How to Fix an iPhone Not Charging

An iPhone that refuses to charge is usually caused by a dirty charging port, a faulty cable, or a software glitch — not a dead battery.

Likely causes

• Debris or lint in the Lightning or USB-C port
• Damaged or non-Apple-certified cable
• Faulty charging adapter
• Software crash preventing charging
• Battery health degraded below functional level

Step-by-step fix

1. 1
   Try a different cable and adapter

   Use an Apple-certified cable and adapter. Non-MFi cables often stop working after iOS updates.

2. 2
   Clean the charging port

   Use a wooden toothpick or SIM ejector pin (never metal) to gently remove lint from the charging port. This is the most common fix.

3. 3
   Force restart your iPhone

   iPhone 8 or later: press and quickly release Volume Up, press and quickly release Volume Down, then hold the Side button until the Apple logo appears.

4. 4
   Try wireless charging

   If your iPhone supports MagSafe or Qi wireless charging, try that. If it charges wirelessly but not via cable, the cable or port is the issue.

5. 5
   Update iOS

   Settings → General → Software Update. iOS updates sometimes include battery and charging fixes.

6. 6
   Check Battery Health

   Settings → Battery → Battery Health. If below 80%, the battery may need replacement.

Frequently asked questions

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