iPhone Charging Port Not Working? Here’s What You Can Do

It could happen to anyone. You’re plugging in your phone for the night with an alarm set for work, but in the morning… silence. Somehow, your iPhone didn’t charge overnight- your iPhone charging port is not working. What happened? And how can you fix it?

There are plenty of simple solutions that won’t break the bank.

Checking the Charging Cord

One simple repair you can make is by checking the cord itself. Is it damaged?

If there is no apparent issue, try cleaning both sides of the port with a dust rag; any dust or debris on the outside of the cord could be causing the issue. 

If this doesn’t help and the iPhone charging port is not working, you can also try cleaning the inside of the port with a dry rag as well. Once this is done, try plugging it in again.

If none of this works, there is a quick and easy test to find out if the problem is your charging cord.

If you have another cord available, plug it into the same outlet and give it a test- if this one works, great! Now you know the problem. 

If you don’t have a spare available, or if it also doesn’t work, you can always purchase a new charging cable instead. 

My Accessory Isn’t Supported?

Receiving an alert such as “this accessory isn’t supported” is a surefire way to know that your charging cord is experiencing issues. 

If cleaning the device doesn’t help, then a soft restart of your iPhone might be needed; this can clear the alert and fix any issues. 

Should that not help, either, making sure you have the latest installation of iOS is another possible solution. This can be done by going through settings > general > software update to install the latest version. 

This fix will require you to be connected to WiFi, and will require you to have your iPhone plugged in for the duration of the installation. 

Let Your Phone Charge Longer

It may seem obvious, but in an age filled with technology, it’s easy to get impatient.

If you aren’t giving your phone the time it needs to charge properly, especially if it recently died, then you may be losing power much faster than expected.

Allowing your phone to charge for longer periods of time is an easy solution.

Changing the Power Source

If a new charger cord doesn’t work, try changing the outlet you use. 

If you are using an adapter, switch to a new one; if you are using a power strip, ensure that it is on and working properly, or switch to a new one; or move to a new outlet altogether. 

Similarly to your charging cable and charging port, an outlet can become bogged down with dust and dirt. Moving to a new location is an easy way to detect the problem.

Cool Down Time

Should your phone still be struggling to keep its charge after the above fixes, a more in-depth look of your phone might be needed. 

If you use your phone often, then the battery may be overheating. By taking breaks from your phone, as well as keeping it out of sunlight in cooler areas, you will be able to maintain your phone’s battery life.

A clear sign that your phone may be struggling with overheating is that it won’t be able to get past an 80% charge. This is due to a feature in iPhones that prevents them from becoming too warm, leaving them without a full charge. 

The best temperature for your iPhone to keep it from overheating it between 32-95 degrees Fahrenheit (0-32 degrees Celsius).

If your battery continues to suffer even after allowing it to cool down, the battery itself may need replacement or repair. There are professional companies that will repair your iPhone battery for you, or you can go directly through Apple and have a new battery installed.

Remove Your Phone Case While Charging

iPhone cases are handy, sure, but they can also be big and bulky. Sometimes it can prevent your charging cable from plugging in properly.

By removing the case, not only will you give the cord easier access, but you will also prevent your phone from overheating inside its case. 

Restarting Your Phone

Sometimes, all your iPhone needs is to shut down for a bit. By restarting your phone, this could allow it to fix its issues internally. If a regular restart doesn’t help, then a hard reset may be required. 

Hard Reset

In the case that your phone has died and won’t get a charge, or if none of the above solutions are working, a full reset could be needed. In this situation, you have a few options for the hard reset. You could either:

1. Reset your phone manually. The steps for this are: press and release the volume up button: press and release the volume down button: and press and hold the side (power) button until the Apple logo appears. 

or

2. Connect your phone to your computer for repairs. Once your phone is plugged into your computer, you can open iTunes and follow the above steps. Hopefully, you will get the option to Restore or Update your iPhone; if so, select update to install iOS without losing your data. 

After resetting your phone, leave it to charge for at least 30 minutes.

Contact Apple for Additional Assistance

 If none of this helps, you may need to contact the Apple store for additional assistance. 

By sending in your phone, they can give you more solutions to fixing your iPhone without losing your data. 

Have Other Repair Tips?

Hopefully, these tips helped you get the support you needed. There are plenty of different ways to fix your phone cheaply and quickly!

Did you learn something new? Is there a tip for improving your phone’s battery life that we forgot?

We’d love to hear your suggestions! Leave a reply and share your ideas for iPhone repair, and any issues you are having.

For more technology tips and assistance, you can read our blog and get more tips for smartphones and tablets.