iPad or tablet won’t charge

Charge from a wall socket, with the right charger

A computer or a small phone charger often gives too little power for a tablet. An old iPad may then show "Not Charging" or not respond at all.

1. Use the tablet’s own charger and cable, or a charger of at least 10 watts.
2. Plug the charger into a wall socket, not into a computer, a power strip with USB ports or a car charger.
3. Try another cable. Cables break at the connector without it showing.

Let it charge for a while before you give up

A completely flat battery needs time before anything shows. According to Apple, it can take 20 to 30 minutes before a fully drained iPad turns on.

1. Leave the tablet on the charger for at least half an hour without touching it.
2. If you see a picture of a battery with a cable, it’s charging. Wait until it starts by itself.
3. Gently wiggle the cable at the connector. If charging flickers on and off, it’s the cable or the port.

Clean the charging port

Dust and lint in the port are a common cause, especially on tablets that have been in a bag or a drawer.

1. Turn the tablet off first.
2. Gently pick out the lint with a dry, soft brush or something else that isn’t metal.
3. Don’t use compressed air, water or cleaning products.

Force it to restart

Sometimes the tablet is charging but the screen stays black. A force restart helps then.

1. iPad with a Home button: press and hold the Home button and the top button at the same time until the Apple logo appears.
2. iPad without a Home button: press and quickly release the volume up button, then the volume down button, then press and hold the top button until it restarts.
3. Android: press and hold the power button for 10 to 20 seconds. On some models, hold volume down at the same time.

When the battery is worn out

A battery that has sat completely drained for years can be damaged and then won’t charge at all. A new battery from a repair shop often costs more than an old tablet is worth.

Is the screen bulging, or coming loose at the edge? Then the battery has swollen. Don’t charge it, and take it to a repair shop or to recycling.