Open the iPhone and have a brand charger port at hand
iPhone 7 Plus Is Not Charging and How to Fix it | Charger IC U4001 Chip Set
Every week we get roughly a dozen customers coming into our store asking if we fix an iPhone 7 Plus that is not charging. In most cases the iPhone 7 Plus is a simple fix and can be diagnosed using a simple guide online. Whereas other methods, such as a faulty Charger IC or no sound problem due to a fualty Audio IC, are a lot more difficult to replace and require a trained technician to fix the problem. In this article, we'll show you the steps you should take to help you determine why your iPhone 7 Plus isn't charging and give you actions you should consider fixing your iPhone 7 Plus for good.
Table of Contents
How to Troubleshoot an iPhone 7 Plus That is Not Charging
- Inspect the iPhone's Charging Port for Dirt or Lint
- Inspect the iPhone's Lightning Cable or Charger
- Factory and Hard Reset the iPhone
- Trained Technician is Required If The Top Three Troubleshooting Techniques Don't Work
- USB Charger IC Chip (U4001 Chip) Micro soldering Required
- iPhone 7 Plus Charger port is not working and needs replacement
- Options to repair your iPhone 7 Plus
Does the Battery on my iPhone 7 Plus Need to be Replaced?
In most instances no. The battery doesn't affect the charging capabilities of an iPhone. In fact, as a phone technician, the battery is one of the last things we try in troubleshooting an iPhone 7 Plus that turns on and isn't charging. Our reasoning being that the battery doesn't control the phones charging capabilities. Testing the battery first on an iPhone 7 Plus is relevant when a phone doesn't turn on.
Troubleshooting techniques when an iPhone 7 Plus is not charging
1. Inspect the iPhone's Charging Port for Dirt or Lint
It's the middle of the night. You're getting tired so you begin get ready to go to bed and you notice the iPhone is at 15% battery life. You plugin a charger to the iPhone but it doesn't show the usual lighting symbol you get when its charging. You wiggle the charger searching for the right angle to charge your iPhone. You think you found it. The iPhone is now charging but you continue to feel some resistance when inserting the charger. In the morning you reach out to get your iPhone and you see that the battery is down to 10%. But why?
In 2017 we published an in-depth article addressing this issue on iPhone's not charging properly due to lint or dirt inside the charger port. With confidence I can safely say that seven out of ten customers have this issue and this method is still relevant in 2020.
If the word "wiggle" comes to mind when plugging in your lighting cable then lint may be the cause of your charging headaches. At our phone repair store we use the word "wiggle" as a keyword to help us diagnose this charging issue that is common with iPhone's.
As shown in the image above, you can see that the lighting cable is not inserting properly. This is the best indication that your iPhone 7 Plus is not charging due to dirt or lint inside the charging port. If this is the case with your iPhone 7 Plus then all you need is some tweezers to clean the lint from your iPhone and some patience.
The video below shows you exactly our method to safely removing lint.
- Focus in scrapping the very back of the charger port while trying to avoid the top and bottom.
- Continue to remove lint/dirt until you can insert the charger completely in.
- If you continue to see the charger wiggle then continue to clean in until it stops wiggling.
- Blow inside the charger port every so often or use an air duster (if you have one available)
Disclaimer: Invisible Armor is not responsible if any damages that may occur due to this method. This is was a simple DIY video showing individuals a simple cleaning method. Attempt this at your own risk.
I don't mean to scare you with the disclaimer, we've never damaged any iPhone following this method, but we also know vultures exist in the retail world.
You can always take it to a local repair store if you don't feel confident. Just be advised that they may charge you for this service.
2. Inspect The iPhone's USB Lightning Cable or Wall Charger Hub
When you purchase a brand new iPhone, inside the box includes a brand new USB lighting cable and wall charger.
Aside from lint, even though less common, a defective USB lighting cable or wall charger can be another reason why the iPhone 7 Plus can experience charging difficulties. After our lint/dirt inspection fails, the next thing we check is the USB lighting cable.
We've had plenty of customers stating that they've tried multiple USB chargers but the phone still didn't charge. We've also seen the shocked in a customers face when their iPhone began to charge with our lighting cable. In this instance we advise them to check the USB lighting cable and wall charger hub. Chances are that one, if not both of the components are defective.
Inspecting lighting cable
A damaged lighting cable is a common reason an iPhone can experience charging issues. This lightning cable is a multi-purpose cable that can be connected with wall chargers, used to transfer data between a iPhone and computer, and can be connected to a car charger.
This means that users are constantly removing the lightning cable instead of leaving it at one location. Constantly unplugging the lighting cable can put a strain on the cable and cause the connections inside the cable to be stretched over time.
My suggestion to inspecting a USB lighting cable are the following:
- Use a flashlight to inspect it closely on both ends of the lighting cable. As these lighting cables age the cables begin to show signs of wear and tear, especially at the end of the lighting cable.
- If the USB lighting cable has no visible signs of damage then try connecting the USB to different power sources. These power sources include plugging your phone to a computer, another USB wall hub, and car charger. If the same charging issue occurs with different power resources then you can safely assume that the lighting cable has been damaged.
- To test the previous theory begin by asking family/friends for their lighting cable and using the same power sources. If you see that your iPhone 7 Plus begins charging normally after this test then you can conclude that you have a faulty lighting cable.
Inspecting USB Wall Charger Hub
The method we use to inspect the USB wall charger hub is pretty similar to what we talked about with the lighting cable.
- Ask a family member or friend if you can borrow their USB charging hub. Connect your lighting cable into the hub and if the lighting bolt shows up in your screen then you can conclude that your USB wall charger hub is no longer functioning.
- Try another USB charging hub to make sure your charging hub is faulty. If so, purchase another on Amazon, Best Buy, Target, or Walmart.
Factory Data Reset or hard Reset the iPhone 7 Plus
Apple is constantly releasing new software. Occasionally these software updates get released with bugs. Even though it's very rare, software updates can occasionally cause a software bug that prevents the iPhone from receiving power.
To test the validity of a software bug causing a iPhone 7 Plus to experience charging difficulties we recommend to first try a hard reset and if that doesn't work then you can also do a factory data reset. A factory data reset should be done as a last resort and damaged components can prevent your iPhone 7 Plus from completing the factory reset. We recommend you backup the data before a conducting a factory data reset.
- Hard Reset iPhone
- For iPhone Xs Max, Xs, XR, X, 8 Plus, 8, 7 Plus, 7
- Hold the Power Button and Volume Down Button Until the screen goes dark, then release.
- For iPhone 6s Plus, 6s, 6 Plus, 6, SE, 5s, 5c and below
- Hold the Power Button and Home Button Until the screen goes dark, then release
- Factory Data Reset an iPhone.
- Before you wipe/erase your data we recommend you backup your data to iCloud or through iTunes in your computer.
- What you need is a Lighting cable, computer and iTunes installed on the computer
- Plug your iPhone into a USB port on the computer
- Open iTunes
- Hold the Power and Volume Down Buttons (or home button for iPhone 6s Plus or below) until iTunes says "iTunes has detected an iPhone in recovery mode" You may need to turn off your device to get it into recovery mode
- This usually takes about 8 seconds.
- A popup should appear in iTunes giving you the option to "Restore" or "Update" .
- Click on "Restore" and then "Update and Restore"
So what know? Trained Technician Required for repair
If you've made this far into the article, then that probably means I have failed you. Your iPhone 7 Plus is still not charging and will require you to take it to a professional. My goal now is to equip you with knowledge on hardware failures that can prevent your iPhone from not charging and give you a few recommendations on fixing your iPhone 7 Plus.
Two common hardware issues that may prevent your iPhone 7 Plus from charging
Testing these hardware issues may be a bit difficult to diagnose especially without the proper tools and knowledge. My goal here isn't to show you how to repair your iPhone yourself but explain the steps we take diagnose an iPhone 7 Plus that isn't charging. These repairs are difficult to do by yourself because the motherboard needs to be removed completely repair either issue.
Diagnosing a Damaged iPhone 7 Plus Charger Port
A diagnosis can be done without installing the entire charger port. We will show down below our method.
Connect the new charger port and try it with the lighting cable
Give it up to 30 minutes and wait to see if the Apple logo appears
Once we see the Apple logo, we conclude that the charger port was the one malfunctioning and would need to be replaced. The charger port replacement requires the technician and can take up to two hours.
If the logo never appears then we attach a brand new battery to check if the iPhone charges with a brand new battery. It's possible that the battery may have malfunctioned. If iPhone continues to show no sign of it charging then we conclude that the Charger IC U4001 chip set has malfunctioned.
iPhone 7 Plus Charger IC Chip (U4001 Chip Set)
The charger IC chip malfunctioning on the iPhone 7 series was a every common issue since it was released. But to do this repair you will really good soldering skills on micro chips so therefore a trained technician will be necessary for this repair.
Recommendations to fixing an iPhone 7 plus that isn't charging
Please read the rest of the article so you can decide the best repair option for yourself and backup your phone (if possible).
Repair Option 1: Taking it to Apple
If you live close to an Apple Store then you can set an appointment with the Genius bar. Apple Stores are always busy therefore we suggest you make an appointment to avoid getting rejected or possibly wait for hours. You can also do a mail-in repair process by visiting Apple's support website.
Pros:
- If you're under warranty then your iPhone should be repaired for free (very unlikely to be under warranty considering the age of the phone)
- They will quote you a price to repair your iPhone if the device is out of warranty.
- Apple repairs come with a 90 day AppleCare Warranty
- All parts replaced on your iPhone 7 Plus will be original
Cons:
- If the iPhone is out of warranty then Apple has the right to reject your iPhone and will try to sell you a refurbished iPhone for about $299.
- They're likely to refuse your iPhone for service if its charger IC U4001 chip. Apple doesn't do motherboard repairs and may pull you towards selling you a refurbished iPhone. If this is the case for you then you can pick one of the two options coming up.
- If you've ever taken your iPhone to get repaired at a third party repair store then the Genius Bar may reject your iPhone for service.
Repair Option 2: Taking it to a Local Cell Phone Repair Store
This is a very viable option to finding a permanent solution to fixing your device. Of course do some research. The following are my suggestion in searching for the right repair store.
- Keep in mind you get what you pay for. On average an iPhone 7 Plus Charger IC chip replacement cost roughly $100-$150. Keep that price range in mind when searching for the best location to service your iPhone 7 Plus that is not charging.
- Check reviews on Yelp and Google. Your goal here is to find out if they're reliable and can be trusted with your device. Keep an eye for businesses with five star reviews and a high volume of reviews. Call different locations
- Ask if they provide any type of warranty. Most independents cell phone repair stores offer three months, six months, one year, or lifetime warranties.
- Ask how long it will take to repair the device. This is something that shouldn't be rushed so I think 24-48 hours should be enough time
Pros and Cons
- Pros
- Most local repair shops fix devices that Apple deems irreparable.
- Usually comes with a friendly warranty
- Cons
- Unlike Apple, we can't predict what a repair store will do with your phone. This is the reason we suggest reading reviews. Reviews can give the consumer an idea on how the business functions and how they handle customer issues.
- You may live in rural area where you would need to drive hours for a reliable repair store.
- Price to fix this issue can vary
Repair Option 3: Mail it in to us
We offer Charger IC replacements for any iPhone 7 Plus for $150 and a six month warranty. We're located in Orange County California so you can stop by if you live locally or you can mail to us. I'll leave the contact information at the end of this article.
We also offer other micro soldering and motherboard iPhone repairs at our Orange County phone repair store.
Hope this information was helpful for more information feel free to contact us or leave a comment down below. You can also ship in your iPhone for service. Simple contact us for more info.
Contact Information:
Call: 714-278-3611
E-Mail Us: info@invisiblearmorinc.com
El Dorado Plaza
394 S. Tustin St.
Orange CA, 92866
Ricardo Gonzalez
Author