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Repair Community · Phones & Tablets
A customer asked at the counter this week: “My iPhone 13 only charges if I hold the cable at an angle, and sometimes it stops altogether. Is the charging port broken, and what would a repair cost?”
It is one of the most common questions we get, and more often than not the port is fine. Here is what we check before anyone pays for anything.
Nine times out of ten this is one of three things: a worn cable, a dirty port, or a tired adapter. A port replacement is the last thing to consider, not the first.
FREE, ONE-MINUTE CHECKS
• Try a different cable and a different plug, ideally ones you know work on another phone. Apple’s own advice is to check the cable and adapter “for signs of damage, such as breakage or bent prongs” and not to use damaged accessories. A cable that has to be held at an angle is very often the cable, not the phone.
• Plug into a wall socket rather than a laptop or car USB port, and make sure the cable is pushed firmly into both the phone and the adapter.
• Take the case off. Some cases stop the plug seating fully.
SIMPLE THINGS TO TRY AT HOME
• Look into the port with a torch. Pocket lint packs in at the bottom over months and stops the plug going all the way in. Switch the phone off first. Use a wooden or plastic toothpick, gently, scraping along the back wall and out; do not use anything metal, do not push hard, and do not use compressed air or any liquid (Apple says not to use compressed air on an iPhone). If lint comes out in a small pad, that was probably your fault.
• Then charge for half an hour and see whether it holds a connection without being held.
SOFTWARE AND RESTART
• If nothing happens at all when you plug in, Apple’s steps are: restart the phone, then charge for half an hour; if still nothing, force restart and charge another half hour. On an iPhone 13 the force restart is: press and quickly release volume up, press and quickly release volume down, then press and hold the side button until the Apple logo appears (it can take more than ten seconds). This does not delete anything.
WHEN IT PROBABLY NEEDS A REPAIR BUSINESS
• The port is visibly bent or loose, the plug wobbles side to side with the port clean, or a known-good cable still needs to be held at an angle after cleaning. Wireless charging still working while the port does not is another pointer to the port itself.
• A liquid-detected alert is a different problem; see our separate post on that.
If it comes to a repair, ask the business whether they replace the charging flex only or more than that, and what the price includes. Compare businesses on Wepairs and the price shown is the one they have set.
Sources checked: Apple Support (UK): If your iPhone or iPod touch won’t charge; Apple Support (UK): Restart an unresponsive iPhone; Apple Support (UK): Cleaning your iPhone.