You probably don’t think much about the process of charging your phone; just plug in the cable and walk away—that is, until one day your phone won’t charge and you’re left scratching your head thinking “wait a second, my phone isn’t charging?”.

Fortunately, you don’t have to immediately rush to a service center when this happens because the problem could have one of many simple explanations. More often than not, the mystery of why your phone’s not charging when it’s plugged in can be solved at home.

Here are a number of fixes to try if your Android phone is not charging.

1. Reboot Your Phone

Often, the reason why your phone isn’t charging when plugged in is that there’s been a simple connection hiccup. To rule out a temporary glitch as the cause, a reboot should always be the first thing you do.

Restarting your phone will kill all background services and could solve your mobile charging problem. A restart also refreshes your phone’s core components, in case one of them had crashed while performing a task. To perform a reboot quickly, simply hold the power button and tap the Restart option.

If your phone starts charging normally again after a reboot, then your problem is solved.

2. Try Putting Your Phone in Safe Mode

If your phone doesn’t charge after a reboot, then as a next step, try booting your phone in safe mode. Essentially, safe mode is a sandboxed environment that restricts your phone to just the software it originally shipped with. This means any third-party apps you’ve downloaded won’t run in safe mode.

If you’re able to charge your phone in safe mode, you know for sure that the culprit is a third-party service. Once you’ve confirmed that a third-party app is causing the problem, consider any apps you’ve downloaded recently. One of those could be the cause of your charging issues.

Try uninstalling recent apps and any that you don’t trust or haven’t used in a while. Then reboot your phone normally and see if it charges.

To enter safe mode on most new Android devices, press and hold the power button. In the resulting prompt, touch and hold the Power off button. After accepting the prompt, your phone will soon restart in safe mode. To exit safe mode, just restart your phone.

Since not all Android skins function the same way, the process might be different on your phone. If the steps outlined here don’t work, try visiting the support website for your device or Googling the button combination for safe mode.

3. Switch to a Different Cable/Socket/Adapter

If you’re still pulling your hair out and wondering “why is my phone not charging?!”, then it’s time to take a look at your cable. Your charging cable might have a loose wire, the adapter could have malfunctioned, or even the socket it’s plugged into could be failing to transmit the current properly.

To rule out a faulty cable, attempt to charge your phone through a different cable, adapter, or power source. The easiest way to check whether the cable is to blame for your troubles is to connect your phone to a computer via USB.

If your phone is able to charge via a PC, you can narrow the troubleshooting down to the adapter and socket. In case an alternative cable did the trick, invest in a new one. We recommend purchasing either original, first-party accessories or those from trusted third-party names like Anker—avoid junky knockoffs.

4. Make Sure It’s Not a Software Bug

If your phone is not charging even though it says it is, or your phone is charging but there’s no charging icon present, then this could be a software bug. Installing an app called Ampere will tell you once and for all if any power is making it to your phone.

Ampere is a simple app that allows you to view how much current your phone is discharging or charging with at any one time. Ampere also comes with a couple of other features you might find handy. It tells you whether your phone’s battery is in good condition, the available voltage, and the current temperature.

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With the Ampere app installed, connect your phone to a power source, then fire up the app and see if it says your phone is charging. If your phone is charging but isn’t displaying a charging icon, then this is a common software bug, you can either wait for an OS update or try a hard reset to fix it.

If your Samsung phone isn’t charging but says it is, then this too could be a software fault. Try updating your OS or conduct a factory reset.

If you don’t want to install the Ampere app, then another way to test this problem is to turn off your phone and then insert the charging cable. If your phone is receiving power, then its screen will flash with the charging icon.

Download: Ampere (Free, premium version available)

5. Clean the Charging Port

If the Ampere app shows no charge getting to your phone, then the culprit could be debris in your charging port. Dust particles can quickly accumulate in the charging inlet and hinder your phone’s connection to a power source.

Inspect your phone’s charging port and if you notice a buildup of dirt or other grime, clean it. You can do this easily by gently scrubbing the area with a dry cotton swab. Keep a light touch and don’t go ramming anything too far into your charging outlet.

To have a better look at what’s going on inside your port, use a flashlight to fully inspect the area. If you notice any foreign debris stuck inside, you can do heavier cleaning using a SIM ejector tool or a toothpick. After giving your port a good cleaning, try to charge your phone again.

Related: Myths and Misconceptions About Charging Your Phone Debunked

6. Could Your Phone Have Water Damage?

Water and electrics don’t mix. If your phone has gotten wet and you’re now wondering why your phone won’t charge, then it’s highly likely that water is the culprit.

You shouldn’t charge your phone at all if there’s a possibility of water damage. First, you have to make sure your phone’s internals are completely dry.

There are various methods to save a phone dropped in water. You can blow hot air into it with a hairdryer, dump it in a bowl of rice, or try other methods. You will, though, have to wait at least a day before plugging your phone in again.

After 24 hours of drying off, try plugging your phone in and see what happens. Once the connections are dry you may find that it starts charging again.

7. Visit a Service Center

If all else fails, you can always go to a service center and ask a professional why your phone won’t charge. They may be able to find a fault that you’ve missed or diagnose a hardware failure. Hopefully, your phone is still in warranty so you don’t have to pay anything for the repair. Otherwise, you may have to pay to replace whatever component has broken.

Phone Not Charging? Now You Can Troubleshoot the Problem Yourself

Given how many little components are responsible for charging your phone’s battery, charging issues have become more common, especially as phones get even thinner and we start to see more foldable phones, which need extra care and maintenance.

Hopefully, these tips will help you figure out why your phone is not charging and will also give you the tools you need to fix the problem.

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