You have just finished a long and heavy day which was just as trying for your smartphone. He does not have much autonomy left and you are forced to comply with the recurring obligation to put him in charge. Only, no matter how much you turn the cable in all directions, the phone no longer charges. Or the power-on indicator is activated but the battery level is almost at a standstill. What to do ?
This situation often comes as a surprise. If not, with a little luck, it leaves time to anticipate it by gradually manifesting itself until the smartphone flatly refuses to take charge. Several factors can be the cause. Some flow naturally and others less so. When your phone no longer charges quickly or that it becomes completely insensitive to electric current, here are all the solutions to try before thinking of the repairer.
The Ampere app to the rescue
Although a smartphone that no longer charges naturally points to a hardware problem, an application like Ampere can sometimes be useful in identifying the problem. It is used, among other things, to check the intensity of the current supplied by the charger while charging the smartphone.
If the information on the screen is displayed in orange although the smartphone is plugged in, this confirms that the current is not flowing. If the display changes to green, various information on the charge is displayed on the screen: the intensity (in mA with the minimum and maximum recorded during the charge), the voltage received (in volts), etc. This information can be used to indicate whether or not the charger is delivering enough current in case the battery is charging, but not fast enough.
- Download Ampere from Play Store
- Download Ampere on the App Store
Check the cable
The most vulnerable part of any charger is the cable. They're designed to withstand the toughest bends, but with use, gradual wear and tear on the cables is almost inevitable. If your phone isn't charging at all or not fast enough, try another cable if you have one handy. Otherwise, a micro USB or USB-C to USB-A cable can be found from €3 on the market.
Change adapter and source
It's entirely possible that your smartphone or charger isn't the root of the problem, but rather the outlet or extension cord you're trying to plug it in from. It goes without saying, if you try to charge from the wall, try another outlet or charge the smartphone directly from your computer. If none of the solutions work, try the following.
Remove lint, dust and other residue
Over the months, a significant amount of small lint and dust can clog the charging port preventing firm contact between the pins of the charging tip and the USB connector, particularly if it is a USB Type- C or the iPhone's lightning port. It will be enough for a single pin to be obstructed to prevent the smartphone from charging. To clear the annoying residues, you will have to go gently using a paper clip or a wooden toothpick.
Change the battery
A phone that no longer charges can also be the fault of the battery. If it is in a moribund phase, it can become unresponsive to the load. Result, you connect the smartphone, the power indicator is displayed, but the percentage of the battery remains blocked and does not evolve. Smartphones with removable batteries are certainly on the way out, but if you're lucky enough to have one, replace the battery.
If you instead have a smartphone with a non-removable battery like the majority of those currently available on the market, the battery is also replaceable. Provided you are used to dismantling which is often much less complicated than it looks. All you have to do is get your hands dirty.
If none of these tips can solve the problem of charging your smartphone, the ultimate solution is to set your sights on a repairer. The failure could be a problem with the circuits or a faulty charging end. Something that happens quite often.
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