Charging Issues Repair
A device that will not charge has one fault in one of four places. We test all four and tell you which, before you agree to anything.
Is It Really the Port?
One dead phone, four possible repairs. Find what you are seeing on the left.
| What you see | Where the fault is |
|---|---|
| Charges only at one angle | Port |
| Plug will not seat, or falls out | Port or lint |
| Charging cuts in and out | Port or corrosion |
| Says liquid has been detected | Corrosion in the port |
| Nothing at all, on any cable | Battery or board |
| Charges, but the screen stays dark | Screen |
| Powers on, sticks on the logo | Software or storage |
| Gets hot while charging | Battery |
A Lightning plug has 8. Pocket lint packs into the closed end and holds the plug a millimetre short of home, which looks exactly like a broken port.
Five Things to Try First
All free, all quick. If one of them works, you owe us nothing.
Try a Different Cable
Cables break inside where they bend, with nothing to see from outside.
How to Do It
Borrow a cable and a mains plug you have watched work on something else. Swap one at a time, otherwise you learn nothing about which was to blame.
Clean the Port Out
There is usually far more lint in there than you expect.
How to Do It Safely
Switch the device off. Use a wooden toothpick or a plastic pick, work from the closed end outwards, then shine a light in to see what moved. Never a paperclip, a needle or a SIM tool, and nothing wet — the contacts bend once.
Force Restart It
After a crash, a device can stop recognising chargers until it is restarted.
The Button Sequence
iPhone: press volume up, press volume down, then hold the side button until the logo appears. Most Android phones: hold power and volume down together for about twenty seconds.
Change the Power Source
A charger that cannot supply enough is refused outright, not slowly.
Why That Happens
Fast-charging phones and USB-C laptops ask the charger what it can deliver before drawing anything. If the answer is too little, they take nothing at all — which looks identical to a dead port. Try a wall socket, a laptop USB port and a car charger.
Take the Case Off
A thick case can hold the plug a millimetre short of home.
And One More Thing
Install any pending system update and restart while the case is off. If the device charges wirelessly but not by cable, the battery and the board are both fine — it is the port or the cable.
What Damage Looks Like
Shine a torch into the slot and look side-on. Any of these four and cleaning will not help.
- Uneven ContactsOne sitting higher, or a gap where one should be.
- No Grip LeftThe cable drops out under its own weight.
- Black or Green MarksArcing, or moisture damage still spreading.
- The Port MovesIt shifts when you wiggle the cable. Stop using it.
Why Two Quotes Can Differ So Much
Three repairs hide behind the same symptom. This is what separates them.
How We Find It
Cheapest test first. Nobody pays for board work a clean would have fixed.
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What ChangedDropped, wet, sudden or gradual. It routinely saves an hour.
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Look InsideUnder magnification. Lint and corrosion hide well at arm’s length.
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Meter on ItOpen circuit, a short, or a port that tests fine — three different repairs.
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Onto the BoardCharging chip, blown fuse, broken track. That is board-level work.
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Then the QuoteWhat it is, what it costs, whether it is worth doing. The assessment cost is agreed before you leave the device, and comes off the bill if you go ahead.
Charging FAQ
How Much Does a Charging Repair Cost?
It depends which of the three repairs above yours turns out to be. We look before quoting, so the number is for your device rather than an average. Send us the model and the symptom.
Do You Charge for the Diagnosis?
We tell you what the assessment costs before you leave the device, and it comes off the bill if you go ahead. Nothing is charged for that you have not agreed to. More on the diagnostics page.
How Long Does It Take?
A connector swap on a common model is usually done the same day when the part is on the shelf. Board work takes longer — the diagnosis is the slow part. You get a timeframe with the quote.
Can You Fix a Port That Has Been Wet?
Often. Corrosion can be cleaned off and damaged parts replaced. What decides it is how long it stayed wet and whether it was left on charge. Sooner is better — see liquid damage.
Is It Worth Repairing on an Older Device?
Sometimes not, and we say so rather than quote for it. If you only need what is on the device, that is a different job — see data recovery.
Which Brands Do You Repair?
iPhone, Samsung, Google Pixel, OnePlus, Xiaomi and Huawei phones; iPad and Android tablets; MacBook, Surface, Dell, HP, Lenovo and Asus laptops; and game consoles. Unusual models may need the part ordered in.
What Warranty Comes With the Repair?
Between six and twelve months on parts and workmanship, depending which repair was done. If the same fault returns inside that period, bring it back. Terms on the warranty page.
It Gets Hot While Charging. Is That the Port?
Usually not — heat points at the cell or the power circuitry. If any panel is lifting or bowing, stop charging it and read the battery page first.
If It Turns Out Not to Be the Port
Tell Us What It Does When You Plug It In
That one sentence tells us where to start. Wimbledon walk-in, or post it to us from anywhere in the UK.