So you got home or to work and did what most of us do: you plugged your phone to charge to keep that battery running but this time nothing happens. No green circle or lightning bolt on the screen to indicate that the phone is charging. The phone simply refuses to charge. Many of us have been there, here are 5 things you can do yourself to fix your phone:
1. Use a different power outlet
Power outlet can occasionally fail due to a burned fuse or other, and simply using a different outlet than your usual one can solve the issue. We have seen many clients bring their phone for a repair and the phone immediately started charging as soon as we connected to a charger - no judgment, I did that too!
2. Try another charging cable
Let's face it, charging cables have a tough life! Between the constant twisting inside a purse or laptop bag, the pulling to get the phone a bit closer and sit more comfortably, and the chewing by pets, charging cables really don't have it easy! This also means that cables can fail and stop delivering power from the outlet to the phone. Try a different cable if you have one, it could very well solve the problem.
Also, if you find yourself often pulling the cable, consider buying a cable that is longer. The 3 ft cables that come standard with phone can be annoyingly short. Get a 6ft cable, it will change your life!
3. Confirm that your screen is working
Sometimes the problem is not actually a charging problem but a screen problem. Your battery can still be charging but your screen is not displaying anything giving you the impression that the phone is off and not charging. An easy way to check that is by flipping the silent mode on and off on iPhones and trying to power on Samsung and other android phones. If the phone is still charging but has a screen problem you should be able to feel the vibration from the switch.
4. Use Wireless Charging
Most recent phones can be charged wirelessly, and while wireless charging is not as fast as charging using a cable it is a good alternative that can allow you to still use your phone until you take it to a cell phone repair shop if the first 2 solutions did not work. If wireless charging is not working either, then your phone most likely has an internal issue that needs professional service.
5. Take it to a phone repair shop near you
If none of the above solutions have worked for you then you will need to take it to a professional repair shop near you to have a look. It could be your charging port, your battery, or your screen that needs replacement. A battery inside of a phone or tablet is a consumable part and has a limited useful lifetime. Once it reaches its end of life, the battery can start degrading and sometimes even swelling. This can lead to further damage to the device internals so it is important not to ignore it and to take the phone to a repair shop as soon as you can.
A good repair shop can diagnose and fix your phone and get it back up and running. It is important that you choose a reliable cell phone repair shop that uses quality replacement parts and offers a warranty on the service for you to get a positive repair experience.