Fast charging is definitely not a novelty but with the massive expansion in battery sizes, the fast charging technology progressed immensely. Now, the majority of us, Android users, charge our phones on regular basis and don’t need them fully in a matter of minutes. But, what happens when your phone is charging so slowly? Why this happens and what to do to get back to a normal charging rate? We have some answers for you below.
Table of contents:
- Check the adapter and cable
- Change the power source
- Restart your device and close all apps
- Don’t use your device while charging
- Check the Battery health
How do I fix the slow charging?
1. Check the adapter and cable
Before everything, check the software part of the puzzle. If your device has the option to enable and disable Fast Charging, make sure to enable it. You can usually do so in Settings > Battery. Done? Now we can focus on hardware.
Although there are a plethora of third-party chargers to choose from, you need to make sure that your device supports them. Usually, the safest way to charge your smartphone is with an out-of-the-box adapter. Data cables are less important in comparison. Not unimportant, so opting for the default data cable, in this case, is a good idea as well.
So, always go back to the default charger if you experience slow charging or overheating during charging. Even though realistically, the original chargers are often charging slower and, to fast charge, you’ll need to acquire a different charger, they offer optimized charging speed and have a good balance between speed and pertaining battery longevity.
2. Change the power source
This one is as simple as they come. Just switch to a different socket. I use an extension cord where and tend to plug in a lot of devices. And when I plug my smartphone next to a PC and other higher consumers, it tends to overheat and charge slower than when I use a reserved wall socket.
Changing the power source helps me so it might help you as well. Hopefully, it does.
3. Restart your device and close all apps
The next thing you can try is restarting your device and closing all background apps after the reboot. If the consumption is big, the charger will not be able to charge your device as fast as possible since there’s always something that consumes a lot of battery life.
Disable the Mobile Hotspot, mobile data, and Wi-Fi. Everything. Close all apps and try charging the device that way. Even better, power off your phone and let it charge while it’s off. If the issue persists, remove the protective case and ensure that the device is not hot.
In case of overheating, leave it off for some time and only then plug in the charger.
4. Don’t use your device while charging
Overheating is the number one reason why charging is slower and why battery longevity is significantly reduced. Usually, the battery starts to deteriorate after 2 years or so, but if your device is constantly hot, it can lower its maximum capacity much faster.
So, we suggest not using your device while it’s charging. It doesn’t have to be heavy gaming, even hotspots or regular internet calls (especially over mobile data) will heat up your device in no time. And discharging it while on a charger is not a good idea. At least, if you want it to last longer.
5. Check the Battery health
Finally, it might as well be your battery that’s causing the problem. There are some apps you can get that will, based on charging stats and cycles, determine the state of your battery. Tools like AccuBattery (get it from Play Store) can tell you quite precisely your battery health and capacity.
If there’s a chance to replace your battery without breaking the bank, you should do that. And, on that note, we can conclude this article. Thank you for reading and feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below. Your input is always welcome.
