Samsung Galaxy S4 Not Charging [Troubleshooting Guide]

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There were a lot of reports about the Samsung Galaxy S4 that refuses to charge. In fact, the problem was listed as one of the most common issues any user could experience. Like any other problems, causes may vary and its weight may depend on how serious it is. Among the most common causes of the problem are the following:

  • Defective charging unit or cable.
  • Damaged battery.
  • Bent, broken or pushed in connectors on the device or battery.
  • Temporary phone problem.
  • Phone is defective.

Also read: What To Do If Samsung Galaxy S4 Has A Damaged Battery Connector

Samsung Galaxy S4 Not Charging

The main purpose of this post is to troubleshoot what the problem really is or where it lies. Your problem may be fixed if you follow the procedures, however, we don’t guarantee it especially when the problem is with the hardware.

Step 1: Reboot or soft-reset the phone

In case you just encountered the problem, it is necessary to reboot or even soft-reset the device to eliminate the possibility that it is a temporary problem and no further troubleshooting would be done. There were so many reports from owners suggesting the problem could be fixed by refreshing the phone’s memory.

Step 2: Test charger, inspect cable

Since it is a charging problem, the first thing you should look into is the charging unit. Run your hand through the cable and see if there is a breakage or damage somewhere. If not, try bringing the charger near to your nose and check if you can smell any burnt odor. Burnt electronic components always leave a trail that nose can smell. If you have another device that has the same charging port as with the Galaxy S4, try to plug it in and see if it charges. If it does, the problem is not with the charger, otherwise, I would recommend you buying a new one.

Step 3: Check the battery

After making sure there is no problem with the charger, you should check your battery next. You can use a tester to see if the battery is giving out the current it is supposed to provide or insert it to another Galaxy S4 to see if it charges there. You should also inspect its connectors to find any bent, missing or pushed in connectors. If it turns out that the battery has the problem, you have to other option but to buy a new one.

Step 4: Check the phone itself

The first thing you could easily do is check the connectors that conduct the current from the battery to the components inside. See if one of the connectors is bent, broken, missing or pushed in. In case of a bent or pushed in connector, you can use tweezers to straighten it up. However, if one is missing or broken, you may need to send the phone for repair. You could also borrow a battery from a friend with S4 and see if it charges using a different battery.

Step 5: Seek help from authorized technician

If all else fail, we recommend you bring the phone in for checkup. If the problem can be fixed by a technician, you may still end up buying a new battery or charger. But in case it is beyond economical repair and it is inside the scope of its warranty, a replacement unit might be provided.

Having problems with your phone that’s not charging?

We can help you troubleshoot. We already published troubleshooting guides for the following devices: