Nearly every mobile or tablet owner will experience the situation of their phone chargers becoming wobbly.
So why do phone chargers get loose?
This situation happens because of two main reasons:
- Debris in the USB port of the phone, and
- Failure or twisting of the retractable hooks in the cable.
Thankfully, both of these issues can be fixed by the user themselves in most instances!
If you aren’t able to get it working again, you can always hand the charger over to a trained technician who will be able to fix it for you.
You don’t really need to lose sleep over a loose charger, as this problem will not result in you having to buy a new cell phone- only a new charger, at most!
And when you have successfully fixed the issue, you can continue using your charger without experiencing any further troubles.
To help you understand this problem and become better at resolving it yourself at home, we’ll take a detailed look at the causes in the rest of this article!
What Can Cause Loose Phone Chargers?
Here are the most common reasons why your phone chargers may become loose:
Dirt Or Accumulated Debris In The USB Port Of Your Phone
Dirt getting into places where it shouldn’t is one of the most common causes for a phone charger becoming loose.
The thing is- no matter how hard you try to keep your phone clean, accumulating a little dirt is inevitable!
Miniscule particles of grime and dust will always find a way into your phone components and orifices, including those responsible for charging.
As we use our phones so often, we are constantly placing them in places where they are exposed to muck. It’s all about how we deal with it after it builds up!
A Faulty Charging Port
There are two connection points on most types of charging ports.
One is metallic, and it is responsible for the transfer of current between the cable and mobile phone.
The other connection is solely used to hold the two devices together!
Thus, the connection between a charger and a phone is made possible due to these retractable joints that are on the phone’s charging port.
When you buy a new phone, these joints will perform excellently as expected. As a result, you’ll no doubt feel confident about your ability to charge your device whenever you want.
However, as time passes, you may begin to notice a decrease in the strength of the connection between your charger and the charging point.
A variety of factors can influence the rate at which this happens, such as:
- The material used in the cables
- Repeated use
- Constantly trying to plug the charger in the wrong way
Overall, this is one of the most likely causes of a phone charger feeling loose and needing to be plugged in at certain angles for them to work!
A Previous (Botched) Repair Job
There is also a possibility that this wobbly issue may be a direct result of damage done to the port in a previous repair attempt.
Unfortunately, in correcting a previous fault, a new one may have been created!
It is a possibility that the repair person made a mistake while in the process of opening and coupling the phone.
This mishap could very well be the reason behind the problem you’re now experiencing.
This is why it’s always best not to try to open up your phone by yourself. Only an truly qualified and trained expert should handle such tasks!
Though less likely, it is also possible that someone may have opened and closed your phone prior to you purchasing it (especially if you bought it from a private seller).
If that is the case, ask for a refund from the seller or claim insurance if you can!
Is It Normal That Your Charger Keeps Falling Out Of Your Phone?
The answer to this question depends wholly on why your phone charger keeps falling out of your phone in the first place.
If an insecure connection is due to the accumulation of dirt in the charging port of a mobile device, it is normal (and fixable).
You can easily remove the dirt and restore the charging function to its optimal state by yourself at home.
However, if there is an issue with the charging cable, that may become a bit more of a concern.
In this case, the charger can either be fixed at home or with the help of a professional phone repair technician.
Whether the charging cable can be fixed totally depends upon the amount of damage that has occurred.
For example, if there is a rip on the wire casing, you can again easily solve the issue by applying scotch tape to seal the exposed area.
On the other hand, it would be best to look for a professional repairer if it is an issue concerning the hooks in the charging port.
Finally, you can always just buy a new charger or cable if you don’t want to go through the hassle of fixing things; they’re usually not too expensive anyway!
How Do You Fix A Loose Phone Charger?
You can attempt to fix a loose phone charger yourself by either cleaning any trapped dirt or by changing the cable entirely.
We have written more about these easy DIY fixes below:
Remove Any Dirt Clogging The Charging Point
This solution will help you to resolve one of the most likely reasons your charging cable keeps coming loose.
Cleaning the charging area on a weekly or monthly basis will stop the problem from recurring. Follow these easy steps below:
- Use a small, sharp wooden stick- a toothpick will do the job fine– to clean out the charging port.
You may see other online resources suggesting that you use a needle; please don’t do that! A needle’s tip is in fact too sharp, and can potentially damage your phone.
A toothpick is plenty capable of picking out dirt particles without too much difficulty, so it is the perfect tool for the job. Still, please make sure to be careful when you are poking around the charging port with a toothpick.
- Check for and remove debris or dirt by lightly touching the edges of the charging port.
If you do this correctly, you will notice dirt accumulating on the tip of the toothpick.
Make sure you do not press too hard to avoid breaking vital components.
- Collect the debris by gently scratching the sides of the charging area and wiping the tip.
You should make sure to be as careful as possible here, as one wrong move can cause more severe damage that may end up needing costly repairs.
- It will also be very helpful if you have access to canned air.
If you do, spray the pressurized air to remove any leftover and difficult-to-budge debris from the charging port.
- After the charging port has been cleaned out, connect the charger to the phone again and see if it holds as expected.
If not, you may need to visit the phone repair shop (or buy a new charger) as the problem likely lies with the cable itself.
Here’s an important tip: Always power off your phone before beginning the cleaning process!
Your Charger Might Be the Culprit
Sometimes even after a cleaning procedure, the problem may still persist. If nothing seems to be working, check if your charger is still in good working condition!
There is a good chance that your charger may be damaged or that the cable isn’t working as well as it used to.
Try using another cable to check whether the problem can indeed be isolated to your original charger.
If you do not in fact own a spare cable to test with, it’s still possible to carry out a quick inspection of the charger.
Look to see whether it is damaged anywhere, such as whether there are any cracks or fractures on the wire casing.
If you do find damage, the easiest, most efficient option (rather than getting the cable fixed by a professional) would simply be to buy another cable or a new charger altogether!
In Conclusion
In a nutshell, there are typically two most likely reasons as to why phone chargers become loose.
The first is the accumulation of dirt in the charging area/port, and the second is the bending or breaking of the charger hooks in the cable.
It is also possible that a previous repair job performed on the device may have caused some kind of damage- resulting in a phone charger that just won’t connect properly!
Now that you know the answers to the question, “Why do phone chargers get loose?” you can have a go at fixing the issue using the tips listed in this article.
However, if you are not comfortable trying out the solutions we have detailed, then don’t hesitate to seek help from a professional who will be able to cast an expert’s eye on the issue and tell you whether the problem lies with the charger or the phone!
Just like us, smartphones consist of a pretty complex anatomy. Take a close look HERE at all the vital components that make up a modern-day smartphone!