10 Fixes for Windows Laptop Not Charging When Plugged In
After hours of binge-watching web series, your laptop’s battery is finally about to die, and you decide to charge it to continue streaming. However, what happens next is even more dramatic than the show you’re watching: your laptop isn’t charging after plugging it in. This can be frustrating, especially when you need it for your office work the next day. But fret not, in this article, we will show you multiple solutions to resolve your Windows laptop’s charging issue before your battery gets completely drained.
Table of Contents
1. Quick Solutions
Before moving to the technical side of the story, please ensure you’ve tested out the following basic solutions first:
2. Test Your Charger on a Similar Laptop
What if the issue is with your laptop rather than the charging adapter? You can confirm this by testing your charger with a similar laptop model. If a friend has one, you can borrow their charger, or you can try using someone else’s charger with your laptop. This way, you can determine which of them is the source of the problem.
3. Use Official Charger
Hey, have you replaced your original charger that came bundled with your laptop with a 3rd-party charger? If that’s the case, it may be the reason your laptop isn’t charging even when it is plugged in. Online, you’ll find numerous stories about how quickly third-party chargers can fail in their duties.
These chargers also have a reputation for not providing sufficient power for charging. Some gaming laptops might require a higher power supply to effectively charge the device. Without it, even if the laptop displays a charging sign, it may not actually charge. So make sure you use the charger from the official or reputable brand to avoid any future inconvenience.
4. Check Battery Health
We’ve been discussing the issues related to the charger and the laptop but forgot to consider the laptop’s battery health. Over time, your battery’s lifespan degrades with each charge cycle. It’s a good idea to visit the nearest laptop service center and have them check your battery health. As we mentioned earlier, if the charger works well with another laptop, it’s more likely that the issue lies with your laptop’s battery, and you may need to purchase a new one.
Additionally, if your laptop has a removable battery, then remove it and press the Power button for several seconds to discharge the remaining charge. Also, ensure that while removing the battery your charger or any other accessories are not plugged into your laptop.
Afterward, clear the battery compartment and securely re-seat the battery. Next, plug in your charger and check if your laptop has started charging.
Pro Tip:You can use the following command in the Command Prompt (Admin) to get a detailed report about your laptop’s battery.
5. Allow the Laptop and Charger to Cool Down
Sometimes, when you’re performing resource-intensive tasks likegaming, video editing, or graphic designing, your laptop may heat up more than usual. This could temporarily halt the charging process to prevent the device from overheating further. We recommend unplugging the charger and waiting for a few hours to allow both the laptop and charger to cool down. Afterward, you can attempt to reconnect the charger to the laptop to see if it starts charging. If not, you can proceed with the next solution.
Tip:Learn how tofix high CPU usage on Windows Laptop
6. Reset Power Plan
If the hardware-related solutions haven’t worked for you so far, perhaps you can try resetting the power plan on your Windows laptop. This might resolve the charging issue caused by a faulty system configuration. Here’s how to restore it to its default state:
1.Open theWindows Search(Windows Key + S) and look for theEdit Power Plansetting. Once found, open it.
2.Next, clickChange advanced power settings.
3.On the new window, hit theRestore plan defaultsbutton.
4.After the confirmation dialog appears, clickYes.
5.Afterward, clickOKand you’re good to go.
Now restart the laptop and see if this fixes the charging issue.
7. Switch Off Optimized Battery Charging
Many laptops come with a feature that restricts charging to 80% to reduce battery aging. You might not be aware of this feature, which could explain why you haven’t noticed an increase in your battery percentage. For example, you can refer to the screenshot below to see how the battery charging limit has been enabled on our Acer Nitro laptop.
8. Update Battery Driver
There’s also a possibility that after updating yourWindows to a newer version, you might have encountered a bug, or your battery driver might not be compatible with the newer version. You could try updating the driver to see if this resolves the charging issue.
1.Right-click on theStart menuor pressWindows Key + Xto open theWinXmenu and then selectDevice Manager.
2.Next, expand theBatteriessection, then right-click on theMicrosoft AC Adapterand select theUpdate driveroption.
3.Now you’re able to either go with theautomatic driver updateoption orbrowse the computerif you have a necessary driver.
Alternatively, you can also select theUninstall deviceoption, and this willreinstall the driverafter you restart your Windows laptop.
After that, repeat the same steps for theMicrosoft ACPI-Compliant Control Method Batterydriver.
9. Update Your Windows
If none of the solutions are working for you, perhaps you can try updating your Windows. New updates often come with fixes that were previously unavailable, addressing various issues and enhancing the overall performance and security of your laptop. Therefore, you should check for updates and, if available, install them to see if this resolves the issue with your Windows laptop’s charging.
To check for updates, simply go toSettings (Windows Key + I) > Windows Updateand clickCheck for updates.
10. Warranty Service
If your laptop is under warranty, you should definitely visit the manufacturer’s service center for a free repair of the charging issue on your Windows laptop. However, please be aware that if you’ve accidentally spilled water on your keyboard, or damaged a cable, or any other laptop component, the service center may not provide a free repair.
Plug and Play, Not Plug and Pray
We believe the solutions mentioned above should resolve your laptop’s charging problem. However, if they don’t work, don’t worry. You can still use your laptop while it’s plugged in, even though the battery isn’t charging. So, you can keep working for now. When you have the opportunity, visit your nearest laptop service center for a more permanent fix.
Rahul is your go-to guide for fixing Windows, Steam, Android, Samsung TV, and Google Chrome. An engineering college dropout who followed his passion for tech, he brings 3 years of troubleshooting experience and 2+ years of running his own tech blog to the table. When he’s not solving your tech problems, you’ll find him unwinding with the latest anime or K-drama.
