Why is my laptop saying plugged in not charging?

What would your digital world look like without your laptop? Your ultra-portable PC is the key to keeping you connected whether you’re in the office, at home, in the car, or 30,000 feet in the air. You depend on your laptop’s battery to keep you productive all day and night, but what happens when your battery stops charging?

When you plug your laptop into a power source, you’re usually greeted by a chirpy ding or a tiny LED light that reassures you that all is well in the battery department. However, if you’ve found that connecting your laptop’s AC adapter brings no such animation, something may be seriously wrong.

Dealing with a laptop that has suddenly stopped charging is a definite cause for headache, but don’t let your frustration bubble over just yet. You may immediately assume that your chargeless laptop battery translates to a costly visit to a PC repair shop, but that’s not always the case. Using this guide, we’ll help you understand why your laptop battery won’t charge and give you 8 helpful tips to fix it.

Before you’re able to begin fixing your laptop that won’t charge, you need to have a primary understanding of why it began malfunctioning in the first place. Computers require hundreds of working pieces to properly function, so when one thing goes wrong, you’re likely left scratching your head wondering why.

While there are plenty of variables that could play into your laptop battery losing its charge, we’ve narrowed down the most popular causes into three key culprits: power cord issues, software malfunction, and declining battery health.

Taking your laptop from place to place means taking your laptop charger along with you, too. Between wrapping it up for easy packability and setting it down in strange ways to accommodate a far-away outlet, your cord can be bent out of shape in its earliest days.

Key components work together to successfully power your laptop. Many PC chargers have a two-in-one-piece AC adapter; one piece that connects to the wall and another that connects to your computer. If both are securely connected and your PC’s charging light doesn’t illuminate, you may be dealing with a faulty or damaged cord.

Windows 10 has proven to be one of the most self-sufficient operating systems in PC history. It’s able to diagnose itself when internal problems arise and it can initiate important updates to ensure all of your software is up to date. It can, however, miss things.

It is possible that your computer’s settings configuration is set to shut down at a low level, or slip into sleep mode after minutes of inactivity. Though these settings aren’t quite “malfunctions,” per say, they can appear to be.

Software malfunctions arise when your computer’s drivers age out. An outdated driver can force your computer to reject your AC adapter’s power. Reinstalling the battery driver is a quick and easy fix for this kind of problem.

Just like any other piece of technology, laptop batteries don’t live forever. One of the most common reasons for a laptop battery to stop charging is its declining health. The same way an old laptop computer has a hard time holding a charge, an old laptop battery struggles too.

Prior to battery failure, did you notice your laptop started to:

• Overheat while charging?
• Lose charge quickly?
• Take longer to fully charge?

It’s finally time to take the troubleshooting into your own hands. With these 8 tips, you may be able to save yourself a trip to the repair shop or a phone call to your PC manufacturer.

It may sound ridiculous, but it pays to check if your laptop and charger are actually plugged in. There’s no hope in charging a laptop that is disconnected from a power source, so be sure to double-check that everything is hooked up as it should be.

Look at each contact point, from the outlet to the AC adapter, the adapter to your laptop port. Everything should be tightly plugged with minimal wiggle room. Don’t forget to check the bottom side of your laptop to make sure the battery is firmly seated into the PC frame.

You’ll want to make sure that the problem isn’t the outlet itself. Blown fuses are common, so be sure to test out another outlet or reset the surge protector after confirming all contact points are intact.

Modern computers are changing more rapidly today than ever before. The birth of the USB-C port has been a pivotal one that is now featured on the vast majority of the latest laptop computers. These ultra-thin ports are great for ultra-thin computers, though newcomers to the port may be confused on their multi-purpose functionality.

Computers that come with two USB-C ports likely have particular functionality designations that you may not know about. Generally speaking, one USB-C port is meant for charging, the other is meant for data-transfer. If your laptop charger is plugged into the data-transfer port rather than the charging port, no charging will occur.

Be sure your cords are living in their designated spots before blaming the hardware.

If your laptop comes with a removable battery, follow these steps:

Step 1. Remove any bolts or screws and take out the battery

Step 2. Hold the power button down for 10-15 seconds

Step 3. Plug the charger in

Step 4. Power the PC on

If your laptop turns on without a problem, you can safely assume that it is not your charger at fault, but a damaged battery that is causing your PC headache. To confirm this theory, you can always re-install the battery and try booting up again.

If your laptop does not have a removable battery, you may need to see a professional specialist who can open up your hardware and run a diagnosis.

Power cords are tiny, flimsy, and incredibly sensitive PC tools that very well may be the cause behind your laptop not charging while it’s plugged in. Examine your power cords by feeling along the length of the cord for any atypical bends, breaks, or warped flexing that may indicate physical damage.

If you discover that your cord has been bent out of shape from a hungry pet or a ferocious vacuum cleaner, replacing the affected end of the power cord will be your easiest fix.

Sometimes all your PC needs is a swift re-up on driver updates to be restored back to its original health. Follow these steps to update your Windows 10 laptop’s battery drivers.

Step 1. Right-click the Start menu to open the Quick Access menu and select Device Manager

Step 2. Under Batteries, open the drop-down menu and right-click Microsoft ACPI Compliant Control Method Battery

Step 3. Within the new selection window, press Update Driver

Windows will ask you, “How do you want to search for drivers?” and you’ll have the option to let Windows search automatically or browse your PC manually for the appropriate software.

Once updated, reboot your PC and try charging again.

Plugging your AC adapter into the laptop’s power connector should be a straightforward and snug experience. Should you face any difficulty, be it dust build-up or a wobbly fit, your problem likely lies in the fact that you’re unable to make a secure connection from your adapter to your computer.

If your PC jack is dirtied with dust and debris, try cleaning out your AC power port with a toothpick or with compressed air. If your connector points are wobbly, your problem may be a bit more serious. This could be in an indicator that your power jack has been broken from the inside of the chassis. To fix this, head to a computer repair shop for a cheap, easy solution.

Batteries generate heat while working hard to power your laptop, but when it works too hard, overheating can cause a serious slew of problems. Rising battery temperatures may lead to sensor misfires which ultimately communicate to your system that the battery is either fully charged or missing.

If your laptop feels more like a furnace while plugged in, place it on a cool, open surface with nothing blocking the fans and let it cool down. Once it’s completely settled and cool to the touch, try charging it up again.

When you’ve exhausted all of your options and you’ve tried every troubleshooting tip and trick, your next best bet will be seeking professional assistance. At the end of the day, computers are incredibly complex pieces of machinery and sometimes require a professional touch when it comes to fixing and configuring.

Reach out to your PC’s manufacturer to get in contact with a knowledgeable professional who may know how to treat your exact make and model. If you’re in need of immediate in-person help, schedule an appointment with a seasoned tech repairman who can diagnose and repair on site.

Laptops are handy and, as the name suggests, you can fit them over your lap and carry them around. Since this is a portable device, you will need to charge it, frequently. Laptops can put you in a very annoying situation when they refuse to charge even when you have connected the charger to it. Though this might seem like something you might need professional help with, you can fix it on your own with the help of this article. 

Factors that can prevent your laptop from charging

There are four factors that can stop your laptop from being charged. They are as follows –

1. Damaged power adapter
2. Broken charger cord
3. Old laptop batteries
4. Outdated battery driver software

What can I do when my laptop is plugged in but not charging?

The biggest symptom you’ll see when your charger is connected and the laptop does not charge is that the charger plugged in LED light does not glow. If your laptop is being charged, you’ll see a glowing light and the battery icon near your task tray will have a small plug icon near it.

These are the methods that you can take before you hand the laptop over to a professional for expert repairing if you are a laptop user who is facing a not-charging power problem. Make sure the switch to the socket that contains the plug is on. This is a hilarious mistake that everyone makes. If the switch is on and you are not able to charge your laptop, here’s what you have to do.

Windows Laptops

• Take a look at your Power Cord and Charging Adapter
• Check your laptop’s charging port
• Take the battery out and charge it
• Make Sure You’re Using the Right Charger and Port
• Limit the CPU Resources
• Check the Windows Power Options
• Update the Battery Drivers
• Uninstall and Reinstall the Laptop battery drivers
• Use a different charger
• Get a new battery

macOS exclusive methods

• Test the hardware manually 
• Reset the System Management Controller (SMC)

Solving the laptop plugged in but not charging issue

The methods, to get your laptop battery charging again, that follow are split into two categories – Windows and macOS exclusives. Some of the methods in the Windows section can also be applied for Macbooks also, while the macOS exclusives can be used only on Macbooks with the SMC feature.

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Windows

Take a look at your Power Cord and AC Adapter

The Charger for a laptop, generally, consists of the laptop’s power connector, adapter, and a power cable with a charging pin. Your first step should be to check if these components are properly connected. 

Any part of this charger can become damaged because of an incorrect power supply or animal bites. Dogs and rats nibbling wires are not rare news. This damage is visible without having to open any part. 

Also, Too much power wattage can blow the circuit inside the adapter. It is recommended to test your socket before plugging the charger into your surge protector or wall outlet and switching it on. You will be able to smell the burnt adapter if your AC adapter brick had burned out.

If the charger kit is damaged, you will have to get a new charger to power up your laptop. You can buy a new charger from the brand store or an online shop. Make sure you purchase a charger of the correct voltage for your laptop since your laptop might need more or less power depending on its performance and utility.

Check your laptop’s charging port

The charger slot on your laptop could be damaged or loose, due to blunt force or accumulation of rust or dust. This does not make it easy to charge your device. You can try cleaning it with a dry cotton bud and then, plugging in the charger properly. 

Try charging the device and if it still doesn’t, take your laptop to a service center or carefully wrap it and send it to the seller to fix it or give the laptop a new charging port. Handle your laptop with extreme care. 

Take the battery out and charge it

Recent laptops have in-built batteries that cannot be removed without opening the panel under them. Older laptop models allow users to disconnect the oblong batteries, after removing a little latch. 

Perform a power cycle, by pressing the power button for about 15 seconds and then, disconnect the removable battery from the bottom of your laptop and then, plug the charger into the port. Check if the charging process begins. 

Under normal circumstances, your laptop should be able to function normally when the charger is connected but the charge will not be retained without a battery. Once you pull the charger out, your laptop will shut down, instantly. 

This issue can also be caused when the laptop has a bum battery or if the laptop is not connected properly. It is recommended to have a replacement battery with you always.

Note: A Power Cycle is the process of draining the residual power of the battery by turning the device off and back on again. 

Make Sure You’re Using the Right Charger and Port

This is a confusing factor that doesn’t let you charge your laptop. If you have more than one laptop, it can be really confusing which charger belongs to which laptop, unless they are properly organized. You also need to be using the charger of the correct voltage or slightly higher but a lesser power supply will not charge your laptop fast enough.

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If the pin at the end of your charging cable is thin enough, you could push it into the headphone or microphone slot by mistake and this will neither charge your laptop nor help you listen to sounds from the laptop. 

If you have a thin laptop, you could be using the USB-C port and charger. Some laptops permit the type C slot only for data transfer, and this will not charge your device. Certain models have two USB-C ports, making them convenient for, both, charging and data-transferring. 

Check if you are using the correct charger and where you are inserting the pin. 

Limit the CPU Resources

More active programs mean more heat for the laptop. Since some laptops do not have cooling systems as efficient as those for desktop PCs, overheating is a common issue and can chip away at your battery life. You will have to end some programs in the Windows Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc).

You can also check how much memory is being used by the processes.

Check the Windows Power Options

The Power Plan settings and your laptop’s battery go hand in hand. You will have to set these settings to the default for optimal battery usage and these are the steps. 

1. Open the Windows Settings by pressing the Windows key and I key together or by opening the Start menu and clicking on the gear icon on your left panel.

1. Go into the System tile > Power & Sleep tab > Additional power settings option. This will open the Power Plan settings page in the Control Panel.

1. Click on the Restore default settings for this plan link at the bottom of the options.

These are general settings for every Windows laptop. If you have a Lenovo laptop, you can use the Lenovo Settings or Lenovo Vantage app to change the battery settings. 

For users with Dell laptops, you can run the exclusive hardware diagnostic test to fix the Dell battery. 

Update the Battery Drivers

Since the battery is a powerful component of the computer, they have certain drivers. Update them and maybe this will fix the not charging issue. Here’s how you can update them.

1. Right-click on the Start button and select Device Manager from the Quick Link menu. 
2. Expand the Batteries section by clicking on it. You’ll see your battery and battery-related devices listed here. 
3. Right-click on the Microsoft AC Adapter device and select Update driver from the context menu.

1. From here, make choices as per your needs. The chances of you finding updates are less, but this step is worth a try. 

Uninstall and Reinstall the Microsoft ACPI-Compliant Control Method Battery driver software

1. Open the Device Manager through the Quick Link menu (Windows + X) or through the search bar on the taskbar. 
2. Open up the Batteries section and right-click on the Microsoft ACPI-Compliant Control Method Battery.
3. Choose Uninstall device from the pop-up menu and then, confirm it in the prompt window by clicking on Uninstall.

1. Then, right-click on the Batteries section and select Scan for Hardware changes to get a replacement for this driver. 

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Use a different charger

Check your wall socket and the charger as the problem might lie with the charger. Try charging your laptop with a different charger and if your laptop starts charging, this means that the problem lies with the charger, charger cable, or power jack. You can get a new charger for your laptop if this is your case.

Get a new battery

The last thing you can do about a laptop that isn’t charging is to get a new battery for your laptop. You will need professional help for this so you will have to take your laptop to a computer repair shop for this operation. If the same laptop is available, try swapping batteries and check if this workaround helps you.

These are the methods that can help you make your laptop charge again. There are some forums suggesting updating the system BIOS/UEFI, and you can try it if you wish. But there are no guarantees that this will fix your charging issue. 

macOS exclusive methods

Test the hardware manually

Users with a MacBook can check the battery power by checking the battery’s status. This is what you have to do to check battery health.

1. Press the Control key and while you are still holding it, click on the Apple icon.
2. In the window that appears on your screen, select the Power tab from the left panel of menus. 
3. Check the health information section and the condition should be normal.

This is just a verification to check if the laptop battery is working fine. 

Reset the System Management Controller (SMC)

The SMC has the ability to fix battery-related issues for Mac users. If this is reset, your Mac may be able to get charged again. These are the steps to reset the Mac SMC.

1. Turn the MacBook off and plug the AC adapter into the device.
2. Without turning the MacBook back on, press the Shift, Control, and Option keys on the keyboard, simultaneously. The LED light on your AC adapter will change its color, for a few seconds. 
3. Now, reboot your device and check if the MacBook is charging.

Frequently Asked Questions

Even if your laptop is connected, it may not get charged because of problems with the power adapter, charging port, inadequate or no power supply, or worn-out batteries. If your battery is not being charged, you will see an ordinary battery icon at the bottom-left part of the screen. 

To fix the plugged in not charging issue on your computer, you have to check your power supply, battery life, adapters, charger, battery drivers, and power usage settings. All of these can be set to default through the settings or by checking the hardware components.

If your laptop is connected to the charger and is still not battery charging, it means that there are issues regarding your battery, AC adapter, charger and battery drivers. This could also be the sign for you to change your laptop’s battery.