Dell Laptop Not Charging

Is your Dell laptop not charging? This will go over several common occurrences when it comes to your Dell laptop not charging. The problem can be caused by either software or hardware causes, so read on to determine the right solution for you!

This may seem trivial but a restart of your computer is the first thing you should try. This tends to fix some innocuous issues.

• Press and hold the power button for 10 to 15 seconds to perform a force restart. Sometimes charging can resume after a restart.
• Try cleaning your charging port—especially if it's visibly dirty but it's probably not a bad idea regardless.
  • A Q-tip or wooden toothpick and some isopropyl alcohol are a safe bet. You can shave the toothpick with a knife to get into tight spots like a USB-C port.

Some newer laptops feature multiple ports of the same type as the charging port—however not all of them support charging. Certain Dell laptop models limit a specific USB-C or Thunderbolt port on the laptop to be the designated charging port. This is usually indicated with a charging icon next to the port (sometimes it's a ⚡ or a 🔌 icon).

• Try moving the charger connection to a different USB-C or Thunderbolt port and check if it’s charging.

Sometimes you trip a breaker and an outlet calls it quits. Check to make sure that your outlet is providing sufficient power. Try plugging in a different device into the outlet to ensure that it's capable of lighting up a lamp or spinning up a blender.

Inspect your charger for any damage to the cable or plug. It's possible that the laptop isn't the issue—your charger is. If possible, try charging a different device to check that the charger is capable of providing power. Alternatively, you could try charging your device on a different charger; if it works, your charger is the problem.

You might be able to find a Dell AC adaptor for your model laptop in our store if you need one.

Batteries are a consumable device, and if you've been using your laptop for many years—or are just a bit unlucky—battery degradation is a possibility. If your laptop has seen some time in the trenches, you expose your stuff to extreme climates, or if you're just a power user who grinds through batteries, a replacement might be your best bet.

Try removing the battery from the laptop—some Dell laptop models make it easier than others. If you see that the connection was bad (the connector was crooked or pins were bent), try reseating the connection and checking to see if that fixed the problem. Otherwise you'll want to source a replacement battery and opt for a replacement.

If you can't find a replacement guide for your model of Dell, don't fear—removing the screws on the back, unplugging the battery connector, and removing the screws holding in the battery is all it takes for most models.

Over time, and many repeated plugs, your charging port can wear to the point that it no longer makes proper contact with the cable. If your laptop has multiple charging ports, try using another. You can also visually inspect the port for anything amiss; corrosion or bent pins are a good indicator that your charging port needs replacing.

A faulty charging port can be addressed either by replacing the PCB that houses the port (usually a daughterboard, but sometimes they can reside on the motherboard), or by replacing the port on the board (requires soldering).

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