Phone Won't Charge? 6 Things to Check Before a Repair

1. Try a different cable and plug

Cables fail far more often than phones. Borrow a cable and plug you know work, and plug straight into the wall, not a laptop or extension lead.

2. Look inside the charging port

Shine a torch into the port. Pocket lint gets packed in every time you plug in, until the cable can't reach the contacts. If you see grey fluff, that's almost certainly the problem. Don't dig it out with a pin or anything metal: you can bend the pins or short the port. We clean ports safely as part of a charging repair.

3. Restart the phone

A software glitch can stop charging. Hold the power button and restart, then try again.

4. Check for a moisture warning

Samsung phones show a water-drop symbol and iPhones show a "Liquid detected" alert if the port is wet. Unplug it, let the phone dry naturally for a few hours, and try again. Never use a hairdryer.

5. Try wireless charging

If your phone supports it and charges wirelessly but not with a cable, the problem is almost certainly the port, not the battery.

6. Check the battery

If the phone charges but dies quickly, or switches off at 20 to 30%, the battery is worn. On an iPhone, check Settings › Battery › Battery Health. A battery replacement fixes this.

When to get it repaired

If a different cable doesn't help, the port is visibly damaged, the cable feels loose, or it only charges at an angle, the port needs cleaning or replacing. Book a charging port repair and we'll come to you.

Quick answers

Why does my phone only charge at a certain angle?

Usually lint in the port or a worn port. Cleaning often fixes it. If not, the port needs replacing.

How much does a charging port repair cost?

It depends on the phone. A clean is often all it needs. We confirm the price before we start, and you pay once it's fixed.

Written by the technicians at Rugby Phone Repair Hub, who repair phones at customers' homes and workplaces across Rugby every day.

Phone won't charge? What to check first