iPhone Not Charging? 10 Fixes to Try (and When to Back Up Now)

An iPhone not charging is one of the most common phone problems, and most of the time the cause is something simple: a worn cable, lint in the port, or a setting that’s deliberately holding the charge back. Sometimes it’s the battery or the charging circuit. Work through the checks below in order, and if your iPhone is running low and charging only works on and off, back it up before you do anything else.

First: if the battery is low, back up now

If your iPhone still turns on but charging is unreliable, every percent counts. Before troubleshooting:

1. Connect to Wi-Fi.
2. Go to Settings → [your name] → iCloud → iCloud Backup and tap Back Up Now.
3. Make sure iCloud Photos is on so your pictures are in the cloud.

If you can’t finish an iCloud backup, connect to a computer and back up in Finder (Mac) or the Apple Devices app or iTunes (Windows). A phone that charges intermittently today may not charge at all next week.

iPhone not charging: start with the simple fixes

1. Try a different cable and power adapter

Cables fail more often than iPhones do, especially near the connector. Try a different cable and a different adapter, preferably Apple’s or one that’s MFi-certified (for Lightning) or from a reputable brand (for USB-C). Plug directly into a wall outlet, not a power strip or a computer’s USB port. If you see “Accessory may not be supported”, the cable or adapter is the likely culprit.

2. Clean the charging port carefully

Pocket lint packs into Lightning and USB-C ports over time and stops the cable from seating fully. A cable that feels loose or only charges at a certain angle is a classic sign.

• Turn the iPhone off first.
• Shine a light into the port to look for debris.
• Gently loosen lint with a wooden toothpick or a soft, dry brush, working along the walls rather than pressing on the contacts in the middle.
• Never use metal: no paper clips, pins or SIM tools. Metal can short or bend the contacts.
• Skip compressed air and liquids.

If the port is visibly damaged or corroded, stop and have it repaired.

3. Check for a liquid detection alert

If you see “Liquid Detected in Lightning Connector” or “Liquid Detected in USB-C Connector”, the iPhone has found moisture in the port and is blocking wired charging to prevent damage. Unplug the cable, tap the phone gently with the port facing down, and leave it to dry in an area with some airflow. Don’t put it in rice or use heat. If the alert keeps coming back when the phone should be dry, liquid may have got further inside; see our iPhone water damage guide.

4. Try wireless charging (or wired, if you use wireless)

Switching methods quickly narrows things down:

• Wireless works but wired doesn’t → the cable, adapter or Lightning/USB-C port is the problem.
• Wired works but wireless doesn’t → check that the case isn’t too thick or has a metal plate or cards in it, and that the phone is centered on the charger.
• Neither works → the problem is more likely the battery, the charging circuit or software.

Check whether a setting is holding the charge back

5. Optimized Battery Charging and the 80% limit

If your iPhone charges to 80% and stops, it may be working exactly as designed. iOS can hold the charge at 80% to reduce battery wear.

• Optimized Battery Charging learns your routine and may pause at 80% overnight, finishing just before you usually unplug. Look for it under Settings → Battery → Battery Health & Charging on many models.
• On recent iPhones, Settings → Battery → Charging lets you set a charge limit (such as 80%). If a limit is set, the phone won’t charge past it.

Menu names vary on recent iOS versions, so if you don’t see these exact options, search Settings for “charging.”

6. Temperature

Charging pauses when the iPhone is too hot or too cold. If the phone is hot, you may see a message that charging is on hold until it cools down. Take it out of the case, move it out of direct sun or a hot car, and let it return to room temperature. In the cold, let it warm up indoors before charging.

Software and battery checks

7. Force restart

A software glitch can stop charging from registering. A force restart erases nothing. On iPhone 8 and later: press and release Volume Up, press and release Volume Down, then press and hold the Side button until the Apple logo appears.

8. Update iOS

Go to Settings → General → Software Update and install any available update while the phone has enough charge (or while it’s plugged in and charging).

9. Check battery health

Go to Settings → Battery → Battery Health & Charging (on some recent models this is simply Battery Health). If you see a message recommending service, the battery has worn out. A worn battery can charge slowly, drop percentage suddenly, or shut the phone off at a reported 20% or 30%. If the battery looks swollen, the screen is lifting, or the phone is unusually hot, stop charging it and read our iPhone swollen battery guide.

10. Leave a dead iPhone on the charger longer

A fully drained iPhone may show nothing for a while after you plug it in. Leave it on a known-good charger for at least 30 minutes, then try a force restart.

When the problem is hardware

If the phone still won’t charge by wire or wirelessly after all of the above, the likely cause is a failed battery, a damaged charging port or its flex cable, or a fault in the charging circuit on the logic board, sometimes after liquid exposure or a drop. A battery or port replacement fixes many of these without touching your data. A logic board fault is a bigger job.

What this means for your data

There are two situations, and they call for different actions.

The phone still turns on but charging is unreliable. Back it up now, as described at the top. Don’t wait to see whether it improves.

The phone won’t charge and won’t turn on at all. Your data is still on the storage chip on the logic board. Check iCloud from another device or iCloud.com to see what’s already backed up, and don’t let anyone erase or restore the phone as a test. iPhone storage is encrypted with keys tied to the original logic board, so getting data off a dead iPhone means making that board work well enough to boot, then unlocking it with the passcode. See iPhone won’t turn on: how to recover your photos for more.

The bottom line

When your iPhone is not charging, start with a different cable and adapter, a careful port cleaning with a wooden toothpick (never metal), and a look for a liquid alert. Then check whether an 80% limit, Optimized Battery Charging or temperature is pausing the charge, and review your battery health. If the phone still works, back it up immediately. Once things are sorted, the 3-2-1 backup rule keeps a failing battery from turning into lost photos.

If your iPhone won’t charge or turn on and the photos and messages on it aren’t backed up, our iPhone recovery service repairs the original logic board enough to boot it and extract your data, as long as you know the passcode. It’s one flat $1,200 price for a single device, with a free prepaid shipping label, and you pay nothing unless the recovery succeeds.