My iPhone 7 Plus Is Not Charging. Here's The Real Fix!

David Lynch

JANUARY 7, 2017

You plugged your iPhone 7 Plus into your computer or wall charger, but it is not charging. Your iPhone 7 Plus's charging process involves four components: the software, charging port on the iPhone 7 Plus, charging cable, and charger. In this article, I'll show you how to determine why your iPhone 7 Plus is not charging and walk you step-by-step through how to fix your iPhone 7 Plus, for good.

Do I Need To Replace My iPhone Battery?

No! In fact, replacing the battery of your iPhone 7 Plus will almost certainly have no effect. More often than not, charging problems occur because of a software issue. The software, not the hardware, of your iPhone 7 Plus controls whether or not your it will charge when you plug it into a charger. In fact, your charging port is not even connected directly to the battery inside your iPhone.

Why Would My iPhone's Software Stop It From Charging?

Remember, the software of your iPhone 7 Plus starts the charging process when it detects that it is connected to a power source. Your iPhone 7 Plus may just look like it's not charging because the software may have crashed while the screen was off. The charging process can't begin if your software isn't working correctly.

Right now, we can't be sure whether or not you have a software or hardware issue. We've assembled a step-by-step guide that will help you diagnose and fix  your problem, starting with a simple software and hardware fixes as well as a few repair options if your iPhone 7 is not charging.

Troubleshooting Steps When An iPhone 7 Plus Is Not Charging

6 Steps Total
1.

Hard Reset Your iPhone

A hard reset is usually a temporary solution to a software problem. It doesn't change anything at all — it just forces your iPhone to start from scratch, and often times the problem comes back.

How Do I Hard Reset My iPhone?

  1. Press and hold the power button and the volume down button together until the screen goes blank and the Apple logo appears on the screen.
  2. When the Apple logo reappears, let go of both buttons.
  3. When your iPhone turns back on, the hard reset is complete.

Hard Reset On iPhone X or Newer

Hard reseting an iPhone X is slightly different than other models of the iPhone.

  1. Quickly press the volume up button.
  2. Quickly press the volume down button.
  3. Press and hold down the Side button.
  4. Release the Side button when the Apple logo appears on the center of the screen.
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2.

Inspect Your iPhone's Charging Port (Lightning Port)

You should frequently inspect your Lightning port, also known as the charging port, to make sure it is clean. Lint, gunk, and other debris can prevent your Lightning port from making a solid connection with your Lightning cable. A clogged Lightning port could also "trick" newer iPhones (without headphone jacks) intro thinking headphones are connected. This could lead your iPhone to get stuck in headphones mode.

How Do I Inspect My iPhone's Charging Port (Lightning Port)?

  1. Use a flashlight to see if there is lint, gunk, or any other debris in your iPhone's Lightning port.
  2. If you find debris in your iPhone's Lightning port, gently brush it out with a new toothbrush or anti-static brush.
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3.

Inspect Your iPhone Cable (Lightning Cable)

Damaged Lightning cables are a common reason for iPhone problems, especially related to charging and transferring data between iPhones and computers.

Lightning cables can be tricky to diagnose because when they start to go, they usually don't break all at once. Sometimes an iPhone will continue to charge but won't sync data properly, or vice versa, because of the construction of the cable. Make sure to take a close look while you're troubleshooting!

How Do I Inspect My iPhone Cable (Lightning Cable)?

  1. Use a flashlight and look closely at both ends of your Lightning cable. These cables can become worn and tend to fray, especially at the end with the Lightning connector.
  2. If you see no visible signs of damage, try charging your device using both a USB port on a computer and the wall adapter which came with your iPhone. If your Lightning cable works with one, but not the other, then your cable is not the problem.
  3. Try charging your device with a friend's or family member's Lightning cable. If their cable works while yours doesn't, then you've identified that the problem is your Lightning cable.
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4.

Inspect Your iPhone Charger

There are many different ways to charge your iPhone — plugging it into your laptop, wall adapter, car charger, and more. As a precautionary measure, the software of your iPhone will prevent charging if it detects fluctuations from the power source.

How Do I Inspect My iPhone Charger?

  1. Charge your iPhone with multiple different power sources. If you normally use your wall charger, try using a USB port on your laptop, and vice versa.
  2. If your iPhone charges with one power source but not the other, then you know that the charger is causing your problem.
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5.

DFU Restore Your iPhone

A DFU restore has the potential to fix software problems by completely erasing the code which may be causing your problem. The code is rewritten as if your iPhone is brand new, so the software problem may get solved.

Think of it like a house that has cracks in the foundation. Rather than try and fix the cracks, we are building an entirely new foundation.

If you can, back up your iPhone before completing a DFU restore. Any time you do a restore, it erases everything from your iPhone. However, after the restore is completed, you restore all your backed up data back onto your iPhone.

How Do I DFU Restore My iPhone?

How To DFU Restore An iPhone SE, 6s, Or Older

  1. Using a Lightning cable, plug your iPhone into a USB port on your computer.
  2. Open iTunes if you have a PC or Mac running Mojave 10.14 or earlier. Open Finder if you have a Mac running Catalina 10.15 or newer. It doesn’t matter if your iPhone is on or off.
  3. Press and hold the Home button and the power button simultaneously.
  4. After 8 seconds, release the power button, but continue to hold the Home button.
  5. Let go of the power button when your iPhone appears in iTunes or Finder.
  6. Your iPhone’s display will be completely black if you’ve successfully entered DFU mode. If it’s not, try again from the beginning.
  7. Restore your iPhone using iTunes or Finder.

How To DFU Restore An iPhone 7 Or 7 Plus

  1. Using a Lightning cable, plug your iPhone into a USB port on your computer.
  2. Open iTunes if you have a PC or Mac running Mojave 10.14 or earlier. Open Finder if you have a Mac running Catalina 10.15 or newer. It doesn’t matter if your iPhone is on or off.
  3. Press and hold the power and volume down button simultaneously.
  4. After 8 seconds, release the power button, but continue to hold the volume down button.
  5. Release the volume down button when your iPhone appears in iTunes or Finder.
  6. You'll know your iPhone is in DFU mode if the display is completely black.
  7. Restore your iPhone using iTunes or Finder.

How To DFU Restore An iPhone 8 Or Newer

  1. Connect your iPhone to your computer using a charging cable.
  2. Open iTunes (PCs and Macs running macOS 10.14 or older) or Finder (Macs running macOS 10.15 or newer).
  3. Quickly press and release the volume up button.
  4. Quickly press and release the volume down button.
  5. Press and hold the side button until the screen goes black.
  6. When the screen goes black, press and hold the volume down button while continuing to press and hold the side button.
  7. Hold both buttons for five seconds.
  8. After five seconds, release the side button while continuing to hold the volume down button.
  9. Keep holding the volume down button until your iPhone appears in Finder or iTunes.
  10. Restore your iPhone using iTunes or Finder.
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6.

Repair Your iPhone With Apple

Apple repairs iPhones at the Genius Bar in Apple Stores and through their online mail-in repair service. Apple repairs are high-quality, but out-of-warranty repairs can be much more expensive than third-party solutions. If you're looking to save some money you're not covered by Apple's warranty, you may want to check out our other recommendations.

How Do I Repair My iPhone With Apple?

How To Repair Your iPhone With Apple's Mail-In Service

  1. Visit Apple's support website to begin the online mail-in repair process.
  2. Alternatively, call 1-800-MY-APPLE (1-800-692-7753) to set up a repair.

How To Repair Your iPhone At The Genius Bar Inside Your Local Apple Store

  1. Visit Apple's website to make a Genius Bar appointment before you go into the store. Apple Stores are extremely busy, and if you don't have an appointment, you may have to wait for hours or end up being turned away. (Editor's note: I'm a former Apple tech and we're not exaggerating — please, do yourself a favor and make an appointment first!)
  2. When you arrive, go to the Genius Bar to check in for your appointment.
  3. Genius Bar appointments always include free diagnosis. If you're under warranty, many repairs can be done on the spot, but it all depends upon which parts are in stock. If you're not under warranty, the Genius will give you a quote for the cost of a repair.
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Your iPhone 7 Plus Is Charging Again!

You've diagnosed and fixed the problem, and your iPhone 7 Plus is charging again. This isn't always the easiest fix, but when an iPhone 7 Plus is not charging, it's an emergency! You dove in, got your hands dirty, and fixed it — and you should feel good about that. Thanks for reading our article. Leave us a comment down below if you have any other questions, and don't forget to share this article with all the iPhone 7 Plus users you know!

  1. Hard Reset Your iPhone
  2. Inspect Your iPhone's Charging Port (Lightning Port)
  3. Inspect Your iPhone Cable (Lightning Cable)
  4. Inspect Your iPhone Charger
  5. DFU Restore Your iPhone
  6. Repair Your iPhone With Apple

Applies To: iPhone 7 Plus

AUTHOR

David Lynch

David Lynch is an expert on cell phones, cell phone plans, and other tech. After using a flip phone into his early 20s, he learned the ropes about iPhones and Androids from a former Apple employee. Today, his articles and videos are read and viewed by millions, and he has been cited by major publications including Reader's Digest, Wired, CMSWire, Consumers Advocate, and more.

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Josef Tompa
Josef Tompa
2 years ago

The charging port on mine was dirty so I cleaned it out and it works again.

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LouiseForsythe
LouiseForsythe
2 years ago

This was a great teaching.Thank you for your clear layman instructions.

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Meana
Meana
2 years ago

My iphone wont charge i just bought a new cord and wverything

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Rock
Rock
3 years ago

Wish the battery didn’t die completely. This may have helped.

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Anonymous
Anonymous
6 years ago

Worked perfectly!! Thank you.

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Anonymous
Anonymous
6 years ago

Great article, lots oof info

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