iPhone Not Charging? 8 Common Causes and How to Fix It
iPhone-specific walkthrough — Lightning and USB-C models.
Apple's Lightning and USB-C ports are known for one thing above all else: lint collection. Work through these eight causes before you pay for anything.
Book an iPhone charging-port diagnostic Most iPhone port replacements cost $79–$89.
Common causes
1. Lint in the Lightning / USB-C port
Shine a flashlight into the port. You'll almost always see a compressed plug of lint right at the bottom. Clear it with a wooden toothpick, NOT metal — metal can short the contacts.
2. A dead or flaky Lightning / USB-C cable
Apple cables fray near the connector ends. Try a different known-good cable, ideally MFi-certified. Generic cables degrade in 6–12 months of daily use.
3. A weak power brick
Not every brick delivers full fast-charge wattage. Use the 20W (or higher) Apple brick, not an old 5W one, and plug into the wall, not a laptop USB port.
4. Battery at <80% health
Settings → Battery → Battery Health. Under 80%, charging slows and cuts out. A replacement is typically $79 on any iPhone 11 or newer.
5. Face ID / optimised charging pause
iOS learns your habits and pauses charging at 80% overnight. If you see 'Charging On Hold', that's the cause, and it's normal.
6. A hard restart clears the glitch
Press Volume Up, Volume Down, then hold Side until the Apple logo appears. Takes ~15 seconds. Fixes a surprising percent of 'won't charge' cases.
7. Damaged charging port pins
If wiggling the cable makes it charge intermittently, the port is the issue. Replacement takes about an hour and costs around $79–$89.
8. Liquid or "Accessory not supported" errors
These point to corrosion on the port contacts. Don't ignore them — the damage spreads. Book a diagnostic the same week.
Frequently asked questions
How much does iPhone charging port repair cost?
$79–$89 for most iPhone models — same-day when parts are in stock. We diagnose for $49 first and credit that toward the repair if you proceed — or toward a purchase, if you'd rather.
My iPhone shows "Accessory not supported" — port issue?
Often yes. The message fires when the iPhone can't verify the connected accessory — bent pins, corrosion, or a non-MFi cable. Try a known-good MFi cable first; if the message persists with multiple cables, the port likely needs replacement.
Is it cheaper to replace the iPhone or the port?
Almost always cheaper to replace the port. A new iPhone 16 starts at ~$1,099; iPhone port replacement is $79–$89. We tell you honestly when a repair doesn't make economic sense (usually only when other issues are also present).
Will my iPhone need a wipe / lose data during port repair?
No. Port replacement is a hardware-only fix; your photos, apps, and data are untouched.
What if my iPhone is older — iPhone 8 / X / XS / 11 Pro?
We repair every iPhone from iPhone 4 onward. Older iPhones are sometimes Apple-discontinued for repair (vintage classification) but we still have parts. See /repair/iphone for the full per-model pricing.