If your phone stopped fast charging overnight, the cause is almost always one of five things. Here's how to check each one, in order.
1. Check the Cable First
Cables wear out before chargers do — bending near the connector is the most common failure point. Try a different cable with the same charger. If charging speed returns to normal, the cable was the problem.
2. Check the Charging Port for Debris
Lint and dust build up in USB-C and Lightning ports over time, blocking a full connection. Use a dry, soft brush or a wooden toothpick (never metal) to gently clear the port, then reconnect.
3. Verify You're Using the Right Wattage Charger
If you recently switched chargers — borrowed one, or your original charger broke and you replaced it with a lower-wattage one — that's often the cause. Check the wattage printed on the charger body against what your phone supports.
4. Check for a Software-Level Battery Health Warning
Both iPhone and Android phones can throttle charging speed as a battery health protection measure once the battery has degraded significantly. Check Settings > Battery > Battery Health (iPhone) or Settings > Battery (Android) for any warnings.
5. Rule Out a Fake or Degraded Charger
Clone chargers often start slow and get worse over months as internal components degrade faster than genuine ones. If none of the above fixes it, and the charger is unbranded or was unusually cheap, this is likely the cause.
When to Replace vs Repair
Cables are cheap to replace and should be your first suspect. If the charger itself is the issue, genuine original chargers from Anker, Apple, or Samsung are a safer long-term fix than another unbranded replacement.
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