If your iPhone 7 is charging super slowly—or not at all—you’re not the only one. Charging issues are pretty common and can happen after a software update or due to something as simple as a faulty cable. Whether your phone barely charges or takes forever to reach 100%, here are all the ways you can troubleshoot it and (hopefully) fix the problem.
1. Use the Original Charger and Try a Wall Outlet
Before diving into deeper fixes, start with the basics:
- Make sure you’re using the original Apple Lightning cable and charger.
- Plug directly into a wall outlet, not a laptop, power bank, or car charger—those typically deliver less power.
- Try a different wall outlet to rule out issues with the power source.
Also check the cable and charging brick for any signs of damage or wear. If the cable is frayed or the adapter feels loose, that could be your culprit.
2. Restart Your iPhone
If this is the first time you’ve noticed slow charging, try restarting your phone. It could just be a minor software glitch.
Here’s how:
- Hold the Side button until the “Slide to Power Off” screen shows up.
- Slide to turn it off.
- Wait about 30 seconds, then turn it back on by holding the Side button again.
After rebooting, plug your phone back in and see if it charges faster.
3. Force Restart While Charging
A force restart can shut down background processes or stuck apps that might be draining power during charging.
Here’s how to do it on iPhone 7:
- Plug in your iPhone and leave it charging for about 10 minutes.
- Press and hold the Side (Power) button and Volume Down button at the same time.
- Keep holding both for about 20–30 seconds, until the Apple logo appears.
This helps force-close anything that might be interfering with the charging process.
4. Turn On Airplane Mode While Charging
Your iPhone constantly connects to Wi-Fi, cellular, Bluetooth, and GPS—even while charging. These background activities can slow down the charging speed.
To charge faster:
- Swipe down from the top right to open Control Center.
- Tap the Airplane Mode icon to turn off all wireless features.
Once your phone is charged, you can turn Airplane Mode off again.
5. Check for a Software Update
Sometimes a buggy iOS update can mess with charging behavior—and Apple usually fixes those bugs in follow-up updates.
To check for updates:
- Go to Settings > General > Software Update
- If one is available, download and install it.
Make sure your phone is connected to Wi-Fi and has enough battery to complete the update.
Bonus tip: Also update your apps in the App Store. Outdated apps can sometimes cause performance issues that drain your battery or interfere with charging.
6. Try a Different Charger or Cable
If none of the software fixes are working, your charging accessories could be the issue—even if they look fine. Try using a different:
- Apple-certified Lightning cable
- Charger or power adapter
Avoid super-cheap third-party cables—they often cause problems or don’t deliver enough power. Look for MFi-certified accessories from brands like Anker, Belkin, or Apple itself.
7. Restore Your iPhone Using iTunes or Finder
If a recent update caused the issue and there’s no new patch yet, restoring your iPhone to a previous state might help. You can do this through iTunes (Windows/macOS Mojave or earlier) or Finder (macOS Catalina and later).
To do a recovery mode restore:
- Connect your iPhone to your computer.
- Open iTunes or Finder.
- Press and hold the Side button + Volume Down button until you see the recovery mode screen (a cable pointing to a laptop).
- Choose Update if available (to reinstall iOS without erasing your data), or choose Restore to wipe and start fresh.
If this doesn’t work, you can also try a DFU (Device Firmware Update) restore—the deepest type of restore possible. It’s more advanced, so only try that if you’re comfortable or follow a reliable guide.
8. Visit an Apple Store or Repair Center
If nothing else works and your iPhone 7 still charges slowly, it could be a hardware issue—like a dirty or damaged charging port, or something wrong with the internal battery.
Take it to:
- An Apple Store (Genius Bar) or
- An authorized service provider in your area
They can run diagnostics and let you know if repair or replacement is necessary. If your phone is still under warranty or AppleCare+, it may even be free.