If your Chromebook isn’t turning on due to insufficient charge or the battery isn’t charging above a certain percentage even after leaving it on charge for a while, we’ll help you resolve the issue.
In this article, we’ve discussed why you’re facing the ‘Chromebook not charging’ issue and six ways that can help you fix it quickly.
Why is your Chromebook not charging?
The primary reason why your Chromebook is not charging is an issue with the battery charger or battery. If that’s not the case, it could also be an issue with the Chrome OS, which can be fixed with an update.
Also read: Chromebook won’t turn on: 9 Fixes
How to fix the issue?
Here are six fixes for the ‘Chromebook not charging’ issue.
Check cables and LED status
First and foremost, check all the charging cable connections — to the wall socket, your Chromebook and the connector.
Then connect the charger to a power source and the Chromebook and check if the battery charging indicator (typically an orange or blue LED light beside the charging port) lights up. If it doesn’t, leave the battery charging for two to three hours — especially helpful if it hasn’t been charged in ages — and try again.
You can try alternate chargers to see if the problem is with the charger or the Chromebook’s port and internal battery.
It’s recommended to charge the Chromebook for about 30 minutes if you’re taking it out of storage after a long time. Chromebook battery also discharges even when the system is turned off.
Battery showing 1% fix (pre-charge mode)
If your Chromebook’s battery is stuck at 1% charge, chances are it’s stuck in pre-charge mode. To exit this stage, it’ll take up to 30 minutes of charging and following that, the battery should start charging at the regular rate.
To avoid a battery from entering pre-charge mode, it’s recommended that you charge your Chromebook before storing it, especially for long durations.
If the battery doesn’t charge past 1%, but you’re able to login using the guest mode or your usual profile, updating the Chrome OS might be your next best bet to fix this situation.
Also read: How to eject a USB from Chromebook?
Reset the EC (Embedded Controller)
If your Chromebook isn’t charging, one of the last hardware-assisted resets you can try is resetting the device’s EC. Follow the steps mentioned below to reset Chromebook’s EC.
- Press ad hold ESC + Refresh Key + Power buttons.
- Wait for a few seconds until the Chromebook switches on.
- In case you see an ‘OS missing’ error, press and hold the Refresh + Power buttons.
Verify charging status and battery health
Another way to ensure that your battery is charging and know the battery health level is using Chrome’s command shell environment called Crosh.
You don’t need to worry; it’s nothing technical and won’t change your Chromebook’s configurations in any way. Plug in your Chromebook to the charger and follow the steps mentioned below to determine if your battery is charging and healthy.
- Press CTRL + ALT + T to open Crosh on Chrome.
- Then type battery_test 1 in the Crosh command line and hit Enter.
- Wait for a few seconds, Crosh will process and display the results. Here is what you’re looking for:
- “Battery is charging” status
- Battery health: Should be more than 80% ideally and at least 50%.
If you see a “battery is discharging” status while the Chromebook is plugged in, it could be due to a malfunctioning charging cable or battery.
Try to charge your Chromebook using another charger. If the battery starts charging, it’s time to replace your existing charger. But If it doesn’t, follow the next guide.
Also read: Chromebook keeps disconnecting from WiFi: 13 Fixes
Reseat battery connector
Now, this might seem a little taxing, but it’s a basic DIY method to flush your Chromebook and battery. So, if you’re up for it, follow the steps mentioned below and try turning on your Chromebook.
- Remove the back cover.
- Disconnect the battery connector.
- Press and hold the power button for about 15 seconds to drain the power completely.
- Now, reconnect the battery connector and attack the back cover.
Update Chrome OS
Your Chromebook might not be charging due to a ChromeOS bug. Usually, the devs are pretty quick at fixing OS-related issues. So, check if there’s a pending update and install it.
Step 1: Open Chromebook’s settings either using the notification menu from the home screen or open the Settings app from the app menu.
Step 2: Then select About Chrome OS at the bottom left of the screen and click on the Check for Updates button. If there is a new OS update, Chromebook will automatically start downloading.
If nothing has worked so far to resolve the ‘Chromebook not charging’ issue, you should visit your nearest service centre and get it looked at by an expert. If you’ve identified that the issue is with the battery, you can also buy one and replace it on your own if that’s something you’re comfortable doing.
Also read: How to turn off the touch screen on Chromebooks?
