This post will help you deal with a charging issue on the new iPhone SE 2022. Read on to learn what to do if your new iPhone SE 3 (2022) won’t charge.
So you’ve finally got a hold of the new 3rd generation iPhone but for some reason it’s not charging. If so, then that’s definitely a downer. On a positive note, such a problem is tagged among those that can be easily resolved by end-users. Unless hardware damage is present, you can get your iPhone to charge properly again after performing a few handy tweaks including the ones highlighted in this context.
iPhone SE 3 Charging Issue
Earlier in March of this year, Apple officially unveiled its most economical special edition iPhone (iPhone SE 3) 2022, otherwise known as iPhone SE 3rd generation. It’s a 4.7-inch phone that comes with a Retina HD display, A15 Bionic chipset, better battery and 5G capabilities. Overall, it’s an incredible value for your money.
If you’re among the first to own this device, you’ll see better performance and significant speed. But just like the rest, this new iPhone also has its own share of pilot issues.
Among the first reported problems faced by the first owners of this new iPhone SE include overheating, 5g connectivity issue, Bluetooth, atypical vibrations and charging issue among others.
Tackled in this post is on the first reported charging issue on the iPhone SE 3. This involves slow charging, intermittent or unstable charge, or no charge/not charging at all.
Given that this is a new device, the underlying cause is more likely software-related unless the charging equipment has some sort of defects, incompatible or totally dysfunctional.
Before opting to get a new charger, you can do some basic walkarounds to rule out the common culprits from the software aspect.
The first to rule out are random software issues including in-app glitches, corrupted data, settings conflicts that might have obstructed the normal charging operation.
If the phone still refuses to charge after ruling out common software-related factors as underlying causes, then it’s likely a problem with the iPhone’s charging components if not with the charging equipment in use.
Troubleshooting Apple iPhone SE 3 (2022) won’t charge/not charging
The following tweaks will help eliminate software-related factors that can obstruct the iPhone’s charging system from working properly. Don’t forget to test charge your device after performing each method to determine whether or not the problem is fixed. Proceed to the next applicable solution, if necessary.
Solution #1: Soft reset/force restart the iPhone.
Normally, you’ll be prompted to charge your phone when its battery percentage level gets below 20 percent or when the battery indicator turns red. This means that the phone still has a little power left to stay up and running while you’re prepping for the next charge. A 20 percent battery life is also good enough for your iPhone to complete the reboot sequence. Thus, if your first charging attempt fails, then you can still get it to restart.
To restart/soft reset an iPhone SE 3, just follow these steps:
- Press and hold the Side button on the top-right edge and then release when the Power off slider appears.
- Drag the Power Off slider to the right. Doing so powers off the device.
- After a few seconds, press and hold the Side button until the Apple logo appears.
Meanwhile, if your iPhone battery is totally drained and it doesn’t charge on your first recharge attempt, performing force restart might help. As the name implies, a force restart forcibly terminates the system and instigates the reboot sequence. This is usually needed if the iPhone got stuck due to some critical system errors.
To force restart the iPhone SE 3, just follow these steps:
- Press and quickly release the Volume Up button then press and quickly release the Volume Down button.
- Finally, press and hold the Side button until the Apple logo appears.
The phone will then instigate the reboot sequence. Just give it a few seconds for the reboot process to complete.
Restarting the iPhone (both soft reset and force restart) does not affect any user data saved in the iPhone storage. This means that you won’t lose any important files, apps and documents for as long as it’s carried out correctly.
As soon as it’s finished rebooting, retry charging it and see if it’s already able to do so.
Is your iPhone charging now?
If you’ve managed to charge your iPhone after performing a soft reset or force restart, the next thing you should do is to optimize your apps and system services. Doing so will prevent any system conflicts that may eventually obstruct the iPhone’s charging process.
A recommended way to keep the iPhone system optimized is to keep it up-to-date. If you haven’t enabled automatic updating on your device, then you can manually check for, download and install new OTA updates available.
To do so, just head over to your iPhone Settings-> General-> Software Update menu and then tap Automatic Updates to let your iPhone scour for the latest iOS update available to download and install.
Aside from iOS updates, installing all pending app updates is also recommended to ensure all your apps are updated and optimized. Just like iOS updates, app updates rolled out by their respective developers also embed essential patches that get rid of any transpiring bugs that are inflicting in-app glitches. This therefore helps prevent any of your apps from causing massive battery draining or any other power-related problems.
Overall, updates can help your iPhone to have optimized battery charging.
Is your iPhone still not charging?
If your phone still doesn’t charge after performing a soft reset and/or force restart, here’s what you should do next.
Check the charging equipment.
If it isn’t the software, then it must be a hardware issue. The first thing you should scrutinize is your charging equipment, particularly the charging adapter and lightning cable. Verify and ensure that none of them is showing any indication of liquid or physical damage.
Make sure that the lightning cable and its end does not have any corrosion on its contacts.
Check the charging port.
Aside from the charging cable and adapter, also care to check the charging port on your iPhone. Make sure nothing is blocking the port that may hinder the charging cable from having firm/stable contact with the charging port circuit.
The metal contacts on the end of the lightning cable must be firmly connected to the contacts inside the charging port of the iPhone. If something blocks the port, then there will be a lose or no contact at all.
As a result, there is no passage of electricity from the charger to the iPhone and thus, the phone won’t charge.
If you see some kind of dirt or grime that’s clogging inside the port, try to clear that out too. You can use a toothpick or toothbrush to clean out any dirt from the inside.
Do not use compressed air for this to prevent damaging the microphones, speakers and other relevant components near the charging port.
Remove any protective casing.
If you’ve installed any non-Apple protective casing, try removing the case and then charge your iPhone again. Some cases aren’t perfectly designed to perfectly fit on the iPhone and thereby result in the charging port somehow inaccessible.
Switch between charging ports or power sources.
To rule out the possibility that the current charging source/port is not working, try to plug the charger to a different power source like a wall outlet, portable power banks, a laptop/computer USB port or any other compatible USB ports.
Use another compatible USB-C charger/adapter.
If you’ve tried all the aforementioned suggestions and your iPhone is still not charging, try to use another charger that’s compatible with your iPhone. The recommended wired charger for the Apple SE 3 is a 20W to 30W USB-C power adapter/charger, so be sure to secure one of these kinds.
As for the charging cable, use the Apple USB-C to lightning cable or USB-A to lightning cable, if available. The latter however does not support fast charging but it will still be able to charge your device.
If necessary, leave your iPhone plugged into the charger for at least an hour.
Use a wireless charger for wireless charging.
If the iPhone doesn’t charge with a wired charger, try using a wireless charger instead. Just like the 2nd generation iPhone, the 3rd generation iPhone SE also supports wireless charging.
As recommended, use a high-quality, compatible Qi-enabled charger for your iPhone. While this may sound like a no-brainer suggestion, just verify and ensure that the wireless charger is plugged into the power source or power strip that’s working.
Seek more help
If none of that works, then it’s probably a hardware issue with the iPhone itself. It could be the battery or the charging port that’s having some sort of snags.
At this point, your best remaining option is a technician or Apple store visit. You can take a trip to the nearest authorized Apple service center in your area and have your iPhone diagnosed by a technician for any possible hardware defects.
If your device is still eligible for warranty, you can avail a warranty instead. Just talk to your iPhone carrier or the store where you made the purchase to avail for a new unit replacement, if possible.
If the problem started from an iOS update and it persisted after applying basic tweaks, then you better contact Apple Support to escalate the matter for further assistance and official recommendations.
Please keep posted for more comprehensive iOS tutorials and troubleshooting guides on this site. Or you can check out this YouTube channel to view more comprehensive tutorial and troubleshooting videos including recent iOS devices.