iPhone not charging? 9 causes and what to do (from cable to charging port)
Work through the causes from cheapest to most expensive: cable, adapter, lint in the port, liquid warning, software, worn battery, charging port. Plus what a repair costs per model.
Door The Phone Shopper
Gepubliceerd: 2026-09-08
An iPhone that no longer charges is, in most cases, not a broken iPhone. In our workshop well over half of the "won't charge" complaints turn out to be a cable, an adapter or a plug of lint in the charging port. So work through the steps below in this order: from free and two minutes of work up to a repair. Each step tells you how to be sure this is the problem, so you don't buy a new cable for nothing.
Quick check: is the phone on a charger and you see no lightning bolt next to the battery icon? Then no power is coming in: steps 1 to 5. You do see the bolt but the percentage doesn't rise, or even drops? Then it's usually the adapter (too weak) or the battery: steps 2 and 7.
1. Try another cable
The cable is the most common cause and the cheapest to rule out. Look at the plug: a brown or black spot on the contacts, a kink near the plug or a cable that only works when held at an angle are all game over. Test with a cable you know works, for example a housemate's. Note: cheap cables without MFi certification (Lightning) or USB-IF certification (USB-C) sometimes work on one iPhone and not on another. If you see "This accessory may not be supported", iOS is refusing the cable.
2. Try another adapter and another socket
An "adapter" can be a power strip, a PC USB port or an old 5-watt cube. A PC port sometimes supplies too little current to get an empty iPhone going. Use an adapter of at least 20 watts in a wall socket. If the iPhone charges on another adapter, it was the adapter, not the phone.
3. Shine a light into the charging port
This is the cause everyone skips. Pocket lint gets compressed by the plug for months into a hard plug at the back of the port, so the connector no longer goes in deep enough. Symptom: the plug no longer "clicks", falls out easily, or only charges when you press on it. Shine another phone's torch into the port. If you see grey or white material at the back, pick it out carefully with a wooden or plastic toothpick (never metal, never a needle) and blow it out. On a USB-C port (iPhone 15 and newer) the lint often sits in two corners next to the centre tongue. Take it slow: that tongue is fragile.
4. "Liquid detected" message?
If you see "Liquid detected in Lightning connector" (or USB-C connector) when plugging in, iOS blocks charging to prevent a short circuit. Unplug, hold the phone port-down and tap it gently against your hand. Then let it dry for at least half an hour somewhere airy, not in rice and not with a hairdryer. If the message keeps coming back while the phone is dry, there is usually corrosion on the contacts: that's step 9.
5. Force a restart
Sometimes the software that manages charging hangs, and the phone looks dead when it simply isn't responding. Press volume up briefly, volume down briefly, then hold the side button until the Apple logo appears (10 to 20 seconds). This works on iPhone 8 and newer. Leave the phone on the charger for half an hour before judging: a fully drained battery needs a while before the screen comes on at all.
6. Check the software: optimised charging and charge limit
Does the iPhone stop at 80% overnight? That's not a fault but Optimised Battery Charging or, on iPhone 15 and newer, the Charge Limit. Look under Settings > Battery > Battery Health & Charging. An outdated iOS version or a failed update can also disturb charging behaviour; install pending updates under Settings > General > Software Update.
7. Look at battery health
Go to Settings > Battery > Battery Health. If maximum capacity is below 80% or you see "Your battery's health is significantly degraded", that explains a phone that charges slowly, drains fast or shuts down unexpectedly. A worn battery can also stop charging altogether: the phone recognises the charger, but the percentage doesn't move. What a new battery costs is in the table below; more on the 80% threshold in battery health explained.
8. Test wireless charging
If you have an iPhone 8 or newer, put it on a MagSafe or Qi charger. Does it charge wirelessly but not by cable? Then you know for sure it's the port or the cable, not the battery or the logic board. That's useful information for the repairer and for your wallet: a charging port is cheaper than a board repair.
9. The charging port itself is broken
If all the steps above yield nothing and the port is clean, the charging connector is worn, bent or corroded. Symptoms: the plug sits loose, charges only at a certain angle, or the port got warm. On most iPhones the charging port sits on a separate flex cable that we can replace on its own; the repair usually takes one to one and a half hours. On iPhone 12 and newer the device has to be opened completely for this, which makes the price a little higher than on an 11.
What does it cost? Indicative prices per model
The prices below are our standard quality, including part, fitting and warranty on the repair, as of September 2026. The current price is always on the repair page for your model.
Pro, Plus and mini models are on the . Not sure whether it's the port or the battery? Send the device in or drop by: we measure first and only repair after your approval.
Repair or replace?
Rule of thumb: if the repair costs less than a third of a comparable refurbished iPhone, repairing is the logical choice. For an iPhone 11 with a broken port (€49.95) that's obvious. For an iPhone 8 with a bad port and a worn battery, which also no longer gets iOS updates, a refurbished iPhone 12 or iPhone 13 is often the wiser move. You can trade in your old device with us, even with a faulty port; that takes something off the purchase.
Frequently asked questions
My iPhone only charges when I hold the cable at a certain angle. What is it?
Almost always lint in the port (step 3) or a worn port (step 9). Clean first, then go to the repairer.
My iPhone charges to 80% and then stops.
That's optimised charging or the charge limit, not a fault. Turn it off under Settings > Battery > Battery Health & Charging if you don't want it.
Can I replace the charging port myself?
You can, but on iPhone 12 and newer the screen has to come off, the water seal has to be reapplied, and careless work loses Face ID. For most people the €50 to €90 of a repair outweighs that risk.
iPhone not charging after a drop or water?
After water, dry thoroughly first (step 4). If the problem persists there is probably corrosion on the port or the board; have the device checked as soon as possible, corrosion gets worse every day.
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