Can Your Phone Do This? How to Fix a USB Type C Port That Won't Charge!

Can Your Phone Do This? How to Fix a USB Type C Port That Won't Charge!
I got sidetracked today and made a video on fixing smartphone USB ports instead of computers. Technically a smartphone is a computer so I think this still counts. Anyway, here's how I fixed my Pixel XL's finicky USB Type-C port by cleaning it out with a toothpick. And you can too!

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Audio file(s) provided by Epidemic Sound

[yarrk]

I cleaned my headphone jack and a cat fell out

[steveb]

Paul, I cannot tell you how ecstatic I am from this video. I’ve had my One plus X for 5 years now and was about to call it quits until now. This worked perfectly and now I’m planing on keeping my phone for as long as it’ll go! Thank 1 million times over!

[elindow]

Worked at Verizon for 7 years and can verify that this solves charging issues most of the time. This will work on both Type C and Lightning ports.

[iSupermanCKi]

I sell phones for a living and I can't tell you how often customers come in with a phone they say won't charge anymore and it's just because there's gunk in the charge port. I use small rubber coated paper clips and canned air to clean them out.

[carsonjamesiv]

You know, I NEVER would have thought of doing this!Thanks for making this video, Paul.😁👍

[FreedomOfRedundancy]

I use the pick end of a floss pick since the plastic is typically bendy enough to get those rounded corners easy too.

[kevinm]

Something else to add to your toolkit regarding this is that its common for people when pulling out their cord they do not pull it straight out and instead pull at off angles. This causes the thin metal shroud casing that in fact is a guide for the charging adapter. This gets stretched over time and bent out of shape and causes the adapter to wiggle and can and often does allow for a lose fit that does not properly connect. You can take an exacto knife and gently pry around the outer edges of this casing to bring it back down to where it will grab the connector and ensure a clamping fit. In a lot of the repairs I have done this is the major problem that cause the issues. Last but not least tell your customers to stop ripping out the cord and pull straight out...;)

[djabthrash]

PRO TIP : if even after doing some lint cleaning your usb cable doesn't go all the way inside the usb port (it should do some sort of click when you plug it in), then it means you have a layer of heavily compressed lint somewhere in the usb port, which can be at the bottom and/or in the corners.
If so, don't hesitate to scrape heavily (just make sure you use wood or plastic, not metal, and that your tool is pointy enough and thin enough so that it doesn't bend or touch the middle part of the port) until you can see some lint coming out.
Took me a while with my Google Pixel 3A, i was about to give up and replace the usb port, and decided to scrape harder with my thin wooden toothpick, and finally saw some lint come out, and after 10 minutes of scraping and removing lint, i could finally plug my cable properly (i could hear the click) and charging was fine again.

[SuperFluffyfluff]

I've been wirelessly charging for about six months over this... THANK YOU! the wooden toothpick worked better than I expected

[davidlacziko]

BTW: I've done the same thing with a NEEDLE on my LG G6. Twice. And I wasn't gentle. After 3 years it still works as new.

[luislopez-salayandia]

Thank you! You just saved me $500+, as I was about to buy a replacement to my Google Pixel 2, which is still working flawlessly but was having issues charging. Since charging was the only issue, it is as new again.

[Koranroach]

It's funny that you posted this video. I actually have been having the issue of my charger not staying in. I would have to lay the phone and not move it AT ALL or the charger would fall out. So I took a really thin toothpick and got SO MUCH dust out, and it works better than brand new now!


Awesome of you for posting this because I'm sure there are people that didn't know about this. I know I didn't for almost a year!

[Gotcha]

One of the most straightforward and useful videos I found. Thank you! Greatings from Prague, Czech republic.

[robertovelasquez]

Hello I’m looking to upgrade my PC wondering if you recommend a website to get all the parts from

[JoseCruz]

Those flossers with the picks on them (I use the Plackers) work super well for this because the pick is thin, sturdy plastic but also bendable enough to get the groove corners without even touching the center connector. Saved me from throwing away a nice braided USB-C charging cable thinking it was broken when my Pixel 3 port was just packed with lint and works like new again.

[mjc]

I bought little silicone port covers for my phone.
Before that, I was using magnetic cables, so there was always something plugged in, but those started charging slowly at random so I gave up on them.

[danielwestfall]

This worked for me. I successfully cleaned out a year of pocket lint and warehouse dust. Thank you

[bwilkin]

Paul makes those videos that you don't know you need until you watch them and then you're like "Oh crap! This is so useful!" I have the exact same issue on my Galaxy S7 and will definitely be trying this out.

[ShaneRob]

I love you. My phone has barely been able to charge for months now and this was the issue, been putting off bringing it to get checked because it's a pain. I had to get creative with what I could use to fit inside the port but I eventually worked it out and it was way worse than I ever would have expected. Thank you Paul.

[xgoomanxful]

PAUL YOU ARE THE MAN! Absolutely saved me with my favorite phone. For over a year now my s9 has not been charging and I had purchased multiple cables with no luck. So I had to switch to wireless charging over a year ago. I have built multiple computers and find myself to be tech savvy. I never thought it would of been something so simple, I have been considering pulling it apart and replace my USB C because the wireless charging time is 3x longer than wired. Again THANK YOU!