How to fix intermittent charging issue on your Apple iPhone XR, wireless charging interference [Troubleshooting Guide]

Charging problems in mobile devices can be attributed to software errors or hardware damage. Symptoms may vary depending on the underlying cause. Tackled in this post is on intermittent charging as well as wireless charging interference with the new Apple iPhone XR.

This means that the phone is still able to charge through wired or wireless charger but in an on-off pattern. Hence something is interfering in the charging system and therefore that ‘something’ must be eliminated. It could be software-related, if not, due to a damaged charger, battery or other charging components. If you own this device and are facing the same charging dilemma, then you can try some helpful workarounds lined up below. Read on for more information.

Before anything else, if you have other issues with your device, try to browse through our troubleshooting page as we’ve already addressed several issues with this device. Odds are that we’ve already published a post that tackles similar problems. Try finding issues that have similar symptoms with what you currently have and feel free to use the solutions we’ve suggested. If they don’t work for you or if you still need our help, then fill up our questionnaire and hit submit to contact us.

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How to fix iPhone XR with intermittent charging issue

Before ruling out software errors that might have caused charging problems to occur on your iPhone XR, verify and ensure you’re heeding the following iOS charging requisites.

  • Use only the original (OEM) charging equipment. If you’re charging your iPhone XR using the traditional cable charging, be sure to use only the original or Apple-supplied charger. Non-Apple chargers don’t have the right power outputs, thus may not be able to give a stable charge to your phone or even worse, could possibly wreck it.
  • Use only Qi-certified wireless charging base. This is highly recommended to prevent causing damage to your iPhone. Other wireless chargers don’t have the right safety charging standards, hence may not best suit your iPhone XR. You can take a peek of some of the best wireless chargers recently released for the Apple iPhone XR this year. And they are outlined in this page.

If you’re on a wired charger (Lightning cable and adapter), be sure to charge from the main outlet or power source. Other charging ports may not render the same power output for your iPhone. Also ensure that neither the charging cable nor the adapter is damaged. If you have an extra Apple-supplied charger, then you can use that charger to determine if the problem is with the charger in use. Otherwise, troubleshoot software errors that might have meddled in the phone’s normal charging routine.

First workaround: Force restart iPhone while charging (wired charging).

Minor software errors are usually the main trigger of random charging system glitches. And the simplest solution to this would be a force restart. This helps clear out rogue apps and errant cached files that might have adversely affected the phone’s charging system and cause the intermittent charging symptom. For starters, here’s how to force restart your iPhone XR.

  1. Press and quickly release the Volume Up button.
  2. Then press and quickly release the Volume Down button.
  3. Finally, press and hold the Side/Power button until the Apple logo appears.

If you’re on a wired charger (Lightning cable/adapter), plug your iPhone into the charger then carry out a force restart. If you’re on a wireless charging base, allow your iPhone to charge up to 50 percent (at least) then do a force restart.

Second workaround: Update your iPhone XR to the latest iOS version available.

If you’ve managed to charge your iPhone up to 50% (at least) and you’re iPhone has stable access to wireless Internet, then try check for new iOS update. Installing the latest update can also be the key to fixing the problem if it’s attributed to random apps glitches and system bugs. To check for and install new update on your iPhone XR wirelessly (OTA), refer to these steps:

  1. Go to your iPhone XR Settings-> General-> Software Update menu. An update notification will show up when a new iOS version is available.
  2. Read the update details then select the option to Download and Install new update when ready.
  3. Follow the rest of the onscreen prompts to finish installing new update.

After updating, reboot your iPhone to apply the new system changes and likewise to clear all junk files that are stored as cache on the phone memory.

Third workaround: Restore your iPhone XR in iTunes (standard restore).

You may consider this among your last options and possible solutions to try on if the charging problem persists after applying the previous workarounds. This method resets and restores the iPhone to its factory default settings thus, wipes out any complex system errors that caused the phone to charge intermittently. Before you start though, be sure to back up all your important files to iCloud or iTunes as they will also be deleted permanently during the reset. Once you’re backup completed, follow these steps to perform a standard system restore through iTunes.

  1. Open iTunes on a computer. Be sure to use the latest version of iTunes software to avoid bumping into system conflicts.
  2. Connect your iPhone XR to your computer using the supplied USB cable or Lightning cable.
  3. If prompted on your iPhone to Trust This Computer or to enter the device passcode, follow the onscreen instructions to continue.
  4. Select your iPhone XR when it shows up in iTunes.
  5. Navigate to the Summary section on the left panel and then click the Restore [iPhone] button.
  6. If prompted, read and review the information to confirm iOS restore. iTunes will then instigate the system reset and then download the latest software version for your iPhone.

After the system reset and restore, try charging your iPhone XR again and see if the problem is fixed. If it’s still charging intermittently, then you may proceed with a recovery mode restore, to rule out more complicated system errors affecting the phone’s charging system.

Fourth workaround: Restore your iPhone XR in recovery mode.

If the problem persists and you opted to troubleshoot further, then you may resort to performing a recovery mode restore. It puts your device in a recovery state to repair major system errors and restore iOS back to its working state. To get this done, you’ll need to use iTunes on a computer. Here’s how it works:

  1. Connect your iPhone XR to your computer using the Apple-supplied USB/Lightning cable.
  2. While it’s connected, press and quickly release the Volume Up button.
  3. Then quick press and release the Volume Down button.
  4. Next, press and hold the Side/Power button and continue to hold as it restarts. Don’t release the Side/Power button when the Apple logo appears as you need to put the device in a recovery state.
  5. Release the Side/Power button when you see the Connect to iTunes logo on the screen.
  6. On your computer, navigate to iTunes then you should see a message saying that your connected iOS device is in recovery mode and prompts options to update or restore.
  7. Select the Restore option to wipe everything from the phone system and then restore iOS through iTunes.

Major system errors that could not be rectified by a factory reset or standard iTunes restore are usually remedied by performing a recovery mode restore. That being said, your iPhone XR should now be able to charge properly either through wired or wireless charger. Otherwise, you’re most likely dealing with a hardware issue, either on the charger in use or the iPhone XR itself.

Seek more help

Call Apple Support or your carrier’s customer care to report the problem and request further assistance and recommendations, if you’re still facing the same intermittent charging problem or wireless charging interference on your iPhone XR. If necessary, you can avail for service warranty or new unit replacement.

Alternatively, you can bring your phone to the nearest Apple-authorized service center and have it assessed by an iPhone technician for any indications of hardware damage. Don’t forget to bring the charger along so it can also be scrutinized. The charger you’re using may be defective, hence unable to render a stable charge.

Connect with us

If you need more help with the use of certain functions and features of the Apple iPhone XR smartphone, feel free to visit our Tutorial Page. There you can find a list of how-to contents, step-by-step tutorials, as well as answers to FAQs regarding iPhone XR. If you have other concerns or encountered some troubles while using the phone, you can reach us through this form. Just be sure to tell us more details of the problem or device issue(s) you may have and we will be more than happy to assist you further.

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