When your iPhone 8 Plus is not charging as fast as it should, chances are that your charger might be defective, the power source has low power output, an app has gone rogue, your phone system is glitching, or worst, hardware damage is present. Contrary to what many people have thought, charging problems like slow charging or not charging iPhone are often attributed to apps glitches if not bad software updates.
Having said that, you still may try some workarounds and attempt to troubleshoot software problems that might have caused your iPhone not to charge or charge very slowly.
How to troubleshoot iPhone 8 Plus that’s charging so slowly
To give you some more inputs, I’ve mapped out some applicable workarounds for you to try on. Feel free to refer to this context for further assistance.
Before you begin troubleshooting though, be sure to check on a few important factors particularly the ones I itemized below:
- Check your charging port or power source. There are times when the power source you are using is to blame. It is but highly recommended to use wall outlets when charging as other power sources like power banks, computer ports, and other power accessories may not be able to supply the required amount of power to your device. This denotes slow charging on your iPhone. You can try switching between power outlets to rule busted outlet out from the possible causes.
- Check your charging equipment for signs of damage. A faulty charging cable or adapter in use can also cause charging issues to occur. If you see any visible signs of possible damage to any of your charging equipment, then you may use other alternative Apple chargers available. Otherwise, you will need to secure a new one.
- Be sure to use the original charger. Non-Apple or third-party chargers may not be that compatible with your iPhone 8 Plus. So your iPhone may still be able to charge but not as fast as when using the original charger. Some poorly engineered third-party chargers may even inflict damage to your iPhone itself.
Once you’ve got everything checked but to no avail, proceed with these workarounds and begin troubleshooting software problems your iPhone 8 Plus that might have prevented it from charging as fast as it should.
First workaround: Quit all background apps
Background apps are beneficial in terms of multitasking or reloading of similar apps. But there’s also a downside if you keep multiple apps running in the background for some time as any of these apps can crash. If ever this happens, some of your iPhone functions including the charging system may be affected and slow charging could be among the adverse effects. To prevent this from causing such trouble, quit all background apps, restart your iPhone then try to charge it again. So here’s what you should do then:
- Press the Home button twice quickly. Doing so opens the Apps viewer screen containing a list of recently used apps. These apps are in standby mode and running in the background.
- Swipe up on the app’s preview to close it.
- Do the same to the rest of the background apps.
If your iPhone is still charging very slowly after applying the first workaround, then move on to the next available workaround.
Second workaround: Force restart
A force restart might be the key to fixing the problem especially if the main problem is tied to a system error or software glitches occurring on your device. This forces all services, apps, and process to quit or end. So aside from freeing up some space of the internal memory, it will also clear your phone system from any errors and glitches that might have caused your iPhone to charge very slowly. Whenever you’re all set to give it a shot, follow these steps to force your iPhone 8 Plus to restart:
- Press and quickly release the Volume Up button.
- Press and quickly release the Volume Down button.
- Press and hold the Side/Power button until the Apple logo appears.
Try charging your phone again after it boots up completely and see if everything working as intended by now. If not, then continue to the next method.
Third workaround: Update to the latest version of iOS
Software updates are also rolled out to fix various types of software problems in iOS devices including those that are tied to iPhone charging. If you still have enough power left like around 50 percent battery, then you can check for available (OTA) updates to install on your iPhone. Just make sure your iPhone is connected to the Internet beforehand.
- To check for software update on your iPhone 8 Plus, go to Settings-> General-> Software Update menu. An update notification will pop up if an update is available.
Once you have successfully installed the new update, reboot your iPhone to apply the new changes, then see if it’s now charging faster.
Fourth workaround: Reset all settings
Messed up settings on the iPhone are also among the possible causes of rapid battery draining. If this happens, it is but expected for your device to take much longer to get fully charged. You might think that your iPhone is charging very slowly but it’s the setting that caused your device to rapidly drain power. To rule this out, resetting all settings can help. Here’s how:
- Tap Settings from the Home screen.
- Tap General.
- Tap Reset.
- Select the option to Reset All Settings.
- If prompted, enter the correct passcode for your device.
- Tap Reset All Settings to confirm.
Your settings are then restored to their original values so you’ll have to reconfigure your Wi-Fi network to get back online. But this won’t result to data loss.
Fifth workaround: Disable/remove rogue apps
If the problem started after installing a new content or third-party app, then most likely the recent add-ons are to blame. You can check which from your apps has the highest (unusual) level of power consumption and then uninstall the bad app(s). Here’s how:
- Tap and hold on any app icon on the Home screen.
- When the app icons start to jiggle, tap the X in the edge of the app you want to uninstall.
- Tap Delete to confirm action.
If removing the app is not your option, you can also try updating your apps instead. Apps updates bring in new and enhanced features and fix patches to address apps issues inflicted by some bugs.
To update apps on your iPhone 8 Plus, head over to the Apps Store-> Updates. To update an app, tap the Update button next to the app. Otherwise, tap the Update All button, if multiple app updates are available.
Other options
You may opt to proceed with a full system reset or restore your iPhone 8 Plus to its factory defaults if none of these given solutions is able to fix the problem. There might be a more serious system error occurring and eventually halted your phone’s charging system from doing its normal task. And more often than not, complex system issues in iOS devices including the new iPhone are dealt with by a factory reset or iOS restore. But the downside is that you will lose all your personal information and other important data stored on the internal memory of your device as they will all be wiped out along with any bugs and system errors. That said, creating a backup is needed before you proceed.
- Should you wish to continue with a factory reset, head over to Settings-> General-> Reset-> then select the option to Erase all content and settings. When asked, enter your device passcode and then tap the option to confirm system reset.
You will need to complete the initial setup process in order to use your phone again.
Alternatively, you can use iTunes to reset your iPhone 8 Plus to factory defaults or restore a previous iOS backup. The latter is applicable to persistent charging issues inflicted by faulty updates.
As your final option if all else failed is to visit the nearest Apple Genius bar in your place and have your iPhone checked and further assessed by an authorized technician. There might be some type of physical damage that’s preventing your device from charging faster. If necessary, avail for warranties.