How to Fix an Android Phone that Only Charges When Off

Have you ever plugged your phone into a laptop, wall sockets, or even a portable charger and just had nothing happen? It’s almost like your Android isn’t being recognized at all, unless you turn it off first, and then it charges just like it normally would. This is extremely frustrating when it happens.

There are a few different reasons why this can happen, some more common than others, and one of the only ways to figure out what’s the deal is to go down the list of problems and see which one fits your phone best. It can take some time to sort out, but by the end of this you’ll either fix your charging problem, or know where to start.

Let’s look at the why first, so that way we can easily figure out how to fix it. While there are a few reasons why this can happen, it’s usually a problem with the pin or connector inside your phone.

How to Get Your Android Charging Correctly Again (Bent Pin)

Since the pin problem is the most common, I’ll go over that first, and then talk about how you can troubleshoot the other issues if this doesn’t fix your Android. All you’ll need for this is a flathead screwdriver, plenty of light, and a steady hand.

Step 1: Power Your Phone Down

Before you start poking any connectors or pins, turn your phone off first. Power it down completely, and wait around fifteen seconds before you start getting setup to fix the issue.

Step 2: Examine the Port

Before we try and fix this, make sure you’re in a well lit room so you can see what you’re doing. You don’t want to bend the pin the wrong way, or somehow miss it completely you’re going to need a pretty thin flathead screwdriver for this, but anything just as small should work.

Step 3: Straighten out the Pin

Now I’m going to warn you, I’m not responsible for any damages or voided warranties because of this, so be careful. Hold your phone with the charging port pointed towards you, and use your screwdriver to push the pin up just a smidge.

Once you do this, remove the screwdriver and power your phone back on to test it. If the pin was the problem, this will fix it almost instantly.

How to Get Your Android Charging Correctly Again (Troubleshooting)

If after a few pin adjustments your Android still isn’t charging while turned on, then the problem lies somewhere else. From this point on you need to examine three different factors: the cables used, the power source, and your battery.

There’s something wrong with one, two, or all three of these if you can’t charge correctly three, so let’s look at how to identify the problem.

Step 1: Different Cables

It’s possible your cable is the problem, so here’s what you can try to see if it is:

• Try the cable with a different phone.
• Use the cable with a new device.
• Use the cable with a new power source.
• Try a different cable.

If you get a different result with another Android or a different cable, the cable you’re using now is definitely the problem.

Step 2: Use a Different Power Source

Sometimes where you’re plugging your Android into is the problem, so if it only charges when it’s off with one power source try a different one. I usually charge my Android through my laptop, but I could try charging it with a wall charger, or even one of my consoles.

Try as many different sources as you can to see if one works!

Step 3: Remove / Refresh Your Battery

If you have a removable battery, I recommend you swap it out for a different one if you have one available. If you can’t remove it, without voiding a warranty, use a battery checker app to see if you have anything not working as it should.

Step 4: When All Else Fails

If nothing else has solved the problem at this point, you only have two options left. It’s not likely, but still possible that a factory reset could fix the problem. On the other hand, if you still have an active warranty, see if your issue is covered under it, or if your manufacturer has any more information available.

Having to charge your Android only when it’s off is an annoying problem, but is thankfully one with a few fixes.

Conclusion

Most of the time, if your Android is only charging when it’s off it only takes a few seconds, and a small adjustment to fix it. If the pin isn’t the problem, slowly go through everything involved in the charging process until you find out what’s causing the charging issue. If your Android hasn’t always done this, it can still be fixed.

If you’re still having trouble, please leave any questions down below!

Source: joyofandriod . com