It's easy to get nervous when your laptop is plugged in but not charging, since you obviously can't use your computer once the battery dies. But in many cases, you can figure out why your laptop says "plugged in, not charging" and correct it.

We'll show you what to do when your laptop battery won't charge while plugged in. Whether you have a Dell, Lenovo, HP, or another machine, these tips will help. We focus on Windows here, but most of the tips apply broadly to laptops running macOS or Linux too.

1. Check All Physical Cable Connections

Before you get into deep troubleshooting for this charging problem, first check the basics. Make sure you have inserted the charging cable firmly into your laptop's charging port.

Then double-check its connection to the wall outlet—consider trying another socket in case the current one isn't working. If you're plugged into a power strip, try connecting directly to the wall outlet instead.

Don't forget to review the connection where the cable plugs into the AC adapter brick, also. That could have become loose if someone tripped over it, or from being stretched over time.

Finally, make sure you're not having a separate issue, such as an incorrect battery percentage in Windows 10.

Laptop AC Adapter Securely Plugged

2. Remove the Battery and Connect to Power

Next, you should determine if your laptop's battery is working or not. If your laptop has a removable battery, completely remove it from your machine. Usually, you can do this by pulling on a few tabs on the underside of your machine. If you're not sure of the process, check the manual or Google instructions for your specific model.

You should always shut down your computer (if it's not already dead) before removing the battery. Unplug the charger and any connected accessories, too.

Once you remove the battery, hold the power button for several moments to clear any remaining charge in the system. After that's done, connect the charger and try to turn your laptop on.

Laptop Removable Battery

If it works properly without the battery, then your laptop charging problem lies with your battery. Make sure that the battery compartment is clean; wipe out any foreign material inside with a lint-free cloth if needed. Then re-seat the battery in its compartment and make sure all the contacts are lined up. If this doesn't fix the problem, you most likely have a dead battery that you'll need to replace.

In case your laptop doesn't have a removable battery, you can try opening up your machine and removing it yourself. However, doing so will likely void your warranty, and you can cause serious damage to your computer if you make a mistake. In these cases, it's safer to take your computer to a technician who can analyze the battery using professional tools. Then they'll be able to recommend a replacement or other solutions.

3. Make Sure You're Using the Right Charger and Port

Moving on, you should next check that power (and enough of it) is getting to your laptop.

Make sure that you have your charger plugged into the right port on your laptop. Many laptops only have one spot for the charging plug, but if you have a newer computer, it might use USB-C to charge.

In this case, try all the USB-C ports on your laptop, as some could be for data transfer only. Some computers will have a little power icon next to the port that's meant for charging.

Lenovo X1 Yoga USB-C

For the best results, you should use the original charger that came with your laptop. Counterfeit chargers can cause lasting damage to your devices. Third-party models might not use the right wattage, which can result in your laptop charging extremely slowly or not at all. This is especially true with USB-C cables, as some aren't meant to charge devices as big as a laptop.

If you don't have the right charger for your machine, see section #8 below for advice on getting a new one.

Also, consider the power source that your computer is plugged into. If your laptop is plugged into a battery pack or a low-power outlet on an airplane or similar, it might not pull enough power to charge the battery. In these cases, you might be able to keep the battery level stable with the weak power source, but won't increase the charge.

4. Review Your Cable and Ports for Damage

Even though you did a cursory check for cable connection issues earlier, it's a good idea to review the power cord more thoroughly now. A damaged cord can cause the "plugged in, not charging" issue.

Look down the entire length of your laptop's power cord for fraying or other damage. Try grabbing it to see if any parts feel bulgy or otherwise misshapen. It's also a good idea to sniff the AC adapter part of the charger—if you smell burning, something has gone wrong inside the box, and you'll need to replace the charger. For your safety, immediately stop using any charger that gets excessively hot or has a burning smell.

Finally, take a look at the port for the charger on your laptop. You should have a fairly snug fit when you connect the charger. If it feels loose, try jiggling it around a bit to see if you can get a good connection.

Also check for debris inside the port, which can prevent you from making a solid connection. Shine a flashlight into the port to check for built-up dirt or other debris, which can prevent the plug from doing its job.

If there's grime inside, use a cotton swab or toothpick to carefully clean it out. Don't be aggressive, as you might damage the internals of the port.

Laptop Charging Port

Speaking of this, to prevent damage to your charging cable and port in the future, you should always keep some slack in the cable when charging. This prevents unnecessary stress from wearing on the charging port. Avoid letting the AC adapter brick dangle off a table while your laptop is plugged in, as this will pull down on the connector and can ruin the connection over time.

5. Reduce Resource Usage

There's a chance that your battery not charging even when it's plugged in isn't related to hardware. If your computer is working extremely hard, your charger might not be replenishing the battery quickly enough.

For instance, if your computer is getting hot, the fan has to work harder to cool it, which will take more battery power. When you have many power-hungry programs and processes running at once, they will suck up more battery power at a high rate.

On Windows, you can open the Task Manager with Ctrl + Shift + Esc, or by searching for it on the Start menu, to check current resource usage. Click More details if needed, then on the Processes tab, you can see how many resources are in use.

Windows Task Manager Network Usage

If you suspect this is the root of your charging issue, try closing some programs. In extreme cases, you should shut off your PC to let it cool down. Once it's back to normal, power on and see if your charger can keep up with the battery at a usual workload.

If your computer always struggles to keep up with your typical workflow, you should consider upgrading to a more powerful machine when possible. Make sure you aren't overheating your laptop by blocking its vents, either.

6. Check Windows and Manufacturer Power Options

Other software issues can also cause your laptop battery not to charge, even when plugged in. While the power plans in Windows don't contain any specific options that prevent your battery from charging, third-party tools can affect how your laptop charges.

First, visit the Windows 10 power settings page by going to Settings > System > Power & sleep and clicking Additional power settings on the right side. If you don't see this, expand the Settings window horizontally until it appears.

On the resulting window, click Change plan settings next to your current plan. You can click Change advanced power settings if you want, but it's easiest just to select Restore default settings for this plan. See if that makes any difference.

To get more in-depth, see how to create a custom Windows power plan for improved battery life. If you're on Windows 11, you'll find the above options at Settings > System > Power.

power plan settings

Many laptop manufacturers include a battery charge threshold option that can affect how your device charges. For example, if you have a Lenovo laptop, a particular Lenovo app setting can cause the battery to stop charging. Use the Start menu to search for Lenovo Vantage (called Lenovo Settings on older systems) to find it.

Once the app is open, click Power on the Hardware Settings panel, then scroll down to find Charge Threshold. If the Custom battery charge threshold slider is enabled, you can select a minimum and maximum battery percentage for charging.

Lenovo Vantage Battery Threshold
Image Credit: Reddit

For example, if you chose 50 percent for Start charging when below and 80 percent for Start charging at, your computer will start charging when it drops to 50 percent and stop when it gets back to 80 percent. While this can preserve your battery's health, it also causes your computer to stop charging as you'd usually expect.

Try disabling this option if it's enabled, or setting a different threshold.

7. Update or Reinstall Battery Drivers

Since your battery is an external device, Windows uses certain drivers to interface with it properly. If your computer is still plugged in and not charging after trying the above, then updating or removing those drivers might kickstart the charging process.

Right-click on the Start button or press Win + X, then select Device Manager from the resulting menu. Expand the Batteries section and you should see two entries: Microsoft AC Adapter and Microsoft ACPI-Compliant Control Method Battery.

Windows 10 Device Manager battery drivers

Right-click on each of these and choose Update driver. Chances are that this won't find any updates, but it's worth a try. You can try updating the drivers manually, but your computer manufacturer probably doesn't provide a specific one for the battery.

If updating doesn't do anything, right-click on each of the battery drivers and choose Uninstall device. This will cause your computer to stop interfacing with the battery, but the driver will reinstall when you reboot, so don't worry. Restart your computer once you've uninstalled each battery device.

After rebooting, let Windows reinstall the battery driver, and it will hopefully start charging again. If that doesn't work, repeat the process, but once you've shut down after the uninstall, unplug your charger and remove the battery. After doing this, put everything back and turn your PC on again.

8. Get Another Laptop Charger

Laptop Charger

At this point, you've tried every solution for the "plugged in, not charging" problem that doesn't cost money. A last-ditch solution is to order a new computer charger (or use one from a friend, if they happen to have a laptop that uses the same charger) and see if that works.

While you'll find inexpensive third-party chargers on Amazon and other retailers, we recommend using an official charger if at all possible. Third-party parts often aren't up to the quality standards of genuine components, and in the case of a charger, using a cheap one could damage your computer or even cause a fire.

In case a genuine charger isn't an option, opt for a well-reviewed charger replacement from Amazon or similar. Check the reviews to make sure it's safe, and watch out for fake reviews on random products.

When you buy a new charger, always make sure that it's rated for the amount of power that your laptop needs. Check the specs on the official charger, or the manufacturer's documentation, to confirm this.

Plugged In and Now Charging

Hopefully, one or more of the above steps fixed the issue with your laptop not charging when plugged in. If it's still a problem, a part inside your computer may be damaged, causing the battery not to work properly. You should bring it to a computer repair shop to have an expert take a look at it—they might recommend a replacement battery.

Keep in mind that batteries wear out with age. After a certain number of cycles, no battery will hold as much of a charge as it used to. But unless your battery is completely shot, it should charge at least somewhat. It's possible to keep an eye on your battery health, so you know when it's nearing time for a replacement.