Laptop battery won't charge: what to check

A laptop that says it is plugged in but not charging often has a charger, cable, outlet or settings problem, not a bad battery. Check those first, from the simplest to the more involved, and learn when the battery itself needs service.

Before you start

You do not need tools. Allow about 15 minutes. The advice applies to most laptops, and the Windows steps are for Windows 11 and Windows 10. For a MacBook, use Apple's support site, support.apple.com, for your model.

Try these fixes in order

Fix 1: Check the power path

1. Try a different wall outlet, with nothing else on it. Avoid power strips for this test if you can.
2. Press each plug in firmly: the one into the wall, any plug on the charger's brick, and the one into the laptop.
3. Look at the cable, brick and plug for kinks, cracks, burn marks or bent pins. If the charger has a light, check that it is on.
4. Look inside the laptop's charging port with a flashlight. Dust or lint can stop the plug from seating fully. Switch the laptop off and unplug it before you clear anything from the port, and do not push metal objects into it.
5. If the charger has a USB port of its own, unplug anything from it.

Fix 2: Make sure the charger suits your laptop

Microsoft lists the usual reasons for a PC that charges slowly or not at all: the charger does not suit the PC, it is not powerful enough, it is not in the PC's charging port, or the cable does not meet the power needs.

• Use the charger and cable made for your laptop, or one the maker lists for it. Look at the laptop's label or the maker's website to see the power it needs.
• With USB-C, the port, the cable and the charger must all support the power your laptop needs. A phone charger may charge a laptop very slowly or not at all. For more, see USB-C docks, hubs and cables explained.
• Plug the charger into the correct port. On some laptops only one USB-C port charges.
• Microsoft notes that charging is faster while the PC is asleep or turned off.

Fix 3: Unplug accessories and restart

1. Disconnect USB drives, docks and other devices. Microsoft's Surface guide suggests this because high-power accessories can use the power meant for charging.
2. Restart the laptop with the charger plugged in. Choose Restart from the power button on the Start menu.
3. Check whether the battery icon in the taskbar changes.

If the laptop will not turn on at all, see PC will not turn on.

Fix 4: Read the battery icon and check for a charge limit

Hover over the battery icon at the right of the taskbar. Microsoft's Surface guide describes what each symbol means. Other makers' laptops may show different symbols, so treat this as a guide:

• A plug or lightning symbol but no charging: power is detected, but the battery is not charging.
• A red X: power is detected but no battery is found.
• No symbol: the laptop does not detect the charger.
• An exclamation mark: the power is too low to charge the battery.
• A heart: Smart charging is on, which may stop the charge before the battery is full.

Smart charging limits how full the battery gets, to slow its wear. While it is plugged in, the battery may stay below full, and hovering over the icon shows Fully Smart charged. That is not a fault. Microsoft says each maker handles the setting differently, so look on your maker's website or in its app to turn it off, for example before a trip. Some laptops also have a separate charge limit in the maker's app.

Fix 5: Check the battery's health

This shows how much charge the battery can hold now compared with when it was new.

1. Right-click Start and open Terminal (Admin) on Windows 11. On Windows 10, search for cmd, right-click Command Prompt and choose the administrator option.
2. Type this command and press Enter.

   powercfg /batteryreport

3. Windows prints the folder where it saved the report. Open that file in your web browser and compare Design capacity with Full charge capacity.

A full charge capacity far below the design capacity means the battery has worn out and holds less. Some makers also offer a battery test in their own support app, for example HP Support Assistant.

If it still does not work

• Borrow or buy a charger the maker lists for your model, to rule out the charger. Choose one from the maker or a reputable seller, not an unbranded cheap one.
• Check for updates from the maker and Windows Update. See fix driver problems with Device Manager for battery or power drivers.
• Microsoft describes uninstalling the battery entry under Batteries in Device Manager as a fix for Surface, and it should not be done on some models. For other laptops, follow your maker's instructions instead.
• Look for a power reset method on your maker's support page. The steps differ by model. Surface, for example, uses a long press on the power button.
• If the laptop shuts off the moment you unplug it, or the battery shows a red X, the battery or its connector may have failed. Use your maker's support page to arrange service. If the laptop is under warranty, ask about a free repair.

If heat is also a problem, see PC overheating or loud fans. For a phone, see phone will not charge.

Frequently asked questions