A faulty charger, software issues, or a hardware malfunction are a few reasons your laptop won’t charge. Before you think of replacing your laptop’s battery, troubleshooting the problem can resolve the issue.
Here’s how to identify the cause behind your Dell latitude battery not charging when plugged in.
Dell Latitude Battery Not Charging?
1. Removing The Surge Protector
Surge Protectors are placed to prevent any damage to the appliance in case of a voltage spike. While this device protects against power surges, it can affect the charger’s functionality.
If you’re using one, remove it from the wall outlet, power off the laptop, and try plugging in the charging adapter directly into the wall socket.
2. Checking Your AC Adapter
A faulty adapter is a possible reason for the charging issue. It can simply be a malfunctioning power cable or an internal component within the charger preventing it from functioning correctly.
Buzzing noises and overheating are common signs of a defective AC adapter.
Your adapter may even have a broken power jack or faulty power cord. Consider using an adapter having the same wattage. If the charger doesn’t work fine, you will need to replace your AC adapter.
When purchasing an AC adapter, ensure you are buying from a certified vendor and that the adapter is compatible with your laptop model.
3. Reconnecting The AC Adapter
Step 1: Sometimes, you can fix the issue by simply reconnecting the charger to your laptop.
Step 2: Turn the laptop off.
Step 3: Unplug the adapter from the charging port and the power outlet.
Step 4: Remove the battery from the laptop.
Step 5: Press and hold the power button on your laptop and hold it for 20 seconds. This releases any residual charge.
Step 6: Put the battery back in and plug in the AC adapter.
Step 7: Power up the computer to see whether the issue is resolved.
4. Faulty Battery Driver
While an operating system installs essential drivers, including the battery drivers, a software issue can sometimes cause the driver not to work. You can update the driver software by following the steps below.
Step 1: Click on the control panel and locate the device manager.
Step 2: Now click on the batteries section to expand it.
Step 3: Right-click on the Microsoft ACPI Compliant Control Method Battery driver and uninstall it.
Step 4: Restart your laptop.
Step 5: Go into the device manager again and click on scan for hardware changes.
Step 6: Select the battery driver and choose to update the device driver software automatically.
Step 7: The operating system will reinstall a compatible driver.
Step 8: You can also check the manufacturer’s website for the latest drivers and update manually.
5. Updating The Bios
Bios is a basic input-output system that bridges the laptop’s hardware and the operating system. A faulty BIOS results in issues like the battery failing to charge. You can find compatible bios updates from the laptop manufacturer’s website.
Step 1: Search for your laptop’s specific model on the driver’s page.
Step 2: Select the latest BIOS and download an executable file from the list of drivers.
Step 3: Save it on your desktop or any other folder.
Step 4: When updating the BIOS, ensure you have read the instructions provided by the manufacturer on updating the BIOS.
Remember to back up all your data before attempting an update. Missing any step in the process can cause the laptop not to work correctly or slow down its performance. However, you lack prior experience or want a guaranteed update.
In that case, it’s best to contact Dell support and ask about a certified repair shop you can visit to troubleshoot the issue. If your laptop is still under warranty, you can claim a replacement or repair free of cost.
6. Cleaning The Charging Ports
Dust and debris can accumulate in the charging ports, preventing the laptop battery from charging.
Step 1: Turn off the laptop, disconnect the adapter, and remove the charging cable.
Step 2: Use a laptop-compatible dust blower to remove the dirt and lint accumulated.
Step 3: Dip a lint-free cloth into rubbing alcohol and clean the charging port thoroughly.
Step 4: Let the pot dry and connect the adapter to check whether the issue is resolved.
7. Running Hardware Diagnostic Test
This test helps identify the issue that might cause your battery not to charge. You can run integrated diagnostics or an online diagnostics test provided by Dell.
Here’s how you can run an integrated test.
Step 1: Power up your laptop.
Step 2: When you see the Dell logo, press F12 a few times until the one-time boot menu appears.
Step 3: Using the arrow keys, select the diagnostics option and hit enter.
Step 4: If the test passes, it means you don’t have an active hardware issue, and the problem might be in the software.
Step 5: You’ll see validation and error codes when the test fails.
Step 6: Note these codes and contact Dell support to further identify the hardware malfunction.
To run the online test, download Dell support assistant software and browse the battery diagnostics page for further instructions.
8. Checking Battery Health Status
Checking the battery’s health makes it easier to decide whether you can carry on with the battery or if it needs to be replaced. Each battery has a limited amount of charge and discharge cycles until its performance deteriorates.
An old battery with poor health cannot charge when plugged in and discharges within minutes of laptop use.
Battery status can be checked in the BIOS settings, by running the diagnostics test, or by installing the Dell power manager software.
9. Running Windows Troubleshooter
Most operating systems have a built-in troubleshooter to identify potential hardware or software issues affecting other laptop performance or functionality.
Step 1: Open your control panel, and in the search bar, type in the troubleshooter.
Step 2: The windows troubleshooter option will appear. Click on it to troubleshoot.
Step 3: The results are displayed after a few minutes. The troubleshooter can resolve most issues related to incorrect settings, incompatible drivers, or identifying any installed software that might be causing the problem.
10. Check The Laptop’s Power Settings
There’s a possibility that incorrect settings might be preventing the battery from not charging properly. Here’s what to do.
Step 1: Go to windows settings and click on the System option.
Step 2: Click on the power option and check for the already selected drop-down boxes.
Step 3: Ensure the values in each box are correct. For example, you might have selected the option of shutting down the PC when plugged in. This will cause the laptop to turn off when the charger is plugged in.
Step 4: There’s a restore to default button that you can click on if you need help understanding what each field means.
Step 5: After restoring to default settings, click on save changes and exit the system settings option.
11. Checking Laptop’s Resource Usage
Running multiple applications requiring much processing power and RAM can cause battery issues. When your laptop is working too hard, the amount of energy the computer uses can be equal to the amount of power the charger provides.
Therefore, you may still see that the battery icon mentions that it’s charging, but the laptop is giving up all the power.
Step 1: Press the ALT, CTRL, and Delete keys simultaneously to bring up the task manager.
Step 2: Click on the processes tab and determine which programs use the most processing power and battery.
Step 3: If it’s the software you don’t use often, consider uninstalling it to resolve the issue and increase your laptop’s performance.
There’s a possibility your computer is infected with a virus or a malware attack, resulting in each process slowing down and taking up too much memory. You can run a virus check to ensure that’s not the case.
12. Maintaining Your Battery
No matter what you do, your laptop’s battery will eventually die. Fortunately, using the battery correctly can improve its lifespan and performance by many folds. You must practice two key things to get the most out of your laptop battery.
- Keeping The Laptop Ventilated
Due to their portability, laptops can be used in virtually any place. When using the computer, ensure the heat sinks, battery, and fan below the laptop are ventilated. Keeping the temperature average increases the battery life.
Besides keeping it all ventilated, make it a habit of cleaning the computer at least once every three months. Dust, debris, and lint can accumulate in the nooks and crevices, resulting in heat build-up. This unnecessary heat affects the performance of the laptop’s hardware and the battery.
- Enabling Battery Saver Mode
It’s best to switch your laptop’s power settings to battery saver mode when the charger is not plugged in. This will put less load on the battery and keep it working for extended periods.
Lastly, ensure you let the battery deplete after a full charge. You can plug in the adapter when the battery level goes below 20 percent.
Final Thoughts
Troubleshooting the battery not charging issue using the shared information will provide fruitful results. Whether it’s your laptop’s internal components or the battery, they can malfunction.
Replacing an old battery is easy. All you have to do is search for a battery compatible with your laptop’s model. You’ll find this information on the manufacturer’s website.
However, if you’re experiencing any issues with the hardware, it’s better to contact customer support to know your options when repairing the hardware. Attempting to fix it by yourself or an inexperienced individual will only result in more damage to the hardware.