Phone not charging: what should you check?

Start with the charging equipment, and keep the battery sealed.

The answer in 2 lines. If the phone is undamaged, dry and at a normal temperature, check its cable, charger and wall socket. Use charging equipment confirmed as compatible with your model. Inspect the charging port without putting anything inside it. A liquid warning or temperature message needs attention before further testing. Stop charging a swollen, damaged or unusually hot phone. If safe checks make no difference, arrange a diagnosis rather than buying a battery on guesswork.

Start with these checks

Disconnect and inspect the charging equipment. Do not reuse a cable with exposed wires or a charger with loose pins, scorching or a cracked casing.
If everything looks safe, try a known-working wall socket and an undamaged cable and charger confirmed as compatible. Change one item at a time so you can identify what makes a difference.
Read any warning on the screen. Check the charging settings and follow the instructions supplied with your model before attempting a restart or another charging method.

Stop: danger

Swelling or a lifting screen: stop charging and switch off if safe. Do not press the case shut, open it or puncture the battery.
Smoke, flames or an immediate fire risk: leave the area, get everyone out and call 999. Do not carry a burning device outside.
Water or excessive heat: stop charging. Keep mains charging equipment away from baths, sinks and other wet areas.

Use the symptoms as clues

If another compatible cable restores charging, the original cable is suspect. If the connector feels loose or only works when held at an angle, stop bending or wedging it: the port or cable may need attention.

A charging symbol does not by itself confirm that the battery is healthy. Likewise, successful wireless charging, where supported, does not identify the precise fault with wired charging. Describe both behaviours to the repairer.

Some devices manage charging through temperature controls or adjustable battery settings. Read the displayed message rather than assuming that charging which pauses below full capacity means a failed battery. There is no universal charge limit or waiting time for every phone.

Inspect the port without damaging it

Switch off and disconnect the phone before looking into the charging port with a light. If you see packed debris, corrosion or bent contacts, arrange cleaning or assessment by a competent repairer. Avoid needles, paperclips, liquids, scraping and improvised tools.

For a liquid warning, disconnect the cable and follow the model's drying instructions. Do not override the warning simply to test another charger. A phone exposed to liquid may need inspection even when its outside looks dry.

What not to do

Buying a charger solely because its connector fits: electrical compatibility matters too.
Leaving a charging phone under bedding or covered by clothing.
Opening a sealed phone or attempting to remove a swollen battery.

Arrange a repair without losing track of your data

Request a written diagnosis and quotation covering the port, battery or charging electronics as appropriate. Ask what parts will be used, what the repair guarantee covers and whether your data could be erased.

If the phone still works safely, back up important photographs, contacts and documents first. Use the National Cyber Security Centre backup guide: choose the phone or removable-storage guidance relevant to you, then check that the saved copy contains your recent files. Do not power up an unsafe phone just to make a backup.

Your rights in England

For a phone bought from a trader, complain to the seller before authorising an independent repair if you think it was supplied faulty. New and second-hand purchases can qualify; ordinary wear, accidental damage and misuse are different issues.

Read GOV.UK's faulty-goods guidance, particularly repairs and replacements. Within the first six months, the seller generally has to show the fault was not present when supplied; afterwards, you may need evidence that it was. These are legal rules checked in 2026, not an automatic replacement promise.

For help applying the rules, start the Citizens Advice faulty-goods tool and answer its purchase questions. Select the appropriate country advice outside England.

Good to know

Consult the Electrical Safety First phone guide linked below: use its charger checks before buying replacement equipment.
Keep a record of the cables tried, warning messages and any recent drop or liquid exposure.
Never put a discarded phone in general waste or ordinary household recycling.

Illustrative example: in Bristol, Daniel's phone stops charging reliably. He finds damage near the cable connector and stops using it. An undamaged compatible cable restores normal charging. He keeps the damaged cable out of use rather than wrapping it in tape.

A made-up story, for illustration.

Bobby

Sources, verification, confidence

Verified on 5 November 2026, for England. Confidence: high for charging safety, swollen-battery precautions and consumer-rights principles; medium for fault identification. Charging controls and liquid-warning procedures vary by model.