Discover the reasons why your phone may be charging slowly and learn how to fix the issue to improve charging speed and efficiency.
It happens that you put your phone on charge, leave it for the usual half an hour or an hour, and when you come home, it only has 10% of its charge. Is it a shame? Very much so! Especially if you need to run errands and won’t have the opportunity to recharge.
Slow charging of a smartphone is a very unpleasant phenomenon. In this article, we will look at its causes and how to eliminate them.
Non-original charger
The most common reason why a phone charges slowly is problems with the charging unit. The manufacturer recommends connecting the device only to the original unit and cable, as they are best suited for working with it and take into account the characteristics of the battery. If you use a non-original kit, the speed will decrease and it will take longer to charge the battery.
Another problem may be that you are used to using fast charging, and then started using a block with a low current. Inexpensive adapters usually have a current of 1 to 2 amperes, so when you connect them, you may notice that the power is slower than usual. You can find out the exact characteristics of the block if you look at the inscriptions on one of its sides.
It is also important not to change the number of amperes when charging your smartphone. For example, if you use fast charging and then decide to switch to a regular adapter with 1-2A, your battery will definitely not thank you. Therefore, if the original unit from the kit breaks, buy the same one from the manufacturer, and do not order non-original parts.
Problems with cable
Another problem may be in the USB cable. It should also fit the charging unit. Let’s consider the situation: your original cable has frayed, but the unit is fine. You can’t buy a replacement from the manufacturer yet, so you buy an inexpensive cable from the nearest store. And then you see that the phone charges slower than usual, and there’s no need to talk about fast charging.
The reason here is that the purchased cable does not support the same current that your charging unit transmits, which is what causes the problems. Therefore, switch to the original cable as soon as possible.
Well, it wouldn’t hurt to check for mechanical damage. Although they generally disable the cable completely, they can still work intermittently. However, it is unsafe to use such a cord.
Dirt in the connector
The smartphone connector can also cause problems. Especially if you often carry your phone in your pocket with various small debris or actively use it at work, where there is dust and dirt. In this case, you may notice how poorly the phone charges, and sometimes it cannot connect to the cable normally at all.
In the best case, the connector will just get a little dirty and can be easily cleaned with a toothpick, brush or a gentle blow with compressed air. In the worst case, the dirt may cause corrosion of the contacts. Then you can’t do anything on your own and will have to contact a service center for repairs.
Broken contacts
And the contacts can simply break. And this can happen in several places at once: in the connector, in the cable and in the charging unit. In this case, you should check everything in turn.
If you suspect that the problem is in the charger, try changing the cable or block and see if the battery power process works. And if you suspect that the smartphone connector is broken, carefully inspect it with a flashlight and a magnifying glass or immediately take it to a service center. Most often, inspection and diagnostics of equipment are either inexpensive or free, so do not delay in solving the problem. Repairing the connector is cheaper than replacing the phone.
Heavy load
If you actively use your smartphone while it is charging, you not only reduce its efficiency, but also overheat the internal components. A heavy load when connected to power can also be caused by the fact that application updates are being installed at this time. And if you like to play some heavy games like PUBG or Genshin Impact, your battery will fly away faster than it charges.
So the advice here is simple: leave the phone alone. Or better yet, turn off automatic component updates and close all open applications. This will speed up the charging process.
Battery wear
Old smartphones also face the problem that over time the battery works worse than usual. This is because batteries have their own service life, which is measured in the number of recharges. If the limit is passed, the battery gradually begins to degrade: it holds a charge worse and accumulates it longer when connected to an adapter.
The standard lifespan of a smartphone is 3-4 years, after which you may notice that it starts to work worse, no matter how you repair or clean it. This is component degradation. And for devices with fast charging, the process may even begin after 2 years.
The only solution is to replace the battery. On current devices, you can’t do it yourself, so it’s better to contact services that deal with phone devices. Or buy a new smartphone, especially if you were planning to do it in the near future.
Decrease in speed
Some modern smartphones also have an interesting feature: they quickly charge only the first half of the battery, but from 51 to 100% the charging process is slow. This is not a bug, but a feature, manufacturers thus slow down the process of battery degradation. There is nothing to fix here, and it will not work, these are design features.
Also, if you use a smart charger, you may notice that your phone charges slowly at night so that it is ready to use exactly when you wake up. You can learn more about this power mode in the phone settings under the “Battery” section.
Systemic problems
Slow charging can also be caused by system problems. It would seem that the system and software do not affect the physical components of the smartphone, but in fact they can slow down many processes: from loading applications to charging the battery.
There are several ways to fix this:
- Update system components;
- Clear your smartphone’s cache and memory;
- Reset your settings to factory defaults (don’t forget to back up your files).
System problems are especially relevant for those users who hack the system to get root rights. This way you get full control over the smartphone, of course, but you can accidentally change some system components. Therefore, you need to be careful with rooting so that you can return everything back and not turn the phone into a brick.
Smartphone damage
We have already discussed problems with contacts above, but they are not the only ones that can cause the smartphone to charge more slowly or stop charging altogether. When falling on a hard surface, the battery cables could come off from the impact and this can only be fixed in a service center.
And if your phone has recently been “swim”, the contacts inside it may start to rust, even if you dried it correctly. Again, go to the service center before the device short-circuits right in your hands or while charging, and minor corrosion causes the battery to explode or other problems.
Power controller
A small part in the form of a power controller is responsible for the charging process. Usually it works stably, but due to various damages it can either partially come off or completely come off. In this case, you will notice that the battery is not fully charged, or the screen will show that there is still 30% charge left, and the smartphone will turn off right in your hands.
Here, too, you won’t be able to do anything on your own and it’s easier to immediately contact the service. Replacing the controller won’t cost too much. And if you notice the problem in time, then nothing terrible will happen to your phone.
Factory defect
Well, the most obvious reason is a manufacturing defect. It is obvious because you will find out about it literally in the first days of using the smartphone. If it does not charge out of the box, drains the battery too quickly, or its percentage “jumps” during the day – you need to return the phone to the seller and exchange it for another one.
To do this, however, you need to save the receipts, warranty cards and original packaging. And then go to the store where you bought the smartphone, or to any point in the network, if you bought it in a chain store. The seller will check the smartphone in front of you or offer to run diagnostics, but after that, he will either return the money or offer a replacement if he finds a factory defect.
In this article, we have analyzed the most popular reasons for smartphone charging problems and how to fix them. Take care of your devices and do not forget to contact service centers in time if you have problems.