How to fix Galaxy S9 incomplete connection error when charging [troubleshooting guide]

This troubleshooting article addresses another common charging issue with Samsung Galaxy devices — incomplete connection error when charging. There’s been a growing number of cases involving #GalaxyS9 units being affected by this problem so if you’re one of the unlucky S9 users, this post should help.

Solution #1: Use original S9 Samsung charging cable and adapter

A lot of charging issues are fixed by using manufacturer-provided cables and adapter. The same is true when it comes to your Galaxy S9. Based on some accounts from other users, incomplete connection error when charging occurs when a non-Samsung USB cable and/or adapter is used. We’re not saying that all third party cables and chargers are no good but if you’re having the mentioned error right now, it’s really worth seeing if using original accessories will help. Remember, your S9’s charging performance was tested using Samsung charging-provided USB cable and charging blocks only. If you use a non-Samsung accessory, there’s a chance that there may be some parameters that may be lacking or not work at all. So, just try to stick with the cable and adapter that came with your device.

Solution #2: Check the charging cable and adapter

If you’ve been using the original Samsung cable and adapter all along, then the next thing that you must do is to do an ocular inspection on these accessories. Try to look for telltale signs of physical wear and tear, bents, or damage on the USB cable and adapter. Keep in mind that USB cables can sometimes be sensitive to bents or physical damage. If you can see that the cable is damaged, consider getting a new one and see if that will stop the incomplete connection error.

Do the same for the adapter.

Solution #3: Move the cable when charging

We understand the Galaxy S9 is a recent addition to Samsung’s line of flagship devices but there’s always a chance that your device’s charging port may be overly sensitive to how the USB cable is connected. In older Galaxy devices, some users were able to resolve the incomplete connection error by moving the USB cable while charging until the error disappears.

This is not an ideal solution but if you’ll be able to charge your S9 doing this suggestion, this means that there’s probably an issue with the port. However, if you want to hold on to your device before sending it in to Samsung (yes, this issue requires repair or replacement), this might very well be the only option for you.

Solution #4: Clean the charging port

A dirty charging port can potentially result to erratic charging behavior. To minimize the possibility that the issue is caused by a dirty charging port, try to inspect it. If you think it’s dirty, or if there’s debris, pocket lint, or foreign object inside, try to use compressed air to clean it out.

Solution #5: Make sure that the charging port is not wet

The Galaxy S9 is water resistant so it should be able to handle occasional water splashes. However, if the charging port got wet and you did not dry it properly before charging, it may result to erratic charging behavior.

Make sure that you dry the charging port by air drying the device. Don’t put the device near a fire, oven, or direct sunlight. Remember, too much heat can kill electronics. Water naturally evaporates after some time so what you want to do is to shake the device vigorously, then wipe it with a clean soft cloth. Afterwards, let the device air dry for several hours.

Solution #6: Perform a soft reset

Some charging issues are fixed by performing a soft reset. This is basically just another way to restart a Samsung device with a non-removable battery pack. To do a soft reset, follow these steps:

Press and hold the Power and Volume down buttons for 12 seconds.
Use the Volume down button to scroll to the Power Down option.
Press the Home key to select. Note: Wait for the device to power down completely.

Solution #7: Restart to safe mode and observe

Third party apps can sometimes interfere with Android resulting to all sorts of issues. To check if one of your installed apps is to blame, restart your device to safe mode and observe the device. While in safe mode, no third party apps will be allowed to run so if incomplete connection error won’t show, you should start uninstalling apps until the problem is gone.

To restart your S9 to safe mode:

Turn the device off.
Press and hold the Power key past the model name screen.
When “SAMSUNG” appears on the screen, release the Power key.
Immediately after releasing the Power key, press and hold the Volume down key.
Continue to hold the Volume down key until the device finishes restarting.
Safe mode will display in the bottom left corner of the screen.
Release the Volume down key when you see Safe Mode.

Solution #8: Factory reset

Should the issue still remain at this point, the final possible solution that you can do is to wipe the device. There may be an operating system bug that causes this charging glitch to begin with so you’re better off reverting all software settings back to their defaults. We know for a fact that this error does not occur when the software is fresh or in factory state so there’s a big chance that this solution will help.

To factory reset your S9, follow these steps:

Turn off the device.
Press and hold the Volume Up key and the Bixby key, then press and hold the Power key.
When the green Android logo displays, release all keys (‘Installing system update’ will show for about 30 – 60 seconds before showing the Android system recovery menu options).
Press the Volume down key several times to highlight ‘wipe data / factory reset’.
Press Power button to select.
Press the Volume down key until ‘Yes — delete all user data’ is highlighted.
Press Power button to select and start the master reset.
When the master reset is complete, ‘Reboot system now’ is highlighted.
Press the Power key to restart the device.

Remember, factory reset will delete your personal data. Be sure to back them up thru Smart Switch before you do it.

Solution #9: Contact Samsung support

Should all else fail, including factory reset, be sure to let Samsung know about the issue so they can take a look at it. As mentioned above, incomplete connection error when charging is not isolated to the S9 so Samsung must already be aware of it at this time. It’s been going on for years and it’s one of the common problems that affect a number of Galaxy devices.

An issue like this is definitely covered under Samsung’s one-year warranty so unless you voided the warranty beforehand, repair or replacement should be free. Kindly check the documentation that came with the device for warranty-specific information.