Laptop not charging? Here’s what to do next

If your work productivity starts and ends with a laptop, we understand the misery if it suddenly refuses to charge. You might be wondering what’s wrong, with no signs of increased brightness when plugged in, no glowing LEDs, and no “battery charging” icon in the corner. 

There are a lot of things that come into play, from wall sockets to your laptop battery. And any malfunction in the process can cause a hindrance in charging. Let’s explore the possible reasons behind a laptop’s charging issue and explore the actionable steps to troubleshoot them.

Easy fix to try if your laptop is not charging

These steps can help you troubleshoot laptop charging issues like a breeze; check them out here: 

1. Check the ports, sockets, and cable 

2. Cool down and restart after half an hour 

3. Remove the battery and plug it again  

4. Update the driver  

5. Check your charger wattage

Check the ports, sockets, and cable 

A laptop charger won’t work if there is a pile of debris in your wall socket or ports. It also won’t work if there is a loose connection between the adapter and the cable or the socket and the port. While some ports look similar, they will only charge your laptop if you have properly connected to the correct port. For instance, if your laptop manufacturer has given a USB-C port as data-only, it won’t help to charge your laptop with a USB-C type cable.

Hence, check your charging socket to see whether it’s clean. Inspect the connectivity to ensure no loose end in the adapter, socket, or port. And lastly, check if the charging outlet is connected to the specific charging port.

Cool down and restart after half an hour 

Sometimes, your laptop won’t charge due to overheating issues. Laptop batteries are susceptible to heat. As a result, if the battery sensor senses an excessive temperature rise, it will stop taking any charging input to prevent the battery from overheating or catching a fire.

If your laptop is facing an overheating issue, it is easy to tell by simply touching the device. For starters, if your laptop feels like a hot sandwich, stop grilling it further! Switch it off completely and unplug the charger. Let it cool for at least half an hour before you restart it again. 

ALSO READ: 8 tips to avoid laptop overheating

Remove the battery and plug it again 

If your laptop has a detachable battery, you might have charging trouble it if the battery has loosened.

To test whether it’s a battery fault, remove the battery and put it back again. Turn the laptop on or check the LED light indicator to see whether it’s charging. If it’s still not, remove the battery again, hold the power button for 10-15, plug your charger in and switch on your laptop. 

Update the driver 

Laptops may also not charge if the battery drivers are not updated in place. Check for driver updates to ensure your laptop resumes charging.

To check your laptop’s battery drivers on a Windows laptop, right-click on the Start Menu and select Device Manager from the Quick Access Option. Open the drop-down menu under the Batteries option, and right-click on Microsoft ACPI Compliant Control Method Battery. You will find an Update Driver option. Click on Okay, and once updated, reboot your laptop and plug in your charger again. 

If you are using macOS, you can try resetting the System Management Controller (SMC) before you reboot and start your laptop again. 

Check your charger wattage 

If you are not using your original manufacturer’s charger or might have borrowed your colleague’s charger, your battery might still drain despite you plugging it into the charger. This especially happens with laptops that charge over USB-C. While you can technically plug in any USB-PD charger, some may have too low a wattage to properly charge. 

Check whether your charger has the same or higher capacity wattage. For example, if you are using a charger to charge your 65W laptop, make sure it’s either 65W or higher than that to ensure normal pace charging. 

Follow these above tips to ensure your laptop is up and running again. If the charging still doesn’t resume following the above methods, there might be a problem inside the panel that needs a professional’s help to get fixed. Refer to Croma’s ZipCare extended warranty plans for laptops to get door-step assistance from trained professionals without breaking the bank.

And in case all hope is lost and it’s time to get a new laptop, you’re in luck. With the Black Friday sales right around the corner, keep an eye out on price drops and deals on top laptops and grab the one best for you.