Samsung make some of the top options out there when you’re looking for a new tablet. They’re the biggest maker of Android tablets, and aside from Apple, there isn’t too much competition (check out this article comparing the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 and iPad Mini to see the difference).
However, sometimes you may face charging issues with any tablet. And if your Samsung tablet is not charging, then there must be something going wrong somewhere. This doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s a problem with your tablet though, so don’t jump to conclusions just yet.
It can be a frustrating issue to deal with, but resolving it should be pretty simple. Here’s what may be causing your tablet not to charge properly.
How to fix a Samsung tablet that’s not charging
The first thing to establish is whether your Samsung tablet is not charging at all, or if it’s just charging slowly. We’re focussing on a tablet that won’t charge whatsoever in this article.
If your tablet charges for a second and then stops, then it’s most likely a connection issue. This could be down to the cable that you’re using, and it’s far more likely to be that than an issue with your actual device.
And if your tablet is charging slowly, then it’s likely that you’re not using the original charger for the device. If you aren’t using the original cable and wall charger, then there’s a good chance that the amperage isn’t giving it sufficient power.
When you’re using a charger with a lower amperage, this can cause your device to charge much slower than if you were using the original. Try and find a charger with the same or more as your original if you’ve lost it.
But, back to the topic at hand – here’s what you should do if you want to fix your tablet.
Start by resetting your device
If you can’t charge your Samsung tablet, then the first thing you’re going to want to do is a soft reset. This isn’t a full reset of your tablet, and you don’t need to worry about your data and apps being deleted.
You can usually soft reset your device by simply holding down the power button and the home button at the same time. It’s a little different if your home button doesn’t work. If you want to know how you can reset the device even without a power button, check out this guide that talks about how to reset a Samsung tablet.
Anyway, for this specific instance, we’re going to soft reset our device by holding the power and home button for half a minute. Whilst you’re doing this, plug your tablet into its charger as normal. Continue to hold down the buttons for a further 30 seconds.
After a period of time, the tablet should come on. Thought this probably won’t work for newer models like the Samsung Galaxy S7, it will work for older Samsung tablets.
Try another charger and cable
Although it’s true that the problem may be with your tablet, it could also be an issue somewhere else too. If you’re using a fairly old model, then potentially over time, the charger that you’re using may have run its course.
Trying your tablet with a new charger is a good idea, especially if you’re using one that didn’t come with the tablet itself. Both power adapters and car chargers are very temperamental.
Because we have so many devices around our homes, often we end up using a different charger assuming it can function the same. Although usually this is fine, sometimes this may not work.
You should also look at switching out the cable that you’re using too. The cable is one of the easiest things for you to replace, and it shouldn’t cost much for you to pick up a new USB cable online. It may be the root cause of the issue if there’s actually nothing wrong with the tablet itself.
Leave it on charge for a while
We can usually decipher where the problem may be by trying to turn the tablet on. When you try to turn a dead tablet on, it should come up with a low battery symbol, accompanied by a connecting cable. This signals you need to put your tablet on charge.
Then, plug your tablet into the wall charger and see if the charging symbol disappears. If it does, then you should leave your tablet to charge for a good while. I’m talking at least a few hours, as this is how long it can take to charge a fully drained battery.
But, if you plug your charger in and the cable symbol doesn’t disappear, that indicates that there’s a problem with your hardware. That’s either the charger, your cable or the port on the tablet itself.
When your tablet has been on charge for a few hours, then try and hold the power button down for a good amount of time – 20 or 30 seconds. You’ll need to do this a little longer than normal, but eventually, your tablet should come on.
Update your tablet
If you can manage to get your tablet switched on and working, then you should go ahead and update your device if you can. If you tap settings, then you should be able to find the About section on your Samsung tablet – here, you’ll be able to find out if you need to run any updates.
A software update is important to the lifespan of any tablet, laptop or other tech product that we use. And if you don’t keep it updated, then it can cause all kinds of bugs – including battery problems.
Remove the SD card
Although not a common cause of charging problems, there are users that have reported issues with their SD card and their battery. If you have a micro SD card slot on your tablet, then you should make sure that it’s clear.
Theoretically, this shouldn’t actually cause much of a problem between the two components in how they work. Though regularly accessing an SD card can cause your battery life to drain faster than normal, it shouldn’t stop it working altogether.
Though it’s worth giving it a try if you are using a large size SD card with your tablet. If you’re using a SIM card, it could also be worth taking that out too.
Boot it up in safe mode
All using safe mode does is start your tablet up with the minimum that’s required. This means that it won’t load any of the apps and programs that you’ve already downloaded to the device.
The good thing about doing this is that it gives you the ability to know whether it’s your hardware, aka your tablet, or your software causing the issue. If you start your tablet up in safe mode, you can usually rule out any problems with the apps on your device.
You can start up most Samsung tablets by simply turning the device on – when the Samsung logo appears, let go of the power button and hold dow the volume down button instead. Though this may not fix the issue, it’ll let you know if there’s anything on your tablet stopping you from charging it.
Conclusion
Unfortunately, tablets are very similar to phones when it comes to how they operate and what we can do to charge them. They function in the same way, and because of this, it can be difficult to know whether your tablet is the problem, or it actually lies somewhere else.
Either way, we can figure out if the tablet or its charger is the cause of the issue. Then, we should be able to find the right solution.
