One of the most troubling iPhone problems is when it ceases to charge. If you encounter this problem, do not be scared because you can generally solve it easily. As long as you are mindful and you have general knowledge about your iPhone, you can diagnose the problem so you can act immediately.
When it comes to diagnosing the problem, you should consider the following steps:
Step 1: Check if the iPhone is not charging
You have to definitively know if your iPhone is charging the battery or not. You just simply look at the status bar when you plug the device into a power source. If you see a lightning bolt beside the battery icon, it means that the iPhone is charging. It could be caused by PMIC power ic failure too.
Step 2: Check the iPhone charging port
If the iPhone is plugged but it is not charging, you should check the charging port. The port should be clear of anything from dust, pocket lint, and dust. Any obstruction – even the smallest one can easily prevent the cable from fitting properly into the iPhone.
Ideally, the port should be build-up free. If you see something, you have to get it out there preferably with a toothpick, Q-tip of a dry toothbrush. If you have a can of air, it is preferable to blow it in to get rid of the build-up. After this, charging should be fine.
Step 3: Check if the wall outlet is working
If it is not charging, the next thing that you need to do is check if the wall outlet is working. It is possible that the problem is with the wall outlet itself. If you are using a wall charger, the best thing to do is to change from one outlet to another. If you are using a USB cable linked to a computer, there are times that the USB port on the computer is the problem. To fix this, you should try another USB port.
Step 4: Check the USB cable for any signs of damage
If after trying another USB port nothing really changed, it is time that you check the USB cable for any signs of damage. This is obvious but sometimes you ignore it and force it on your iPhone. If you see the cable torn or frayed, you need a new cable to charge. When you buy, make sure that the cables are high-quality and not cheap knock-offs.
Step 4: Turn it off and back on again
Sometimes a simple reboot can resolve charging issues. If you have tried the solutions above but to no avail, it is time that you try turning it off and on.
Step 5: Check for any damage
If you see the phone severely damaged, there is no surprise that it will not charge. If there is a problem with the hardware, you should look for professional service.
Step 6: Take iPhone for service
If none of the diagnosing and troubleshooting steps get your phone running, it is highly likely that there is something wrong with the phone itself. This is the perfect time that you contact Apple or visit the Apple store for service. However, before heading to the Apple store, it is crucial that you know the details of your warranty.
Keep in mind that your knowledge of your warranty can mean the difference between a costly repair and free repair. To recap, here are the details of the standard iPhone warranty:
- The warranty covers one year of hardware repairs.
- The warranty covers ninety days of telephone support.
- The iPhone warranty exclusions include batteries, cosmetic damage (like dents and scratches), normal wear and tear, theft, changes made to the phone (like jailbreaking), water damage, and repairs made by unauthorised providers. More importantly, this warranty is only applicable to new purchases in official packaging.
Remember that warranties do not last forever. If you want to determine if your iPhone is still under warranty, you can find online tools that can help you. If in this case, you want to extend your warranty, you should know about AppleCare. Here are the different types of AppleCare:
- Standard AppleCare: this is for Macs and Apple TV. It will add two years of support for both hardware as well as phone. If you want to consider this extended warranty, you should make sure that you buy it within 60 days of purchasing the specific device.
- AppleCare+: this is for iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and iPod Touch. Aside from the standard AppleCare coverage, it presents repairs for two incidents of damage not to mention a special plan for theft and loss. You must be aware that every repair has a fee linked to it but when you look at it, it is still cheaper compared to most repairs without the coverage.
Bottom Line
You must remember that there are different parts of your iPhone but they need to work together as one to function. This means you have to figure out what part to blame so you can tackle the problem immediately. Whether you are a new iPhone user or not, the key here is to methodically test everything so you can get rid of the potential problems one at a time.