Three parts can be at fault : the charger, the machine's socket, or the battery. A few tests are enough to tell them apart.
The order of the checks matters, because it runs from cheapest to dearest. And in our experience it is the least expensive link that fails most often.
The decisive test is still trying a compatible charger, provided it supplies the same voltage and at least the same power. An underpowered charger runs the machine without ever recharging the battery.
If charging only works with the cable at a certain angle, or stops at the slightest movement, the socket is at fault. On laptops that socket is soldered to the motherboard or linked by a ribbon cable, and it suffers with every connection. A socket that has become loose or moves is a workshop repair, but a routine one.
Look inside the socket too : compacted dust or lint prevents contact more often than people imagine.
On recent laptops, not every USB-C port charges - some are for data only. Check which port is designated, often marked with a small symbol. And a phone charger, even USB-C, does not have the power needed : it will keep the machine on without recharging it, and may even let it drain slowly while in use.
If the machine works perfectly on mains power but switches off the moment you unplug it, the battery is no longer charging at all. Two possible causes : the battery has reached the end of its life - see battery no longer holding - or the charging controller has failed.
One special case is worth knowing : the message "plugged in, not charging" while everything else looks right sometimes comes from a power management driver. Uninstalling it from Device Manager and restarting reinstalls it automatically and unblocks the situation. It carries no risk and settles a surprising number of cases.
Switch the machine off, unplug the charger, remove the battery if it is removable, then hold the power button down for about twenty seconds. Reassemble and plug back in. Fully draining the circuits this way resolves a number of charging blockages, and carries no risk.
A cheap universal charger with interchangeable tips rarely delivers the exact voltage, and can permanently damage the power board. On a machine you intend to keep, an original charger or one from a serious brand is a bad place to economise.
A test with a known-good charger identifies the cause in a few minutes. We replace chargers, batteries and power sockets in Lyon and across the Rhone.
Yes, provided the voltage is identical and the power at least equivalent. A different voltage can damage the machine, and insufficient power will never recharge the battery.
It means the battery no longer holds any charge at all. The machine is still usable as a desktop, but a new battery is needed to get its portability back.
On a machine that is otherwise in good condition, yes : it is a routine repair and far cheaper than replacing the computer.
Would you rather we took care of it ? See our power supply and charging port service, in Lyon and across the Rhone.
A test with a known-good charger identifies the cause in minutes.
Automatic assistant: it can make mistakes. Never share a password or a card number.
