If you have noticed that your phone takes longer to charge than usual lately, and you want to know what is causing the problem and how to fix it, you are in the right place.
Below, I will leave you with a list of possible reasons that could be causing your phone to charge slower than normal and what you can do to solve this problem.
Reasons why your phone charges slowly
These are the most common reasons that can affect the charging speed of your phone:
You have smart charging activated
Smart charging is a mechanism that some phones have built in, including the Google Pixel. The objective of this mechanism is to memorize what the user’s charging habits are, and thus prevent the mobile from charging quickly when it is not necessary.
For example, if you usually charge your mobile at night, the phone will memorize it, making it take much longer to charge during that time. In this way, the integrity of the battery is protected.
In case you have smart charging activated, you have probably already noticed that the last section of the battery charges slower than usual.
This is so because smart charging has a mechanism that works that way. They charge very quickly at first and then slow down as the battery fills up. Therefore, it is normal to notice slowdowns in charging when the battery reaches 85-90%.
In a nutshell, what happens is that when the battery is close to full, the phone reduces the power input. This also reduces heat and keeps the battery in good condition. Your phone may charge slower, but in return, your battery life will be extended.
Now, if you are only interested in your phone charging fast and not wasting time waiting for the charge to complete, you just have to disable smart charging.
However, it is worth emphasizing that this mechanism is designed to extend the life of your battery. So, if you are someone concerned about the durability of it, I advise you not to disable this mode.
Maybe your phone charges slowly because that’s just how it works
Today the market may be flooded with many mobile options that offer impressive charging speed. However, there are still phones that do not offer this advantage.
Quite simply, there are phones that charge very fast and there are others that don’t. And this is not related to any problem or anything like that, it is just the mechanism with which the phone works and there is not much you can do about it.
And you may think that buying a higher power charger will solve that problem. Well, unfortunately, it’s not that simple.
All mobile phones have a default power input cap set by their own hardware, and there is nothing that can be done to change that. Don’t even try to update the OS.
For example, if you have a phone that charges at 10W or 18W, then it will always charge at 10W or 18W. And as much as you try to use 65W chargers to shorten the time, it wo n’t work.
In these cases, there is only one possible solution and that is to opt for another mobile that charges faster.
Maybe you are using the wrong charger.
If the charger you use is not the right one, the energy delivery will not be optimal and, therefore, your phone will charge more slowly than it should. It could also be that you are using an old charger, or one that is not ready for fast charges.
If you have a mobile that, for example, accepts 33 W, and the charger reaches up to 10 W, this will cause the charging speed to be notoriously slow. Which is definitely good for your battery, but not for your patience.
You need to make sure you are using a proper charger for your phone. And when I talk about the charger, I mean both the adapter and the cable.
You should know that not all types of cables deliver the same amount of charge, so using the wrong cable will also affect how fast your phone charges.
It might be the outlet.
If you notice that your mobile is charging slowly, it could also be the product of a problematic plug. And even more so if you are using power strips or extension cords to plug in your charger.
These strips often cause problems, because if they are not in good condition, they can cause the current to be irregular, causing the charger not to detect a stable current.
What to do to stop your mobile from charging slowly
Having clarified what could be the possible causes of your phone charging so slowly, I will now show you what you can do to prevent this from happening.
change the charger
Damaged, poor quality and incompatible chargers are the main reason for phones to have charging problems.
It may be that you are using the original charger that came in the same box as your mobile, but these chargers can also become damaged over time, causing the charging time to be longer than it should.
Similarly, if you have recently changed your charger and notice that your phone is charging more slowly than usual, then you should consider getting a new one.
When deciding which charger to buy, you should make sure that it is an original charger . Preferably one from a well- known brand. And if it can be from the same manufacturer as your phone , much better.
Another very important thing is that you should look at the current capacity of the charger. This capacity should be as close as possible to that of your phone.
In case the current capacity is lower, the only thing you will achieve is to extend the charging time , and we already made it clear that nobody wants that.
Charge your mobile in another outlet
If you usually always use the same outlet to charge your mobile, you can choose to use a different one to verify that this is not the problem.
It may be that the socket you normally use to charge your mobile is having problems and is slower than the others. The same happens if you usually connect your charger to a power strip.
All you have to do is plug your charger in a different place than you normally use so you can verify that the source of the problem is not where you are plugging your charger. If it is a defective outlet, you should contact an electrician to have it checked.
Check the USB port
If your mobile port is dirty, this could cause your phone to charge slower. It is recommended that from time to time you do maintenance to the port of your mobile and clean it to prevent dust and dirt from accumulating inside.
You can clean it with a toothbrush with soft bristles, with a cotton swab or compressed air, but from a distance. Do it with the mobile turned off and carefully. In the same way, I will leave you this article where we explain in detail how to clean the USB port of your mobile correctly.
Although it could also be the case that the USB port of your phone is damaged. This is a part of the mobile that can be easily damaged due to the large number of times it is connected to the charger.
To do this, you can do a visual check of the USB port and make sure everything is ok. In case you notice any abnormality, contact the technical service so that they can help you with that problem .
Don’t use the phone while charging
Something that is not discussed is the fact that, if you want your mobile to load faster, do not use it while it is connected. And you should know that this will not only make the mobile charge slower, but also shorten the life of your battery.
There are also other things you can do to further shorten the charging time, such as turning off your phone or turning on airplane mode. By doing this, the phone will consume much less power, therefore it will charge faster.
And if the problem is more serious…
There may be some problems that you can easily and quickly fix. However, there are others in which you will have no other option than to go to a professional.
In the event that none of the solutions proposed in this article have worked for you to solve your charging problem, you should go to a technical service. And it is that the problem may be caused by a faulty battery.
Therefore, you will have no other option than to change it, and you will only know that if you take the mobile to a trusted technical service. They will tell you what the source of the problem really is.
I hope this article has been very helpful to you. And if you are interested in knowing more tips, you cannot miss this article where we explain what are the tricks to prevent your charger from overheating.
