There’s a growing number of #GalaxyS8 users asking us to provide solutions to their charging issues and some of them mentioned about their device failing to charge after getting an overheating message. As of this time, we have no idea how pervasive this problem with the S8 device but just in case, we’ve prepared a short list of things that you can try.
How to fix a Galaxy S8 that stops charging due to overheating
Overheating is normally a symptom of an underlying hardware problem. In most cases, it’s a bad battery. In some, it may be a malfunction of the logic board. Still in others, overheating can be caused by a software bug. We hope this is what’s happening in your device as software-related problems are user-fixable.
If you’re wondering how to kick off your troubleshooting, follow our steps below.
Solution #1: Use another set of charging cable and adapter
This is a basic troubleshooting step when facing any charging issue on any phone. Just like other electronics, cables and charger heads or adapters can also go bad. To know the state of your phone’s charging accessories, you can either try using a known working USB cable and Galaxy S8 adapter, or you can try the current set to charge another device. Either way should tell you whether you have an accessory problem or not.
Solution #2: Check charging port
Another possible reason for your S8 failing to charge may be the charging port. Frankly, there’s nothing much that you can do about it if it stopped working. However, some charging issues are caused by a dirty port or blockage in the port. If your S8 is regularly exposed to dust or moist environment, the charging port may get clogged up. To check that, we suggest that you inspect it using a magnifier or a magnifying glass used by repair shops. This way, you’ll be able to see the inside more clearly. There may be dirt, pocket lint, or debris in the port blocking the charging cable.
Try to avoid sticking something in the port to remove dirt, as that may damage or bend the pins. Instead, consider using a can of compressed air to do the job.
Solution #3: Install updates
If your S8 is in pristine condition and never sustained physical damaged that might cause the hardware to malfunction, the most likely reason is software in nature. To minimize chances of software-related problems, the first thing that you want to do is to install updates. In Android, there are two types of updates that you can install — operating system update and app updates. Make sure that you install both of them whenever they become available.
For OS update, you can go under Settings > Software update.
Updating outdated apps can be done all at once under Google Play Store app. To do that, just open the Play Store app, click the menu icon at the upper left, tap on My apps & games, then hit UPDATE ALL button.
Solution #4: Delete cache partition
Wiping the cache partition aims at refreshing the system cache. This cache is a set of temporary files that Android uses to load apps quickly as well as to ensure they operate efficiently once launched. Sometimes, the system cache may get corrupted causing glitches. One such glitches can be erratic charging behavior, or total inability to charge at all. To see if your case is caused by a bad system cache, make sure to delete the cache partition. Here’s how:
- Turn off the device.
- Press and hold the Volume Up key and the Bixby key, then press and hold the Power key.
- When the 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 to highlight “wipe cache partition.”
- Press the Power key to select.
- Press the Volume down key to highlight “yes” and press the Power key to select.
- When the wipe cache partition is complete, “Reboot system now” is highlighted.
- Press the Power key to restart the device.
Solution #5: Charge in safe mode
Apps may be the ones that keep smartphones interesting but sometimes, they can also be the cause of problems. We don’t know the full history of your S8 nor the complete list of apps that you installed so it’s good if you can do this troubleshooting step. Before you attempt to charge your S8 again, be sure that you boot your device to safe mode first. In this mode, no third party apps and services will be allowed to run. If your S8 charges fine in safe mode only, then that’s a sign that one of your apps is causing a problem. Here’s how to boot your S8 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.
- Uninstall apps that are causing a problem.
Don’t forget, safe mode won’t tell you what app is problematic. If you think you’ve installed a bad one and it’s causing this charging problem, uninstall third party apps one by one. Make sure that you restart the phone to normal mode after every uninstall to see if charging works. If not, proceed to the next app.
Solution #6: Factory reset
If the problem is still present up to this point, you should then consider wiping your S8. For this case, starting from scratch is a good bet since we have no idea where the problem lies. Factory reset will erase your data though so be sure to back them up before you proceed.
Once you’ve created your backup, follow these steps to factory reset:
- Turn off the device.
- Press and hold the Volume Up key and the Bixby key, then press and hold the Power key.
- When the 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 only addresses any software issue that may be causing the problem. It won’t affect any possible hardware malfunction your device may have. If your S8 still fails to charge after performing a reset, you can bet it’s a hardware trouble. To fix it, you have to send your phone to Samsung.
Solution #7: Try wireless charging
Alright, this is not really a solution but more of a workaround. It may work in your favor if it happens that the issue remains after doing a factory reset and it only lies on the charging port. Wireless charging is slower compared to cable charging but will at least give you another option if you want to hold off sending the device for some time.