It’s happened to me too many times: my iPhone is charging and then suddenly stops. I’m left wondering what’s going on and how to fix it. Through a lot of trial and error and research, I’ve found some potential causes and solutions to this annoying problem. In this blog post, I’ll share my experiences and the tips I’ve learned to get your iPhone charging again.
| Issue | Possible Causes | Solutions |
|---|---|---|
| Increased Temperature | Phone’s temperature rises while charging. | Allow the phone to cool down; charging will usually resume once the temperature drops. |
| Optimized Battery Charging | Phone memorizes charging routine. | Understand that this is an iPhone feature; charging will resume later in the day. |
| Dirty Charging Port | Dirt or debris in the charging port. | Clean the charging port using a charging port brush or a soft toothbrush. |
| Faulty Charger | Damaged or non-genuine charger. | Use the original charger or an Apple-certified charger. Check for damage or bent cables. |
| Damaged Charging Port | Physical damage to the charging port. | Seek professional assistance from an Apple Genius or a certified tech support shop. |
| Charging Source | Inadequate charging source. | Use a wall charge or charge through your computer’s USB port for optimal results. |
| Outdated iOS | Software issues due to outdated iOS. | Update to the latest iOS version to fix potential bugs or charging issues. |
| Force Restart | Unresponsive iPhone or other issues. | Perform a force restart on your iPhone as a last resort. |
Table of Contents
Why Would Your iPhone Start Charging Then Stop?
iPhones are durable devices, yet they’re extremely delicate. They have so many parts and features, requiring you to treat your phone in a specific way to make sure you use it for as long as possible.
That being said, here are a couple of reasons why iPhones may start charging and then stop:
- Increased Temperature
iPhones are designed to maintain their hardware’s temperature. While charging your phone, the passage of electric currents will undoubtedly increase the temperature of your device.
If the temperature gets too high, your phone will automatically block the passing current. In turn, this stops the charging process, even if your phone isn’t yet fully charged.
- Optimized Battery Charging
Newer iPhone models come with an ‘Optimized Battery Charging’ feature. This feature allows your phone to recognize and memorize your phone charging routine or habits.
So, if you were the type to charge your phone for an hour straight through dinner, for example, your iPhone will be expecting you to do that every day.
This would make your phone disconnect a full charge in advance since your phone is expecting a long period of charge later through the day.
These causes are designed by Apple to enhance your smartphone experience. However, the other causes may not be so appealing, like:
- A dirty charging port
- A faulty charger
- A damaged charging port
What to Do When Your Phone Starts Charging Then Stops?
If your phone stops charging all of sudden, try the following tips:
- Clean Your Charging Port
Make sure your charging port is squeaky clean. A dirty charging port can stop or hinder the charging process.
You can use a charging port brush or a normal toothbrush to remove dirt or debris from the port.
- Use a Wall Charge
You’ll need to make sure that you’re using a wall charge. You’ll get optimum results when you charge your phone through a wall socket compared to USB charging, for instance.
- Charge Through Your Computer
If you were unable to find a wall socket or a plug to adequately charge your phone, you can use your computer to charge your device instead.
However, make sure that you’re connecting your charger to the USB on your CPU or screen if you’re using a Mac and not on your keyboard.
- Use a Genuine Charger
Once you know where you’ll be charging your phone, you need to make sure that you’re using the correct type of charger.
Always go for the charger that comes along with your phone. Otherwise, make sure you opt for an Apple-certified one.
You should also scan your charger to make sure it isn’t damaged or bent in any way.
- Update the iOS
This can also be the best time to install the iOS update that you’ve been sleeping on for all this time. Many of the lags in iPhones that aren’t updated tend to be fixed with updates.
- Do a Force Restart
As a last resort, you may want to force a restart on your iPhone. We never recommend forced restarts, but this could be an exception.
Once you do that and your phone is restarted, you can plug in your charger and try again.
- Take Your Phone to a Professional
If all attempts are unfruitful, then your charging issue might be a bit more intricate, and you’ll need your phone to be looked into by an Apple Genius.
Head to the nearest Apple store or a certified tech support shop and let them check your iPhone out.
The Bottom Line
We’ve been made aware that many iPhone users are complaining that their iPhone starts charging then stops. We looked into the matter and put together all possible causes and exactly how to fix them.
If your phone was on Optimized Battery Charging, or if your device got overheated while charging, then you should expect your phone to disconnect your charge before having a full battery since these are features added by Apple.
Otherwise, you’ll need to make sure your charging port is clean. Once you’ve checked that, you need to have the latest update installed and that you’re using a genuine charger. If this doesn’t work, you can try a force restart.
If all these attempts fail, we recommend you get your device looked into by an Apple Genius.