How to fix an iPhone 8 that is charging very slow (easy steps)

When your iPhone is charging very slowly, something must have caused the charging system to not perform at its best. Most of the time, a faulty app is to blame. So if it just occurred to your device to charge very slow or not charge at all after installing a new app, then most likely that new app is the trigger. Slow charging and no charging issues also surface among the common problems transpiring in various iPhone variants after a new software version is implemented. In this case, the problem is tagged among other post-update issues that are probably triggered by software bugs. Post-update issues are generally addressed by a fix patch that comes in a form of minor follow-up released by Apple. Aside from bad apps and software, faulty hardware is likewise to blame. This is often the case if your device has acquired some sort of physical or liquid damage. The use of incompatible charging equipment, damaged ports or power sources are also among the possible causes. All these denote the need for you to consider looking into both software and hardware aspects when dealing with no charging or slow charging issue on your device. This post highlights some recommended workarounds and charging tips for you to refer to when needed. Read on and learn what your options are whenever you will bump into a similar problem on your new iPhone 8 handset.

Before we move any further, if you are looking for a solution to a different problem, them drop by our iPhone 8 troubleshooting page for we have already addressed some of the most common problems with this device. Odds are that there are already existing solutions to your problem. Try to find issues that are similar with yours and use the solutions we suggested. If they don’t work or if you need more help, fill up our iPhone issues questionnaire and we’ll help you with you problem.

First things to do and check if your iPhone 8 is charging very slow

Before you start troubleshooting software issues that might have caused your iPhone to charge very slowly, be sure to consider the following charging tips and recommendations.

  • Use only the original charging equipment. Some third-party chargers may not have the desired output power for your iPhone so it will take a lot longer for the battery to become fully charged. This is one of the main reasons why it is but highly recommended to use only OEM or Apple-supplied charger for your iPhone.
  • Verify and ensure that the power source in use isn’t busted. To make sure the problem is not due to the power source, try to switch between power outlets or power sources. You can actually use three power sources when charging your iPhone including wall power outlet, computer USB port (2.0 or 3.0), and power accessories like powered USB hub, docking station, or other Apple-certified accessory. When charging from a computer USB port, be sure that the computer is turned on and not in sleep mode. But then again, the supplied power from computers or power accessory may not be similar with that from wall power outlet. So it’s still possible for your iPhone to charge slowly.
  • Check the Lightning cable and adapter for any visible signs of damage. Examine the both ends of the USB cable or Lightning cable you use to charge your iPhone. Note that Apple’s Lightning cables are prone to fraying especially at the end that connects to your iPhone. If ever you see any visible signs of damage, then you need a new cable.
  • Clean up the charging port at the bottom of your iPhone. Take a flashlight and check the charging port at the bottom of your iPhone. Any debris or gunk in the port can prevent the lightning cable from making solid contact with your iPhone so it’s possible that your device won’t charge or may charge but very slow. If necessary, brush it out with something that won’t conduct electric charge so as to prevent causing any damage to the electronics components at the bottom of your phone.
  • Switch between wired and wireless chargers. If you are using a wireless charger and your iPhone is charging very slow on that, switch to wired (via USB cable) charging and see if there’s any difference with the charging speed.

Troubleshooting an iPhone 8 that is charging very slow

The following are things you can try to fix your iPhone 8 that’s charging very slowly...

Force your iPhone 8 to restart.

If it’s the first time for your iPhone to charge slowly, then it might be just a minor glitch affecting the charging system. A soft reset or forced restart should be able to deal with it.

Here’s how a soft reset is done on your iPhone 8:

  1. Press and hold the Power button until the Slide to Power off appears.
  2. Drag the slider to the right to power off your device.
  3. After 30 seconds, press and hold the Power button again until the Apple logo appears.

Charge your iPhone after the restart and see how it does. If a soft reset doesn’t help, then force your iPhone 8 to restart while charging. Here’s how a forced restart is done on your iPhone:

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

It’s a simulated battery removal procedure that works similar as a soft reset without affecting your iPhone data.

Quit all background apps

Some background apps crash, go rogue and cause massive draining. So you may think that your iPhone is charging slowly but actually the background apps are draining the battery so quick. In this case, you can force all running apps to quit or turn off your iPhone while charging.

To force close apps on your iPhone 8, follow these steps:

  1. 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.
  2. Swipe up on the app’s preview to close it.
  3. Do the same to the rest of the background apps.

Turn off your phone then charge it again.

Reset all settings on your iPhone 8

Some settings or options might have been configured to use up much power on your device. The thing is that it would be difficult to pinpoint which setting or option needs to be modified. If the problem just occurred after installing a new update, then most likely the update has automatically altered your iPhone settings, which eventually caused your device to drain more power and charge slowly. A possible fix you can try is to reset all settings.

To do so, go to Settings-> General-> Reset-> Reset all settings.

This will reset all settings to their original values without affecting any of your data stored on your iPhone’s internal memory.

Restore your iPhone 8 in DFU mode

To rule out the possibility of a major system issue preventing your iPhone’s charging system from working as expected, you may consider resorting to a DFU mode restore. It’s the deepest type of system restore you can do on your iPhone using iTunes. Should you wish to proceed, back up all your data as you will lose them in the process. And then, get your computer ready.

Before you proceed, make sure your iPhone has sufficient charge about 50 percent of battery or more. This is to ensure no power interruption during the DFU mode restore. Failed or incomplete DFU mode restore could brick your iPhone. A more comprehensive walkthrough on how a DFU mode restore works and how it’s done is available on our iPhone 8 Tutorials section. Check out our Troubleshooting Page for more details.

Other options

If you suspect that the problem is with your charger, contact your carrier or Apple Support for other options. You may avail for new replacement charger if your device is still eligible for warranty. Talk to your carrier on these matters.

Connect with us

If you need more help with the use of certain functions and features of the new Apple iPhone 8 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 8. 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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