How to Fix the Dreaded Charging Slowly Warning on Android

Charging Slowly WarningOwners of the most current Android phones may come across the Charging Slowly Warning after plugging in their phone.  It’s frustrating because when that warning splashes across your phone, it’s not merely charging at normal speed, it’s charging at sloth-like speed.  So slow that it might not charge at all.  Today, we discuss what causes this condition and how to fix it.

So when you encounter a charging slowly warning similar to what is shown in the photo that accompanies this article, it means something isn’t working right.  First, try to do what the charging slowly warning message suggests.  Remove any water or debris from the USB port and reconnect both ends of the cable.  You might also want to try plugging the power adapter into a different AC adapter.

We often find the cables and USB adapters (the part that plugs into the walls) that come with your phone from the manufacturers are good quality and should work fine.  But, then again, how many people only have one charger?  More often than not, the charging slowly warning comes from third-party charging configurations.

Check the Wall Adapter

Quick Charging was introduced several years ago.  It shortens the amount of time it takes to charge the internal battery.  Among other things, it increases the amount of AMPS needed to charge your phone.  Older smartphones typically uses 1 AMP to charge the phone.  Fast charging increased that requirement to 2 AMPS and depending upon the standard (2.0 or 3.0), it uses an increased amount of wattage.

So right off the bat, if you have a phone that supports fast charging, don’t use an old USB power adapter.  Use a cable that is rated for at least 2 AMPS and supports Quick Charge.  Consider the Anker Elite Dual Port 24W USB Travel Wall Charger. Two charging ports provide adequate capacity for Quick Charge. Anker is a reliable brand we have used for several years. These come with an 18-month warranty.

Bad Cable?

If none of that worked, it’s time to swap out the cable.  Now you might think to yourself, this is the same cable that I used yesterday and had no problem.  Guess what?  Cables, especially those purchased cheaply from an unknown brand go bad quickly.  Additionally, you need cables that support the 2 AMPS needed to charge your phone (not all do).

Personal experience has taught us that more often than not, it’s the cable.  It’s common for a poorly made cable to work fine for a month, then all of a sudden start to return the Charging Slowly Warning that you see in the photo.  We learned that not all cables are created equal back in the old iPhone days when we wrote a A Guide to Selecting the Proper Lightning Cable.  Stick with brand names, or at least those that have been around awhile and are well recommended.

A brand of cable that we have good luck with is a company out of Sweden called Volutz.  Their cables are reliable for the long-term and fully function with current fast charging standards.

USB-C cable customers can consider the Lisen USB-C to USB-C Fast Charging Cords as a suitable pack of replacement cables.  These work great on any phone that requires a fast charging speed.  Not all cables are suited for high speed charging so ensure you purchase ones adequately rated.

If after swapping your cable for a good one doesn’t get rid of the charging slowly warning, change out the wall adapter with one similar to the Anker product we previously recommended.

That Should Fix the Dreaded Charging Slowly Warning

After replacing the cables (or wall adapter), the charging slowly warning should disappear.  If not, it might be a good idea to contact the phone manufacturer for some guidance.

Lesson learned, for us anyway, is to stick with established cable and adapter names that offer a warranty and have been around for a while.  Once you find a reliable manufacturer, stick with them for future cable and adapter requirements.

While we concentrated on Android based smartphones, similar tactics can be applied to an Apple iPhone.  Use good reliable cables and AC adapters and you should be fine.