When it comes to charging, prior models of iOS devices including the iPhone SE are not really equipped with fast charging features. The iPhone SE comes with Apple’s 5W charging block, which means a much lower battery capacity of the phone. This also denotes a shorter charging time, most likely around 2 hours. If you own this device and that it’s charge time falls within the 2 to 3-hour bracket, then you’re good. Otherwise, something’s not quite right with the charging system. It could be due to a software glitch or worst, hardware damage either on the phone or charging equipment.
Tackled in this post is a pertinent issue in which the iPhone SE that seems to be charging very slowly after installing the iOS 11.3.1 update. The problem is most likely attributed to the software unless physical or liquid damage is present on your device or charger in use. To rule software issues out from the probable cause, I’ve mapped out some helpful workarounds and generic solutions below. Feel free to refer to these walkthroughs if ever you’re here for help.
How to troubleshoot iPhone SE that’s charging very slowly after iOS 11.3.1 update
Before you begin to troubleshoot, make sure that you are using the original charger and that it is working properly. If you have a spare iPhone charger, then try changing the charger and see if there’s a difference when it comes to charging speed. If your iPhone SE is still charging slowly using both chargers, then you may instigate troubleshooting.
First solution: Perform a soft reset or force restart on your iPhone SE
This method is only applicable if your iPhone still has remaining power like 15 to 20 per cent.
Rebooting your iPhone or performing a soft reset will likely fix the problem if it’s due to minor software glitches like apps that have gone rogue, system crashes or corrupted data from the new update. If you haven’t restarted your iPhone yet, then you must do so with these steps:
- Press and hold the Power button until the Slide to Power off menu appears.
- Drag the slider to the right to turn your device completely off.
- After 30 seconds, press and hold the Power button until the Apple logo appears then release.
You can also try a force restart to force quit all background apps and services including those that are crashing. Similar to a soft reset, a force restart won’t affect any data you’ve stored on the internal memory of your device. It’s another simple alternative method to refresh the phone system for better and smoother operation. Here’s how it’s done:
- Press and hold the Home button and Power button simultaneously for about 20 to 30 seconds.
- Release both buttons when the Apple logo appears.
After the restart, try plugging your iPhone back into the charger and see if it is now charging faster.
Second solution: Reset all settings on your iPhone SE
Again this method only applies when your iPhone battery is not completely drained or empty.
Resetting all settings can help especially if the problem has something to do with your iPhone settings like when the new update automatically overrides your display settings, notifications, location services, and other features that can drain the battery faster. In this case, your device is likely charging normally however it takes longer for it to charge completely because of how the settings are configured. To rule this out, you can reset all settings on your iPhone SE to restore the default system settings and then you can individually configure options like enable features you need to use such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and the like.
If you wish to give it a try, then here’s how it’s done:
- Tap Settings from the Home screen.
- Tap General.
- Scroll to and tap Reset.
- Tap to select Reset all settings option.
- If prompted, enter your device passcode to continue.
- Then tap the option to confirm system settings reset.
Let your iPhone finished resetting and restoring the default system settings and options. Unlike a factory reset/master reset, no data is affected in the process. In short, it doesn’t result to data loss.
Third solution: Reset or restore iPhone in iTunes
As your last resort, you can reset your iPhone SE to its factory defaults or restore from a previous iOS backup, if possible. This however will require your device to have at least 20 to 30 percent of battery power. If you think your device can last until the reset is completed, then you may go ahead and perform a master reset first.
The quickest and simplest way to reset your iPhone SE to its factory defaults is through the Settings menu. Don’t forget to back up your important data beforehand.
To proceed with a factory reset, head over to Settings-> General-> Reset-> then select the option to Erase all content and settings. Enter your device passcode, if necessary. Then tap to confirm factory reset.
Alternatively, you can connect your iPhone SE to a computer and perform a master reset through iTunes. This option is recommended if your device is already running low on battery. Your iPhone may still be able to charge when it’s plugged into the computer.
To reset your iPhone SE in iTunes, follow these steps:
- Open iTunes on your computer. You can use either Mac or Windows PC with the latest version of operating system and iTunes software installed.
- Connect your iPhone to your computer using the supplied USB connector or Lightning cable.
- If prompted to Trust This Computer on your iPhone screen, tap the option to Trust then follow the onscreen commands.
- On the computer, select your iPhone when it appears in iTunes.
- Navigate to the Summary panel.
- Click Restore [device].
- Click Restore again to confirm.
- Wait for iTunes to erase your device and installs the latest software.
After your iPhone restores to factory settings, it will reboot automatically. Try to charge and see if there’s any improvement on the charging speed. You can set it up as new when it gets fully charged.
If factory reset doesn’t help, then you may continue with iOS restore either through recovery mode restore or DFU mode restore. A more detailed walkthrough on how to restore an iPhone SE in recovery mode and DFU mode is available on our Tutorials section. Just visit our iPhone SE troubleshooting page if necessary.
Other options
You can take your iPhone to an Apple service center nearby and have it checked by an authorized technician to determine if the problem is associated with some sort of physical or liquid damage. Also don’t forget bring the charger for it to be examined as well. It might be just a coincidence that charging symptoms from hardware damage have instigated after updating your iPhone SE to the latest iOS version.
Posts you may also like to check out:
How to fix Facebook that keeps crashing, stops working on an iPhone SE after installing new iOS update (easy steps)
How to fix a Messenger app that keeps crashing on Apple iPhone SE (easy steps)
How to fix Cellular Data that stopped working on iPhone SE after iOS 11 update [Troubleshooting Guide]