A phone that stops charging feels like a disaster, but the cause is often small: a cable broken on the inside, an old adapter or a plug of lint at the bottom of the charging port. Only once those are ruled out do the charging port itself, the battery or the charging chip come into the picture. With the tests below you know within a few minutes where the problem is, whether you have a Samsung, Google Pixel, Xiaomi, OnePlus or another Android phone.
Blue Apple repairs phones at Rijnstraat 76-H in Amsterdam. What we do per brand is on the phone repair in Amsterdam page. If you have an iPhone, also read iPhone not charging? Start with the port: it covers the iPhone settings and warnings that Android does not have.
Five quick tests first
- Another cable and another adapter. Cables usually break right next to the plug, where you cannot see it from the outside. Test with a combination you know works, such as a housemate's.
- Another wall socket, not a laptop or a power strip with USB. The USB port on a laptop or a cheap power strip often delivers too little current to really charge a phone that is switched on.
- Look into the charging port. Shine a light in. If you see something grey or fluffy at the bottom, remove it carefully with a wooden toothpick. Never use a paperclip, needle or anything else metal: that damages the contacts or shorts them.
- Restart the phone. Charging sometimes hangs in software. A restart takes a minute and rules that out.
- Try wireless charging if your phone supports it. If it charges wirelessly but not by cable, the problem is almost certainly the port or the cable, not the battery.
It charges, but stops at 80 or 85 per cent
That is often not a fault but a setting that protects the battery. On a Samsung it is called Battery protection and sits under Settings > Battery. On a Google Pixel you find charging optimisation under Settings > Battery as well, in the battery health section. Other brands have something similar, often called smart or optimised charging. Turn the setting off and the phone charges to a hundred per cent again. If you charge overnight, it is better to leave it on: it extends the life of the battery.
Does charging stop halfway while the phone is warm? Many phones pause charging when they get hot, for example in the sun, under a pillow or during a heavy game. Let it cool down and take it out of a thick case if needed.
A warning about moisture in the port
Samsung and other brands have a sensor in the charging port. If you see a warning that moisture has been detected, the phone blocks cable charging to prevent damage. Leave the phone somewhere dry, not on a radiator and not in rice, and try again later. Wireless charging usually still works in the meantime. If the warning keeps coming back long after the phone has dried, there is probably corrosion in the port. If water really got into the phone, see water damage repair.
It charges, but very slowly
- The adapter is too weak. An old five-watt block charges a modern phone very slowly, especially while you use it.
- The cable cannot do fast charging. Not every USB-C cable is the same. A cheap cable can charge fine, just not fast.
- Fast charging is switched off. Check in the battery settings that fast charging is on.
- You use the phone while it charges. Navigation, video or games sometimes use almost as much as comes in.
When it is a repair
- The charging port. The plug is loose or falls out, even after cleaning, or the phone only charges if you hold the cable at a certain angle. On many phones the port sits on a separate board that can be replaced. See Samsung charging port repair, Google Pixel charging port repair or Xiaomi charging port repair.
- The battery. The phone drains fast, shuts down at twenty or thirty per cent, or the percentage jumps. See Samsung battery replacement or Google Pixel battery replacement.
- A swollen battery. Is the back lifting or the screen coming loose? Stop charging the phone and bring it in as soon as you can. A swollen battery is a fire risk.
- The charging chip on the logic board. Less common, usually after liquid or a poor charger. The phone then reacts to no cable at all and not to wireless charging either.
How a repair works at Blue Apple
Bring your own cable and charger when you come in. We test the phone with our own measuring equipment, look into the port under magnification and measure how much current actually goes in. If cleaning is enough, that is the whole repair. If a part is needed, you first hear what is wrong and what it costs, and we only start once you agree. You can book a repair through the brand page, for example Samsung or Google Pixel, use the request form or call 020 239 11 93.
Common questions
Is it bad to charge my phone overnight?
No. Modern phones stop by themselves when the battery is full, and with a setting such as Battery protection or optimised charging the battery also spends less time at a hundred per cent. Do not put the phone under your pillow, though.
Can I use a fast charger from another brand?
Yes, as long as it is a decent USB-C charger. The phone agrees with the charger how much current it takes. Avoid very cheap unbranded chargers: they are a known cause of failed charging chips.
My phone was completely flat and does not react to the charger.
Leave it on a working charger for at least half an hour before you try to switch it on. A completely empty battery needs a while before there is any sign of life.
Can I clean the charging port myself?
Yes, with a light and a wooden toothpick, very carefully. If you would rather not, or the debris is stuck, we do it for you in the shop.
In short
Another cable, another adapter, a light in the port, a restart and wireless charging as a test: that finds most charging problems. If it stops at 80 or 85 per cent, look at the battery settings. If none of that helps, it is the port, the battery or the charging chip. Come by at Rijnstraat 76-H in Amsterdam, see phone repair in Amsterdam or call ahead: 020 239 11 93.
