
- Do not use anything metal, or you will break it.
- Be really gentle because you can damage it pretty easily.
- Wait a bit if you have any liquid in there.
Method Three: Restart or Force Restart Your iPhone Now
Sometimes your phone just needs to wake up and refresh. This fixes so many weird glitches that pop up randomly.
For iPhone eight and newer models, you might have:
- Press the volume up button and let go super fast now.
- Press the volume down button and let go super fast now.
- Hold the side button until you see the Apple logo.
For the iPhone seven and seven plus that you own:
- Press and hold the side button on your phone tightly.
- Also, press and hold the volume down at the same time.
- Keep holding both until the Apple logo finally shows up.
For iPhone six S and older ones, you still use:
- Press and hold the side or top button really firmly.
- Also, press and hold the home button at the same time.
- Keep holding until you see that Apple logo appear now.
Method Four: Let Your Phone Charge for a Longer Time
If your battery died completely, it needs time to rest. My phone took forty five minutes to show anything.
- Plug your phone into the wall with a good cable.
- Just leave it alone for thirty minutes at least, please.
- Do not touch it or try turning it on yet.
- Look to see if any symbol appears on screen now.
- Wait another thirty minutes if you still see nothing there.
- Do the force restart thing if nothing happens after that.
Method Five: Check for Software Problems After an Update
iPhone not charging after update drives people crazy, I know that. New software sometimes has bugs that mess things up here.
- Connect your phone to WiFi if you can right now.
- Open the Settings app from your home screen and go in.
- Tap General and then tap Software Update to see updates.
- Download any updates that pop up for you to install.
- Restart your phone once the update finishes doing its thing.
- Try plugging in your charger to see if it’s fixed now.
How to Fix iPhone Not Charging at Eighty Percent
Your iPhone actually does this on purpose to help you. It is called Optimized Battery Charging and protects battery life.
- Open the Settings app on your phone right now. Go ahead.
- Scroll down until you see Battery and tap on that.
- Tap Battery Health and Charging to see the good stuff.
- Find Optimized Battery Charging and turn it off if wanted.
- Now your phone charges all the way to one hundred.
- I recommend keeping this on because it helps your battery.
- Your phone learns when you wake up and charges then.
- If your phone feels hot, just let it cool first, okay.
- Take it to a cooler room if it gets too warm.
- Try taking off your case because that traps heat inside.
How to Handle Accessory Not Supported or Certified Messages
This message means your cable might be fake or broken. It is super annoying when this pops up on screen.
- Unplug the cable from your phone completely right now.
- Look in the charging port for dirt or fuzz again.
- Clean out anything you find stuck in there with a toothpick.
- Plug everything back in firmly and see what it says.
- Try a different Apple cable if you have one around.
- Restart your iPhone and then try charging it once more.
- Update your phone to the newest iOS version you can.
- Get a real Apple cable if yours is not legit.
When to Get Professional Help for Your iPhone
Sometimes you just need someone who knows what they are doing. Do not feel bad about getting help from the Apple Store.
Your phone stays dead even after charging all night long. You left it plugged in for like eight hours overnight. The screen is still completely black, no matter what happens. Nothing you tried in this guide worked at all today.
The charging port looks messed up or feels super loose. Your cable falls out when you barely move the phone. You see bent metal pieces inside when you peek in. Everything feels wobbly when you plug the cable in there.
You already tried everything here, and nothing worked at all. You cleaned the port and tested different cables and stuff. You restarted and updated your phone, too, as I said. Your phone still refuses to charge, no matter what happens.
Conclusion
You now know how to fix iPhone not charging problems. Start with easy stuff like cleaning and checking your cables. Try restarting your phone before you panic about anything else. These simple steps work for most people who try them. If nothing here works, then go see Apple Store workers. Use real Apple cables from now on to avoid problems. Check your charging port once a month to keep it clean. I really hope your iPhone charges normally again after this.
FAQ
Why Is My Iphone Not Charging When Plugged In Today?
Usually, a dirty port or broken cable causes this annoying problem. Check your cable for damage and clean that port out. Try using a different cable and adapter to test them.
Can I Use Any Cable to Charge My iPhone?
You really should use Apple-certified cables for safety reasons here. Cheap cables break your phone or charge super slow, always. Real cables work way better and last longer than fakes.
How Do I Know If My Charging Port Is Broken?
Look inside with a light to see bent metal pieces. If your cable feels loose or falls out, it is. Go to the Apple Store so they can check it out.
Why Does My Phone Stop Charging At Eighty Percent Only?
Optimized Battery Charging stops there to keep the battery healthy longer. Turn this off in Battery Settings if you really want. Your phone learns your schedule and charges before you wake.
What Should I Do If Nothing In This Guide Works?
Call Apple Support or just go to an Apple Store. Your phone might need a new battery or a port fixed. They know how to diagnose and fix it right away.
