by. The device controls a large part of its charging behavior, so rebooting the device helps with charging detection problems. However, these easy steps can breathe some extra life into your most commonly used cables. But it's very reliable. Contact customer support. A DIY solution that might work for a short while is removing the spring from a retractable pen, stretching it out and wrapping it around the cable to reinforce it towards one of its ends. The cables meticulously organized at your work desk may as well be cemented in place. The heat will cause the tubing to shrink and cling to the cable, immobilizing and reinforcing the damaged area. You can take your time neatly wrapping the cable to reinforce it, but the best way to prevent any more damage is to wrap the split or fraying part of the cable several times with electrical tape, then work your way out from that spot. If the charger works when plugged into the wall, the problem lies in one of the removed components. Try adding the pieces in a different order or a different place. A more long-term solution is heat shrink. If that's the case, it's probably best to explore your options before buying an entirely new charger. Broken cables are a nuisance so, to no surprise at all, a number of products exist to help counteract the daily wear and tear. If you stick a piece of metal in the charging port the wrong way, you can short out the connection and destroy the device. Why Doesn't the 12v Socket in My Car Work? ... How to Fix an iPad That Won't Charge or Charges Slowly. ... Do not get rid of your iPhone. You could try using a different cable if you've got one (but keeping the same device, adapter and plug socket). Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day, Lifewire uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. Find out here if yours is affected.). It has a USB port, a micro-USB port (Android phones), and a button to turn on/off the flashlight. To check the outlet, connect the probes to the. Temporarily remove the adapter, outlet splitter, power strip, or surge protector, and any extra components so only the charger is plugged into an outlet known to work. Furthermore, only the right combination of adapter and cable can take advantage of all the device's features. A new model is available from the Apple Store for £19/$19. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Following these steps should enable you to establish which element is at fault, and therefore which one needs to be fixed or replaced. Find the fuse associated with the outlet you're using and reset it. From travel damage to constant plugging and unplugging, it's no surprise to find that Apple's power adapters sometimes break. There are a few basic reasons why your charger would stop working: While some fixes may require a bit of rewiring, there are many fixes that you can try to get your broken charger working again. Is the cable faulty? But electrical tape can be found for between $1 (about £0.69 in the UK or AU$1.39 in Australia) and $5 (£3.46 or AU$6.93) per roll. Essential tips to fix a broken iPhone or iPad charger, guide to fixing an iPhone or iPad that won't charge, How to watch BBC iPlayer abroad on iPhone, iPad or Mac, How to check if an iPhone is locked or unlocked. https://www.cnet.com/how-to/5-easy-ways-to-fix-fraying-cables It's not particularly easy, however, and we'd be tempted to just pay the £19/$19 to replace the Lightning to USB cable (you can spend an extra £10/$10 and get the 2m version instead of 1m). Some European-style outlets have individual switches. To confirm an outlet works, check out our multimeter tips below. Whether you need to charge a smartphone, laptop, tablet, or another device, a broken charger can be frustrating and inconvenient. Unfortunately Apple's Lightning cables, and before them the older 30-pin connectors, do tend to fray and weaken at the point where the port meets the cable. Is the iPhone or iPad faulty? Try a different cable and power adapter. 6 years ago Reply Upvote. The problem is, these springs, especially when stretched out, aren't very rigid and they won't protect the cable from being damaged further. If a USB port is physically prevented from making good contact by shielding, cable design, port furniture, or something else, removing that barrier can fix the problem. Alexander Fox is a former Lifewire writer who loves translating tech for consumers. Xbox Series X availability: Check inventory at Walmart, Amazon, Best Buy and more, Black Friday 2020 ad scans: See the best deals and sales at Walmart, Best Buy, GameStop and more, Black Friday Walmart deals available now: $379 HP laptop, $148 55-inch Roku smart TV and more, Discuss: 5 easy ways to fix fraying cables. If you see a bare wire, stripped insulation, or wire shielding, that could be the source of the problem. This could result in an electrical shock. Sugru can't fix that. A 3-pack of single use packets of Sugru costs between $9 (£6.21 or AU$12.48) and $12 (£8.29 or AU$16.64). BigWeezy. Don’t forget to share this article on social media, or leave us a comment down below to let us know the reason why your iPad was not charging. However, Sugru doesn't come cheap. So in this article we're going to talk about ways to be sure you really need to replace your Apple adapter before paying out for a new charger unit. Writer. Is the wall socket faulty? We've twisted gaffer tape around the top to reinforce ours, but you can buy cute plastic animals that do the same thing. I keep finding these reinstalled and having to uninstall them again to get my battery to charge. Unless you really know what you're doing, we do not advise you to open up and repair the Apple power adapter. We advise you to get the 12W USB Power Adapter (this is the model that ships with the iPad), as most iPhone models can use this to charge faster than the 5W power adapter which ships with them. To avoid electrocution, make sure the device is powered off before attempting any physical electrical repairs. While the battery might last longer than the useful life of the device, sometimes the relationship is reversed. How to Fix a Broken IPod Charging Cord: ... the iPod charger was plugged into fast and now the iPod won't charge. Well, you could just go to the Apple Store and buy a new charger (£19/$19) or cable (£19/$19), but that costs more than you might expect. Most cables get plugged in and left alone for years at a time. Check the battery's health and age to see if it needs replacement. Heat shrink tubing comes in an array of sizes and can range from just a few bucks to upwards of $20 (£13.81 or AU$27.73) or $30 (£20.71 or AU$41.59) for an assortment pack. Add the other pieces back one by one until the system fails, but don't stop there. Do not attempt to wiggle the cable on either end if there are bare or damaged wires. Next time your iPad won’t charge, you’ll know exactly how to fix the problem. Searching Amazon for "cable protector" will return thousands of results for similar products. What should you do if you've got a broken Apple charger? Clean the charging port. With a multimeter, you can check the cable and wall outlet to narrow down potential problems. Alexander Fox. Phone won't charge unless charger is plugged in at a certain angle. In the rest of the article we will discuss steps to take if the cable or the power adapter are broken. If not, you could instead use the same cable to plug your iPhone or iPad into your Mac (ie, remove the plug and adapter from the equation entirely). Lipstick-sized portable USB charger with flashlight. What had happened was one of the wires had snapped. Replace one at a time to pinpoint the culprit. It's a fact of life. If you're worried that it's just going to break again, we'd recommend looking at our round-up of the best Lightning cables for alternatives. In countries that follow the U.S. model, a fuse box holds fuses that each control a section of a home's electrical outlets. If the charger works intermittently as you move the cable, the cable's copper wiring is damaged. With both Lightning and USB-C charging ports, users have found that anything from pocket lint to a grain of rice caught in the port can prevent the phone from charging. The 8 Best Fast Chargers. Can't tell what brand. These types of cables can often be replaced with reputable third-party options for between $5 (£3.45 or AU$6.93) and $10 (£6.90 or AU$13.85). Thanks for the tip! You can also calibrate an older battery. Check the adapter. By using Lifewire, you accept our, How to Fix a Computer That Shows No Sign of Power, Xbox Series X or S Won't Turn on? Outlets are robust but can fail. Be respectful, keep it civil and stay on topic. When you find a size that will fit your fraying cable, slip it over one of the ends, position the heat shrink over the affected area and use a heat gun or hair dryer on high heat to activate it. Samsung galaxy 8 tab won't charge. Never stick metal in the charging port. But the cables we use everyday -- the computer and smartphone chargers -- go through hell. There are two parts to an iPhone, iPad, or iPod charger: the Apple power adapter (the plug bit) and the Lightning to USB cable (or 30-pin cable if you've got one of the older iOS devices with the larger, Dock-style cable). Lucy Hattersley, Contributor Look for lights. Then, touch the same pin on opposite ends of the cable with the multimeter's two probes. Note: We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site, at no extra cost to you. 0. All those power and HDMI cables connecting your home entertainment system together rarely get touched. Remove any garbage with plastic tweezers, a cotton swab, or a toothpick. An infinity means the wire is broken and needs to be fixed or replaced. They get twisted, yanked and bent on a daily basis, and they're bound to fail at some point. It's easy to bend the sheet metal housing of a USB port back in to shape if it has been deformed over time. Keep everything else the same but try using a different wall plug. | 02 Jul 19. iPhone and iPad chargers quite often break or stop working - but then, they do take a battering over the years. If the outlet works, but the charger won't activate, the problem isn't with the wall socket. The combination of the two materials will provide extra rigid reinforcement for little to no extra cost. How to Fix It. Make sure the outlet is turned on. If you see a fuse with its handle pointed in the other direction, it has likely been tripped. The adapter plugs into the wall, and the Lightning cable plugs into the adapter at one end and the iPad, iPhone or iPod at the other. That's almost one-third the price of an official Lighting cable from Apple. Mine still won't work I pull it in certain places I know it works but know those places aren't working. By Check the charger compatibility. To check the cable, turn the multimeter's central knob to the resistance setting (Ohms, or Ω). Here's how to fix an iPhone or iPad charger that ... check our guide to fixing an iPhone or iPad that won't charge. Try charging up another iOS device (or other compatible USB device) with the same cable, adapter and plug socket. If you're working with a broken Mac charger, is the status light illuminated? If you don't get a measurable voltage from the adapter, it may not be providing power, and you'll need to replace it. That said, if you're dealing with a broken micro USB, Lightning or even USB-C cable, in most cases, the best option is to just replace the cable altogether. If your device has a removable battery, swap out the battery and see if the problem persists. It is possible to repair the wiring of a Lightning to USB cable if you're a dab hand with a soldering iron. One of the most cost-effective fixes for a cable that's about to meet its end is a bit of electrical tape. A data-carrying cable like USB can only be tested on its two power pins, called the ground and voltage pins. Laptop chargers are pickier, as you can rarely swap one with another without issues.