Is your iPad mini charging very slowly or not charging at all? It’s not much good to anyone as a portable tablet if you need to keep it plugged it in all the time. Find out how to tell if your iPad mini is charging correctly and what you can do if it isn’t.
You certainly won’t be the first person whose iPad is not charging or won’t charge. But when you’re having trouble, or if your iPad mini says ‘Not charging’, it can be tricky to know what the cause is. Dodgy cables, faulty software, expired batteries. We’ve detailed everything you need to know to diagnose your battery problems below.
Contents
- How do I know if my iPad mini is charging?
- How Long Should It Take to Charge an iPad mini?
- How can I make my iPad mini charge faster?
- Can I Charge an iPad mini With an iPhone Charger, Another iPad Charger, or a MacBook Charger?
- How Many Years Does an iPad mini Battery Last?
- What Can I Do to Make My iPad mini Battery Last Longer?
- How much does it cost to replace an iPad mini battery?
- How Do I Fix an iPad mini That Won’t Charge or Turn On?
- How do I fix an iPad Mini stuck on the battery charging screen?
- How Do I Fix an iPad mini That’s Not Charging When It’s Plugged In?
- How Do I Replace the Battery on my iPad mini?
- I Can Charge My iPad mini From a Wall Socket, but Not a Computer. How Do I Fix This?
- Reader Tips
- Use These Steps to Fix Your iPad mini Not Charging
How do I know if my iPad mini is charging?
There are several ways to tell if your iPad mini is charging or not. However, if it was completely dead when you plugged it in, you may need to wait up to an hour before any of them will work.
Your iPad will show a Low Power screen if it doesn’t have enough charge to turn on. If this screen also shows a white lightning connector then your iPad mini is not charging.
On the lock screen, when your iPad mini is turned on, a large battery icon will appear as it first starts to charge. You’ll then see a charging percentage beneath the date.
Finally, the battery icon in the status bar of your iPad mini will have a lightning bolt whenever the iPad is charging. You’ll also be able to watch the battery slowly go up over time.
How Long Should It Take to Charge an iPad mini?
It should take around four hours to charge an iPad mini from 0–100%. However, the exact time will vary based on the quality of your lightning cable, the wattage of your adapter, the age of your iPad battery, and even the ambient temperature of the room!
For reference, my iPad mini 4 took about three hours to charge to 100% after it died.
How can I make my iPad mini charge faster?
There are a few different things you can do to help if your iPad mini is charging very slowly.
- Update to the latest version of iOS. Go to Settings > General > Software Update and tap Update Now if you see the option to do so.
- Use an official Apple lightning cable or make sure yours is certified MFi.
- Use an official Apple power adapter with the highest wattage available.
- Don’t use your iPad mini while it is charging; put it to sleep or power it off.
- Keep your iPad mini at a comfortable ambient temperature, it will stop charging at 80% if it’s too warm.
Can I Charge an iPad mini With an iPhone Charger, Another iPad Charger, or a MacBook Charger?
The short answer is: Yes. Generally speaking, the larger the charger the faster your iPad mini will charge.
The original iPad mini shipped with a 5 W power adapter, the same ones used for iPhones. However, later models shipped with 10 W adapters leading to a faster charge. If you have a MacBook from 2016 or later you can use its 29 W adapter to charge your iPad mini even faster.
Barring the 5 W iPhone adapter, wattage of each Apple power adapter is printed on its side.
How Many Years Does an iPad mini Battery Last?
According to Apple, the iPad mini’s battery will retain up to 80% of its original capacity after 1,000 full cycles. That means you could go from 100% to 0% charge 1000 times. Or go from 100% to 50% charge 2,000 times.
So how long is that? Well, it all depends on how much you use it. If you go through a full cycle twice a week, that means your iPad battery should last a whopping 10 years.
What Can I Do to Make My iPad mini Battery Last Longer?
Apple has a great website with tips for maximizing battery performance across your devices.
The most effective thing you could do is to use it less, but that isn’t why you bought the thing. Alternatively, tweak these settings to make your iPad mini battery last as long as possible:
- Dim the screen brightness.
- Turn off Background App Refresh.
- Set Mail apps to fetch data manually.
- Turn off Location Services entirely or for specific apps.
- Reduce the number of notifications that appear on your Lock screen.
How much does it cost to replace an iPad mini battery?
If your iPad battery drops below 80% capacity during its first year, Apple will replace it for free under their one-year AppleCare warranty. If you have AppleCare+ on your iPad mini that warranty is extended to two years.
Apple offers out of warranty battery repair for $119 across all iPad models. What’s more, Apple doesn’t actually repair the battery; they replace your entire iPad for this price.
If you’re fairly technical and handy, you could also attempt to replace the battery yourself with a Battery Replacement Kit for your model of iPad. However, we do not recommend doing this if you don’t have any prior experience.
How Do I Fix an iPad mini That Won’t Charge or Turn On?
Sometimes, your iPad mini won’t turn on even after leaving it on charge. When this happens, you won’t see a Low Power screen or a Connect to Charge screen. The iPad mini display will simply remain black.
To start, make sure that you’ve been trying to charge your device for at least an hour. If there’s still no sign of life, perform a forced restart. You do this by holding the Sleep/Wake and the Home buttons at the same time. Keep them held down until your iPad mini has turned on and restarted itself, which should take about 45 seconds.
Should that fail to revive your iPad there’s a good chance it hasn’t been charging properly. Check out our tips below to fix that.
How do I fix an iPad Mini stuck on the battery charging screen?
Sometimes, an iPad mini sticks on the Low Power screen — even when you’re certain it is charging correctly. This frustrating issue has been resolved for many users by connecting the iPad to a computer.
Once you’ve allowed your iPad to connect to your computer, you should be able to access the device again. It’s worth waiting a bit of time for your device to switch back on. Don’t, however, restore your device unless you’ve already backed up your files.
If you’re still having trouble, try these instructions to restore your iPad mini using DFU mode. But again, ensure you have a backup before doing so!
How Do I Fix an iPad mini That’s Not Charging When It’s Plugged In?
There are several things that could be stopping your iPad mini from charging, covering hardware and software problems. Follow the steps we’ve outlined below to discover the cause and ease your charging woes.
1. Reboot your iPad mini and update iPadOS
If you can power your iPad mini on, press and hold the Sleep/Wake button until you’re prompted to slide to turn off. Power off your iPad mini and leave it turned off for 30–60 seconds before powering it back on and trying to charge again.
You should also check for software updates to iPadOS. These frequently patch software bugs that cause battery performance or charging errors. They can also optimize your iPad mini to use less battery power while you’re using it.
- Go to Settings > General > Software Update.
- If an update appears, select Update Now. Make sure that you’ve got access to a wall plug socket so that your software can update without being interrupted to no battery.
- Wait for your iPad to update your software. When your device switches back on, enter your passcode and everything should hopefully work normally again.
2. Test Your Lightning Cable
Apple lightning cables are notorious for splitting and fraying. When this happens, they frequently lose their charging ability. But your lightning cable could be the problem even if it doesn’t look damaged.
Try charging another Apple device using the same lightning cable, if it works then your cable is working fine. If this doesn’t work, check that you’re using either an official Apple cable or a certified Made for iPhone (MFi) cable.
Alternatively, try charging your iPad with a different lightning cable. If that works then your original lightning cable is probably faulty. If you bought it from Apple it might be covered by their one-year warranty.
3. Test Your Power Adapter or Outlet
Once you know the lightning cable works, it’s time to test your power adapter. Start by plugging into a different outlet — and make sure it’s switched on!
Then find a different adapter to use. However, know that if your iPad mini shipped with a bulky 10 W adapter, your 5 W iPhone adapter might not be capable of providing enough power to charge an iPad battery.
Alternatively, try charging your iPad mini from a computer’s USB port. Again, this is unlikely to deliver enough power to charge your iPad very quickly, but will give an indication as to whether your original adapter is the problem.
If your adapter is faulty, you might be able to get it replaced under Apple’s one-year warranty.
4. Clean the Lightning Port on Your iPad mini
Shine a light into the lightning port at the bottom of your iPad mini. Look closely to see if there is any build up of lint or dirt inside the port. If there is, this could well be the reason your iPad mini is not charging properly.
Carefully remove the debris using any of the following tools, but make sure you don’t damage the charging elements while doing so:
- Anti-static brush.
- Compressed air duster.
- Clean and dry toothbrush.
- SIM pin, straightened paperclip, or safety pin.
You could also take your iPad to your nearest Apple Store where they’re usually happy to safely clean your lightning port for free.
5. Restore Your Device Using DFU Mode
The final troubleshooting step is to restore your iPad completely. Doing so will remove all the data and reset the device back to its factory settings.
You should make a backup of your iPad mini first.
- Go to Settings > Apple ID > iCloud.
- Select iCloud Backup.
- Tap Back Up Now.
- Your device will begin to back up. When it’s done, you’re ready to restore your device.
We suggest a restore using DFU mode as it completely reinstalls the software and firmware on your device. It’s the deepest level of restore possible and will ensure your charging problem isn’t software related.
Follow this guide to restore your iPad mini using DFU mode.
How Do I Replace the Battery on my iPad mini?
After all those troubleshooting tips, if your iPad mini is still not charging correctly you probably need a battery replacement. Unfortunately, due to the seamless design of Apple’s iPad, you can’t replace the battery yourself.
Instead, you should book an appointment at an Apple store or at an Apple Authorized Service Provider. These technicians should be able to offer you a replacement iPad for the cost of a new battery: $119.
I Can Charge My iPad mini From a Wall Socket, but Not a Computer. How Do I Fix This?
If you’re having issues charging your iPad from a computer but no problems with your wall charger, try these tips to solve the issue.
Make Sure Your iPad mini Is a Trusted Device and Allow the USB to Connect
One of the main reasons why your iPad won’t charge on your computer is because it’s not a trusted device. In other cases, it could be that you haven’t allowed the accessory to connect.
Start by allowing your iPad accessory to connect:
- Plug your iPad into your computer.
- A pop-up window will ask if you want to allow the accessory to connect. Select Allow.
Next, you can add your iPad as a trusted device:
- Go to your iPad with the device still plugged into your computer. You should see a window asking if you want to trust your device.
- Press Trust. Hopefully, you won’t have any issues with using your devices together after this.
Try Different USB Ports (and Get Them Inspected)
Another problem could be associated with the different USB ports on your device. It’s a good idea to firstly try each of these and see if they work. And if that doesn’t work, it’s worth having someone else look at your device.
Reader Tips
- My iPad mini would not charge. At about 3% battery level I eventually tried ‘Reset Network Settings’, and this brought up the charging lightning symbol again, and after a few hours the battery level was 100% again. Thus, you may not need to ‘Reset All Settings’.
Use These Steps to Fix Your iPad mini Not Charging
Your iPad mini not charging doesn’t have to be the end of your device. Sometimes, simple fixes will help you solve the issue and get back on track. For example, you can try updating your software and to use different USB ports on your computer. Hopefully, something worked in this guide; if it didn’t, you should contact Apple Support.
Did you find out why your iPad mini was not charging? Or what was making it charge slowly? Let us know what happened below!
Related Reading:
- iPhone/iPad Losing Charge While Plugged In: How to Fix
- iPad Won’t Charge or Won’t Show Up in iTunes
- How to Fix an iPhone or iPad That Won’t Charge When Plugged In
- iPad or iPhone Will Not Charge: How to Fix
- iPhone (iPad and iPod Touch) Won’t Turn On or Charge
- iPad Pro Won’t Charge When Plugged In: How Do I Fix It?
Dan writes tutorials and troubleshooting guides to help people make the most of their technology. Before becoming a writer, he earned a BSc in Sound Technology, supervised repairs at an Apple Store, and even taught English in China.
Susan says
I fear I have not got the lastest version of IOS on my Ipad mini suspect this is why I can’t charge it anymore??
Manuel Cabello says
I have an iPad mini that will not charge. I’ve used 3 different lighting chargers and it shows that it’s charging but then it says it’s not charging. It does that with all three chargers.
Elizabeth Jones says
Hi Manuel,
Check your iPad’s charging port for any obstructions or debris/grease build-up. It’s a good idea to clean that port and see if you can get your iPad Mini charging again.
iPhone Not Charging? Lightning Port Problems? Fix
How to clean a USB-C charging port on your MacBook, iPad, or phone
My Ipad mini will not charge. I tried everything that was mentioned in this troubleshooting guide. Nothing worked. With Louisiana being in lock down I cannot get to an Apple Store. I dont know if its the battery or that the ipad has gotten old. What else should I try until I can get to a store. I use this device all the time.
Thanks,
Hi Donnell,
Try burping your iPad–it often works, strange as it sounds.
Take a look at this instruction
I use a Belkin charger hooked into my laptop to charge my iPad mini and tonight part of the charging thing went into the Apple iPad.
Now it won’t turn on or charge.
What should I do?
Hi Kim,
If I am correct, some of the Belkin charger’s connector end is stuck in your iPad Mini’s charging port.
The safest option is to take it to Apple or an Apple repair center and have them remove the part that is stuck.
However, if you want to try it yourself, we recommend trying to remove the stuck piece(s) using te tools in a standard eyeglass repair kit–these are meant to fix the small parts of your glasses and work quite nicely in small areas like a charging port.
Alternatives include using small tools like tweezers or sewing needles to slowly remove the stuck parts. Just go slowly and carefully.
Hi, I just bought an iPad mini 5 recently and its all ok and keep charge very well, the problem I have is when I plug my iPad into charger, it sometimes takes about 3,4 seconds to start charging and show up the charging icon, I have to mention that I use original apple cable and charger.
I haven’t had this kind of problem with all of my iPhones that’s why it makes me nervous, all I want to know is that is it problem or I should not consider it as a problem?
Hi David,
It’s not a problem. But if you are worried about it and have an Apple Store nearby, set-up an appointment to show them this behavior. They may swap out a new cable/charger for you.
My iPad Mini 2 is stuck on the low battery screen and it has been charging for over 12 hours. What do I do? It also tends to randomly die, even though it’s on 100%.
Hi there,
Since you report multiple battery issues with your iPad mini, it’s likely it needs a battery replacement. To check your battery, go to Settings > Battery and take a look at any recommendations and how you use your battery. If you see fairly normal use patterns, replacing your battery is often the best course of action.
If your iPad mini is still under Apple Care, there is no charge for a battery replacement. If not covered, it’s a flat $ 99 USD.
Contact Apple via chat or phone, or set-up an appointment at your local Apple shop to inspect your device.
You can also do this repair DYI by purchasing parts or send it to a local Apple device repair shop.
iPad mini switches on but only goes as far as the battery low indication, and won’t charge???
HI Mark,
Sorry to hear about that issue.
We need to determine if the problem is your iPad’s battery or something else, like the cable or charger or the lightning port is clogged.
First, check your iPad’s lightning port and see if there is any debris or lint lodged in there. Check out these tips on how to clean the lightning port.
Next, connect your iPad to a different charger and use a different lightning cable. Power off your iPad Mini and then let it charge for at least 4-6 hours. If it comes on during this time, power it off again.
If you switch the charger and cable and the iPad still doesn’t charge, it’s likely a battery issue.
In that case, we suggest you set-up an appointment with your local Apple Store or contact Apple Support for their battery replacement service. If your iPad Mini is covered under warranty or if Apple determines the battery was somehow defective, there is no charge. For all other cases, when not covered, the fee is $99 for a replacement battery on any model iPad.
My iPad mini would not charge. At about 3% battery level I eventually tried ‘Reset Network Settings’, and this brought up the charging lightning symbol again, and after a few hours the battery level was 100% again. Thus you may not need to ‘Reset All Settings’.
iPad Mini Retina – will not charge correctly. If I turn the plug around enough times, then finally I can get a hot connection to charge. But then often it just sops charging willy nilly. It is so unreliable. What is the problem. The old 30-pin adapter I use on my iPhone 4S and iPad work just fine still. It is a problem with the Lightning Adapter. And Apple should address this problem.
I have the mini pad 2 and I have built pc rigs for over 20 yrs , my latest build has the most newest usb compliance with all usb devices yet the mini will not charge on my pc. I don’t believe Apples excuse blaming other peoples hardware. One thing I will note is that out of 3 brand new lightening cables each bought from Apple 2 of them stop charging at less then 90% meanwhile one charges 100% on a new usb charger plug which is also Apple made. I have tested those 2 on other usb charger plugs with the same result while the one works fine and now has me convinced its a Apple flaw! The pc not charging Apple can fix with a simple update but the charging cables need to be inspected better. Heating isses seem to be the common thing for these ipads these days and since their latest ios update I suggest those having the heating issue to not lay it on a flat surface so that it will not overheat.
Haven’t had my iPad mini long atall! And it just won’t charge! I have bought a new charger and tried it in a usb and wall plug! It’s fully dead and when I connect it to the charger it still tells me to ‘charge it’ please help!
Updated to 8.0.2 and now the IPad mini won’t charge.
Hello, my name is Ashleigh. I currently own a first generation ipad mini. I have had it for about 3 years, but I do not know for sure. I have always had very minor issues that were fixable with research. This morning when my iPad was dying, I plugged it in as always. It says it is not charging, but it won’t die when it says %1, which is usually when it begins to fade on me. I tried multiple different plugins, outlets, and computers too, yet it still wasn’t working. I attempted to turn on airplane mode, restart, and it went up to %2 but still doesn’t have the charging symbol. If there are some other ways to try and fix, please let me know. Overall, I have a android smartphone and this ipad mini. I always buy apple for my recreational uses due to the better system, and android for my phone. I have always been very pleased with the two doing their own duties. I am simply having this one small issue. It is a very old iPad mini, so I understand if it’s natural for it to mess up. Responses appreciated, if not have a wonderful day.
The problem seems to be the charging cord itself (on the UBS side) my new mini stopped taking a charge after a few weeks. I noticed one of the terminals or circuits on my cord had developed a green corrosion, and after looking at with a magnifying glass. It looks like the corresponding terminal (on the flip side, same circuit) is also corroded. Possibly from arcing. The cord doesn’t click in or lock, I think the problem is the loose fitting
Plug because I used the charging cord from a full size I-pad and it charged fine. I tried a cheap brand universal cord and a message came up that “Apple does not support the use of this charging device” so the warrenty possabily could be voided, so try a Apple charging cord from a reg size I-pad it worked for mine.
I have had no issues charging my ipad mini using the USB port until this week. makes no sense. Nothing has changed with my computer, the ipad still asks me to trust the device and it tells me it’s not charging (it always does that) but now the battery doesn’t turn green as it’s charging.
Still charging fine from an outlet but I need to be able to charge from my computer! Help!
Omg.
It’s has been like 5 days when my parents got an iPad mini for my sis and today it just stop charging. We put it to charge every way posible but it wouldn’t charge it said it’s charging but it has been in zero battery all day
My Ipad mini refuses to charge from connecting it to the computer to charging it from the wall adapter it came from and another adapter bought new cable and still doesnt work PLEASE HELP!!!
I have a similar problem to yours too. I have an iPad mini for about a year now and my charger got really old. Like the wire has opened up and its all broken apart. So I bought a new charger and it was working perfectly fine for about 1week. After that, one morning I saw that my iPad had 5% charge so I quickly plugged it in to a wall. It wasn’t charging at all!! I didn’t see the sign “Not charging”. But it just wasn’t charging! I’m so sad right now. Please if anyone could help me I would be honored. I can’t buy another charger I mean come on! I just bought this one 🙁
we purchased 4 ipad minis and an ipod touch 5 last year, and we only have one charger that still works. That is a lot of money. We tried a belkin charger, that lasted one week. Has Apple replaced any chargers at no cost?
Similar problems with my ipad mini…left it on my desk..came back to use it and it was hot and couldn’t get it to come on….been trying to recharge it all day…nothing!
Beginning to wonder if buying apple was the right thing to do!
IPad mini not charging
My birthday is 17th Octover 2001 and my parents bought me a IPad Mini for
My birthday, it’s now Friday 13th June 2014, I recently got and IPhone 5 due to me starting High School both chargers won’t charge my devices it doesn’t even say charging so I have to use my mums IPhone 5s cord is there a way I can fix this problem?
What are the settings in this crappy thing that could tell it to not charge from a usb it has been previously charging on? This is why I hate apple its crap I would have solved this if it were an android device or even a horrible windows os hate apple with good reason. Oh utterly useless article by the way I can’t believe you bothered frankly more useful info in Chinese fortune cookies. But exactly what I’d expect from something called apple boa bla.
i brought 2 ipad mini for children n nothing but trouble with charging, my children are not happy only few mths old n broken
Wow. That’s sad. Not the charging thing..the fact you bought a 400 dollar toy for a child. .little turds must be spoiled rotten eww I can only imagine. Probably out them on some pills though..called their lack of discipline add or something lol
@mark..
I do believe this was a thread about charging issues with Ipads, not for judgment calls about what people buy their children. Unless you have some helpful information about the topic, keep your personal views to yourself.
Mark, you are a real jerk. Sounds to me like you just aren’t able to buy your kids anything nice and educational like an ipad. Don’t be a hater!
I bought 3 for my children. All are special needs and these are wonderful for helping them to communicate and express themselves. If you have no constructive input, proceed to the output door
Same problem, apple store told me the plug is at fault as not apple and I should purchase a new apple one . The plug came in the box with the iPad mini. So why is it not apple. It charges fully with my partners plug from his I pad , and within a short time. The plugs for sale at the apple store online look the same as the one I have, why purchase another one to have the same problem. Come on apple get your act together. Julia
When I got the mini pad and I charged it, it want even charger. This is a riff off and I’m taking it back
Well, it’s May 17, 2013 now and the iPad mini is still being sold with the same problem!
I can’t charge my new mini from my computer , or my charger in my van, or my iPhone 4 cord which is plugged into the wall (I bought an adapter to change the 30pin to the lightning plug Sold specifically so u can use your old cords, but won’t work!,,
How long does it take Apple to fix something like this? I like the mini a lot, but this charging issue is unacceptable!!!
my ipad mini charging is only limited to 91%.. pls help
Get a new one hahhahaha
My ipad mini was on charge over other and this morning it was very hot. I tried to switch it on but nothing? Also tired the reset but still not working? Any thoughts?
same here, i don’t know what to do
Just bought iPad mini and found mine also not charged using original.i also bought cheaper after market USB cable and plug for workplace (fancy flat cable)about MYR13.found out that iPad mini could be charged 100% just fine.when comparing with original cable,the original is quite loose hence maybe not in contact
I have a top of the range PC with the latest USB technology and my iPad mini won’t charge off it – I think Apple know there’s major design fault and are fobbing everyone off by blaming on the computer. I’d be interested to know if anyone at all has successfully charged their iPad from a PC – any PC and if so what the spec of that PC was.
yeahh I charged mine on laptop and it charged but no fully I had the charger for the laptop on too its a HP it charged up too 86% now my ipad mini wont charge at all because I put it on charge and then came back it wouldn’t on I think it must of been dirt that went through the side edges where the screen is and made something in the mini stop working cause the back felt hot and now I have no idea whats wrong with it I need serious help. 🙁
Returned the mini and got a “real” iPad 4th gen. This is a keeper, so much faster and i like the bigger size now, my eyes don’t hurt from looking at jagged text anymore!
I’ll get another mini when the retina version is out. Perfect iPad 5 would be full sized ipad but with the weight and thickness of the current mini, definitely possible in a years time frame given tech advances.
I have tried everything you have recommended and my ipad mini is just a few hours old. It refuses to charge. I tried connected it to itunes and it does not get detected.
Got the mini yesterday.
Used it till it died and plugged into the wall with supplied gear. I awoke 10 hours later to a 68% charge reading. Terrible! Also this thing freezes up, is hard read with the low resolution screen and it stutters a lot when in use. Iits a lemon rather than an apple. I am taking this piece of crap back!
Wow I have never had any of those problems……I traded my full size three for my mini and could not be happier…..sounds like you got someone’s return thet they ruined first, then the store resold it to you cuz my runs perfect