There are a variety of technical problems that can happen to phones throughout their lifespan. One issue that users report across all brands and models is that, sometimes, a phone might begin to charge much more slowly than it has been. This can be alarming, as it suggests there might be an issue with the phone battery.
There are many reasons your phone may be charging slowly, including a charging port or cable in poor condition, a worn out battery, and /or too many apps running in the background. Ensure your equipment is in good condition and your phone isn’t using much power for optimal charging.
Let’s take a closer look at the reasons a phone might be charging slowly, as well as the possible solutions.
How Do Phone Batteries Work?
Every cell phone has a battery inside of it. These batteries contain chemical energy and move electrons through a circuit. Until all of these electrons have been moved, the battery will keep your phone alive.
When the phone is plugged into a power outlet, electricity will work to reset this chemical reaction. So this is how your phone charges.
Lithium-ion batteries are the ones mostly found in small electronics like smartphones. Although they’re the best combination of safety and efficiency for everyday use, they have a limited life span and will wear down over time. Battery life in a small electronic could be anything from an hour to days, depending on the usage, current condition, and age.
Most phone batteries should last for two to three years before their lifespan begins to drop. Many phones will even provide apps where you can check in on the battery capacity and health, so you have a good idea of when it needs to be replaced. However, if your phone has stopped charging completely, there are a few possible fixes to try before replacing the battery.
Why is Your Phone Charging so Slowly?
If you’ve noticed that your phone is charging slowly, a variety of things might be causing this. So let’s take a closer look.
Charging Port in Poor Condition
Over time, many things may happen to the charging port that could cause the condition to deteriorate. For example, specks of dust and even crumbs of food might get into the port, disrupting its connection to your charging cable and causing the performance to degrade.
It may not be that something has gotten into the port but simply that the phone is getting old and the charging port is becoming worn down. Parts will become loose, which may also interfere with the connection.
Cable in Poor Condition
It may also be the cable is in poor condition, which means it’s nothing to do with the phone itself. Cables often become bent and tangled over time, causing them to come apart and the performance to get poorer.
Many people are familiar with having to wiggle a cable to find the exact position that it will charge the phone in, as the components have come loose.
Poor Charging Accessories
Although there are often great charging accessories sold on places like Amazon (like this certified Apple one), you also might find that other places sell knock-off cables that aren’t healthy for the phone and don’t let it run at optimal performance.
If these accessories are of poor quality, they may not charge your phone as fast—or, even worse, could cause actual damage.
Poor Power Source
It may not be the accessories causing the issues but the source itself. For example, if you’re trying to charge your phone from another electronic like your laptop—or a portable power bank—they may not be able to do the job as fast. This is also true if you’re trying to charge the phone from a power strip.
You’re Using the Phone Too Much While Charging
When charging your phone, it’ll get to 100% battery faster if you put it down and don’t use it too much. Doing heavy things like gaming and watching videos is sure to slow the charging down by a lot, just as it uses more battery when the phone isn’t attached.
Picking it up and sending a few texts every now and again, however, shouldn’t do much—especially if it’s plugged into a wall outlet, ensuring it has a good power source.
Apps are Running in the Background
Even if you’re not using the phone too much, heavy apps might be running in the background, draining a lot of energy as it tries to charge. Of course, some apps use more energy than others, but it’s best to close all of the ones you don’t need whenever it’s charging (or trying to converse battery in general).
The Battery Has Been Damaged
It’s very possible for a battery to become damaged, which can happen for various reasons—anything from dropping the phone to water damage. If your battery is relatively new and seems to suddenly be charging slowly, regardless of accessory or power source, this is a possible cause.
The Battery is Old
As with anything, your battery isn’t going to last forever. Due to its average lifespan of 2-3 years, you’re likely to see it deteriorating fast if you go beyond that. Not only does this mean that your phone won’t be able to last as long, but it also means you’ll probably see it charging very slowly.
A battery’s lifespan is also not a universal answer. How long your phone’s battery can last depends on how good the technology is, how often you use the phone, and what you primarily use it for.
Someone who watches lots of videos or games on their phone will likely need a battery replacement before someone who uses it for texting and calling alone.
The Phone is Faulty
If you buy a new phone and immediately notice that the battery is slow, it could be a simple case of a faulty product—in which case, there isn’t much you can do to fix it. However, manufacturers usually offer a warranty and return period that you should take full advantage of in this case.
If you’re not sure what it is, reach out to the place you got the phone. You should do this as soon as you notice an issue, as these return and warranty windows are often very limited to prevent people from taking advantage of them.
How Do You Fix a Slow Charging Phone?
Now that you know the potential problems, it’s time to look at solutions. Here are seven things you can do to fix your phone.
Cleaning Your Charging Port
The first thing you can do is to look into your charging port and see if it needs to be cleaned Whether you can see visible dust and dirt or not, you should never put cleaning solution or even water into the port—instead, use a cotton swab or fold a piece of paper towel over a toothpick and gently wipe around the inside.
You can do this a few times to ensure you get as much of the debris out as possible. However, ensure not to be too aggressive in your attempts, or you could further damage the port.
Replacing a Charging Port
If you try cleaning the port and notice loose components, that’s a big sign you need to replace your charging port.
The exact cost will vary between the phone type and the technician you go to. For example, Apple will charge up to $599 to fix a charging port, depending on the model (the newer the model, the more it costs). However, Android phones are significantly cheaper to fix, coming in at around $50-$100 on average.
Those are the official prices. If you take your phone to a technician who the manufacturer doesn’t license, you may get a better deal. However, you may void any warranty or insurance on your phone. Check out the terms and conditions of any policies before visiting an unlicensed dealer.
You also accept more of a risk by doing this. If the manufacturer doesn’t license the dealer, they may not be obligated to replace your phone if they cause any more damage.
Determining if it’s the Cable
If you need to determine if you should buy a new cable, then the best thing to do is to borrow a different charging cable that works on your phone and plug it in. If the problem persists, the issue is with the phone, not the cable. If this solves your problem, you know the cable needs to be replaced. It should be noted that wireless chargers can also be the culprit of a slow charge time.
To be extra sure, you can always try the faulty cable with a friend’s phone to see if it charges theirs slowly too. However, be careful if the cable was bought from somewhere you don’t trust or don’t remember, and don’t leave it in your friend’s phone for too long, or it could damage theirs too.
How Do You Purchase Good Charging Equipment?
The best thing to do is purchase charging equipment licensed by your manufacturer, whether Apple or Android (on Amazon). This will be your best bet, though these cables tend to be more expensive than those made by third parties.
If you must buy third-party charging equipment, check the reviews before committing to a purchase. Make sure there are good reviews from people who have used the product over a period of time. Using unlicensed equipment can damage your phone in the long run if it’s not made well.
How Do You Find a Good Power Source?
Generally speaking, you can ensure you’re using a good power source if your phone is plugged directly into a wall outlet. However, if you aren’t sure, try plugging it into a different outlet to check if there’s a difference in charging speed.
Power strips and other electronics can cause issues with slow charging. Portable power banks (on Amazon) are great for being on the go, but unless they specifically offer fast charging, you may notice that the charging speed is much slower than it is from other sources. So they’re suitable for traveling and emergencies, and not necessarily for everyday use.
And by the way, when it comes to power banks for your phone we recommend the IDMIX 10000mAh-Portable Charger with Built-in Lightning & USB-C Cables (on Amazon), which can replace your wall brick and cable entirely!
How Do You Optimize the Phone’s Charging?
To optimize your phone’s charging, you need to minimize use while it’s plugged in to see if that helps. You can do this one of two ways.
The first is to make sure you aren’t actively using the phone, at least not heavily. While it’s fine to do light tasks like send texts or perform a quick Google search while your phone is charging, you shouldn’t be going all in and watching YouTube videos if you need a quick charge.
If you want to try to charge the phone even quicker, you can turn it off or put it into airplane mode. Phones use less battery when in this mode, as they can’t connect to the internet and don’t have any cell signal. You can also switch your phone to low power mode if you still need access to the internet.
You should also try to minimize the apps running in the background. Most smartphones will still leave apps running, even when they’re not at the forefront of your screen. This is a significant battery drain and, therefore, causes the phone to charge even more slowly.
How Do You Know if You Need a Battery Replacement?
If none of these fixes seem to work, you might need to replace the phone battery. Let’s take a look at how you can determine if this is necessary.
The first thing you need to do is rule out all of the other issues. Use different charging equipment and outlets, try charging your phone for a while on airplane mode, and make sure you gently clean the charging port. These above steps may solve the issue on their own.
If not, look at how fast your battery drains throughout the day. If it’s draining much quicker along with the slow charging, it’s a huge indicator you need a replacement.
Most phones have Battery as an option in their settings. Accessing this will often give you an option for Battery Health or Battery Capacity, which will then show you if the health has depleted any since the phone was new. If it has, you need a replacement.
This isn’t foolproof, though. Just because your phone says your battery health is good doesn’t guarantee that it actually is, as there could be damage to the hardware that the software hasn’t picked up on.
How Much Does a Phone Battery Replacement Cost?
A phone battery replacement can be anywhere between $50-299, depending on the model of your phone and where you get it done—just like a charger port replacement.
You can also purchase a phone battery and follow an online guide to replace it using DIY work. However, this isn’t advisable if you aren’t confident with the technology, as you could end up worsening the problem or ruining your phone.
How Do You Make Your Battery Last for a Long Time?
If you want your battery’s lifespan to last for a long time, stretching out the time between replacing or even buying a new phone, you can take a few measures.
Be Conscious about Background Apps
It’s always a good idea to be conscious about the apps you’re running in the background. Don’t leave it to the time your battery is causing issues. Instead, be proactive about closing apps you aren’t using when you’re done.
Take Physical Care of Your Phone
A lot of the time, issues with the phone often have to do with the hardware. Phones get dropped, things get spilled on them, and it ultimately ends up causing problems.
Try to take good care of your phone, including keeping a case on it (on Amazon) to prevent it from taking any damage if you do happen to drop it. Even if the manufacturer claims the phone is waterproof, keep it away from liquids and never put cleaning solution into the charging port.
Be Aware When it’s Time
Ultimately, phone batteries can’t last forever, and eventually, you will notice problems—whether that’s slow charging or just the battery life slowly dying.
You may hear myths about extending your battery. For example, some people may tell you that if you don’t leave your phone plugged in it when it’s 100%, the battery won’t wear out as fast. Phones these days come installed with protection chips, so this is untrue.
When it’s time, you should either replace the battery or the device and be aware that the 2-3 year lifespan can’t be extended that much.