How to fix a charger cord that wont charge

From broken and rusted charging ports to damaged power cables, there are a lot of reasons your iPhone or Android phone might not charge and not all of them can be easily fixed at home. But a common reason for faulty charging is simply that your charging port, whether that's Lightning on the iPhone 13 or USB-C on phones like the Google Pixel 6 Pro is clogged with dirt and the cable can't quite fit in properly. 

Thankfully, this is one of the simplest and cheapest solutions to a charging problem. Here's how to fix it. 

Why is my charging port blocked? 

There are no covers on your phone's charging port, meaning they're exposed to every bit of dust, dirt and debris they encounter. Every time you slide your phone into your pocket your phone will be susceptible to pocket fluff and if, like me, you've got pockets filled with detritus from accidentally washing your jeans with old receipts in the pockets then that's asking for trouble. And that's to say nothing of the biscuit crumbs I have in there. Do not ask me why I have biscuit crumbs in my pockets. 

Day by day, this won't be a problem but those tiny bits of dust and fluff will build up over the months or years you have your phone, compacting together each time you plug in your charging cable until it forms a solid barrier that stops your charger from going all the way in and allowing it to connect and charge. 

If you've had your phone for more than six months and you're gradually finding the charger becoming less and less stable (particularly if you have to wiggle it around to get it to begin charging) then it's highly likely that dirt in your port is the culprit. 

How to clean out your phone's charging port 

It's a simple task to unclog your phone's port. You'll need a cocktail stick, toothpick or other thin item that you can poke in to the port to scrape out the grime. Wood or plastic is better as it's less likely to scrape against anything inside and potentially cause harm. I've done this using a metal SIM removal tool and while it worked well, it's not the safest option for your phone. 

Insert your tool of choice into the charging port until it won't go further and gently start scraping away. With an iPhone's Lightning port you can scrape back and forth, but with USB-C you'll need to scrape around the charging connector, which sits in the middle of the port. 

Eventually you'll start to work the compacted debris loose and you'll be able to encourage the dislodged material out of the port. It's a satisfying process and you might be surprised at how much stuff actually comes out. Gently work on the sides of the port too, but be mindful not to scrape hard against any of the metal charging connectors. 

Eventually you'll have pretty much all of it out. It's difficult to check for sure if you've gotten rid of it all as it's tricky to see inside the port, even if you have a good light to hand. But once you've got a good amount of nonsense out, you can try your charging cable again. 

Hopefully it'll plug in more securely now and begin charging. If not, carry on trying to extract more dirt and then test the charger again. If that still doesn't solve the issue it's time to consider other solutions like a new cable or charger. 

Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority

It has been a long and busy day. You get home with a nearly dead smartphone battery and finally plug it in, only to find out the thing isn’t charging anymore! It’s normal to freak out for a bit, but don’t lose hope just yet. Here are some quick solutions you can try when you’re having issues with your phone not charging.

Editor’s note: Any instructions in this post were formulated using a Google Pixel 4a with 5G running Android 12. The steps might be a bit different for your specific device.

Check out the Ampere app

Ampere is an excellent app for checking if your phone is charging and how much it’s charging. It essentially identifies how much current is being drawn in from your device when it charges. Because of this, the app is great for seeing if your phone is charging at all and for seeing which charging method is the best.

Give it a go and see the status of your phone battery while plugged in. If the number in the app shows up green, the device is charging, but if it’s a negative orange number, your device is using power.

Is your cable in good condition?

C. Scott Brown / Android Authority

A phone not charging could be due to many reasons, but the cable is one of the first things to check. Especially if it’s an accessory you’ve had for a long time, possibly since the phone was purchased. Our cables go through plenty of torture. They go with you to many places, not to mention we can often step or trip on them, they often get tangled up, we throw them in bags carelessly, and so on.

Inspect your charging cable thoroughly and see if there are any evident signs of damage. Any rips, bends, cuts, or general damage will be a good reason for cables not functioning correctly. Also, try to charge another device with it and see if it works. If it does, the issue might be the device. You can also try using another cable to see if it will charge your smartphone battery.

Read: Take a look at some of the best USB cables

How about the adapter?

Ryan Haines / Android Authority

Of course, the wall charger is just as important as the cable. Go ahead and put it through the paces. Inspect it for any obvious damage. Cracks or bent outlets are obvious red flags. Likewise, try using it with other devices and switching it with another brick to see if this is the problem.

More: The best wall chargers

Check your charging port

Robert Triggs / Android Authority

If your cable and charger work with other devices, it’s time to start looking at your phone. A common culprit is the charging port. For starters, go ahead and check if there is any dirt or debris in the port. Something as simple as a dirty port will mess up your charging. You can try cleaning it with a brush or compressed air.

Have you noticed the port feeling loose lately? Ports can get worn out with excessive usage. You could also find signs of corrosion in there. Sadly, there isn’t much you can do about this, other than replacing the phone or trying to have the port replaced.

Also: How to pick the right charger

Test a wireless charger

Given that your phone supports wireless charging, and you have a wireless charger, this is an easy way to test if the problem is related to the phone or accessories. Just try to charge your phone with a wireless charger. This could also be a temporary solution to keep your phone working until you figure out the problem and get it fixed. If your phone isn’t charging, you might have a bigger battery-related issue.

Try a different power source

Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority

Plug something else into the same outlet you’re trying to charge your phone with and see if it works. Sometimes outlets go bad, or a section of your home might be having electric problems. Additionally, some power sources can be weak. If you find issues with your outlet, try out other outlets in the house.

Those trying to charge using a USB port in a computer or power strip might not be getting the juice the smartphone needs to charge correctly. Move to a regular outlet and see if this gets rid of your charging woes.

Turn your phone off or restart

This is a magical fix for all things tech, and it works most of the time. Sometimes a simple restart will get all your phone’s gears in place and have it working correctly. Turning off your phone completely might also help your smartphone battery charge better. Any heavy usage or background processes can affect charging performance. Turning your phone off will leave all resources clear so that your device can solely focus on charging. Press and hold on to the power button and tap on Restart.

Also: The best phone charging accessories

Can you replace the battery?

Smartphones with a removable battery are rare these days, but if you still have one of these gems, you could try a few fixes. For starters, trying something like removing the battery and putting it back in place might get everything working again. Aside from that, you could try getting a brand new battery and replacing the old one.

Here: These are the best phones with a removable battery

Did you completely deplete your battery?

Robert Triggs / Android Authority

Your phone needs at least a bit of power to continue operating correctly. Devices actually turn off a bit before the battery reaches zero, just so they can have some energy to manage things next time you turn them on, or even while turned off, charging. It’s common to run into problems when you deplete batteries completely. Luckily, those in this position are the luckiest of the bunch, as it’s not really a serious problem to deal with.

Related: Charging habits to maximize battery life

You’ll have to be more patient and leave the phone plugged in for a longer time. Eventually, the phone will wake itself back up and start receiving a charge. You can try a soft reset, which is done by pressing the power button for 30 seconds.

Check for software updates

A simple solution might be to check for software updates. Of course, this is given you actually have some power to go through the upgrading process. Just go to Settings > System > System Update > Check for Update. Follow instructions to upgrade if an update is available.

How to update your Android phone:

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Go into System.
3. Tap on System Update.
4. Hit Check for Update.
5. The phone will let you know if your device has available updates. Follow instructions to complete the update.