Apple help
GB028WPMETV

IPad not charging

My iPad sometimes charges fast, sometimes slow (only a 10% increase in charged level over a whole night), and sometimes not at all. In fact sometimes it seems as if plugging it in is actually draining the power from it.


I am plugging it into the mains, not a PC, and I am using a proper apple charger. It always says it’s charging.


I have tried restarting it (sometimes that works but not always) and have exited all the apps that were running.


Yesterday it was charging fine while playing music, but it then crashed out during playing a track, restarted itself, and then had the charging problem.


I suspect it’s software rather than hardware since the problem is intermittent. Could something be going round in a loop in its little brain somewhere? I don’t want to do a restart and lose all my stuff…


It’s an iPad 1, a year old.

Any thoughts? I can’t be the only one with this problem, surely?

chris

A proper Apple charger may not be a proper iPad charger. Chargers for the iPhone and iPod Touch do not supply enough current for the iPad to charge quickly. Only the actual iPad charger supplies enough current for rapid charging (4 to 5 hours).

If you look very closely at he gray type on the charger ( I know it's hard to read), it needs to say it's a 10W USB Power Adaptor.

it's definitely the right charger. Though you are right that the cheap imitations from amazon do also have an apple-type label, often printed more clearly than the real apple ones. So it's the right charger - though the lead I am using between the charger and the ipad isn't an apple one, but I don't think it could be that.

We have had several Members who have had faulty USB-iPad cables and, in one case, a faulty dock connector on the iPad. Do you have another cable or perhaps a dock that you could try?

Tim

Originally Posted by Tim SPRACKLEN

We have had several Members who have had faulty USB-iPad cables and, in one case, a faulty dock connector on the iPad. Do you have another cable or perhaps a dock that you could try?

Tim

good idea, I'll try another lead

though the fact that the ipad says "charging" makes me think that it's the ipad. I hope it's not the dock - that could be expensive! But maybe even if ti's the dock, a different lead might fit better. I'll try it and let you know!

CC

I used to use a lead that came with an aftermarket charger and used it with the "real" Apple charger for my iPad. I noticed some odd behavior with it (for one, it wouldn't charge). So, I tried using the lead that came with the true charger (in the iPad box). My troubles went away.

So, I decided it was the lead (that I had bought because it was longer than that ridiculously short one provided). Hopefully, you will find the same thing - you have to have both an official Apple charger AND an Apple cord to get the best results.

Good luck.

Marilyn

The older apple cables looked much the same, but they used to charge on the older firewire pins (to maintain compatibility with older firewire iPods). If you are using an older cable, use the one that came with the iPad, or at least with a new iPhone. Do not use cables that came with the iPod classic.

it seems to be hugely variable, depending on the cable I use (I'm always using the proper apple plug) and the building that I'm in (I stay in hotels all the time) and maybe also what's running on my ipad. sometimes it charges fully within a couple of hours, sometimes it takes all night to charge 50%, and sometimes it doesn't charge at all. It hardly ever does the little chirrup that it used to do when I plug it in. I plan to experiment and find out what's the real variable. The trouble is that experimenting is taking time since it always claims to be charging, so you have to wait a few hours to find out whether it really is.... I will report back when i've worked out what's going on.

The older cables are typically thicker on the iPad end, and often have buttons on the sides to release the connector. Don't use those.

thanks guys. I didn't really belive you, but having tried all combinations of plugs, cables, with or without extentions leads, yes, it's the cable. If I use the proper apple charger but the cable from a cheap charger, the ipad doesn't charge even though it says it is. I have to use the actual apple cable as well as the apple charger. Amazing that it makes such a difference. It charges fully in about 2 hours even if I'm listening to music at the same time.

I hoe this helps others too.

CC