Is your Macbook battery not charging even though the battery icon shows that it is charging? If so, you are not alone! In fact, yesterday, when I plugged in my MacBook, I soon realized that my Mac’s battery was not charging properly.
For me, when I plug it in, the battery icon up the top shows the lightning bolt icon but also says it’s not charging and stays on the same battery percentage. For others, the battery icon shows the plug symbol instead of the lightning bolt–and of course, it also does not charge or change the percentage of total charge.
If the Battery Status menu on your MacBook says “Not Charging” even when plugged into power, your computer might not be connected to a power source that gives enough power to charge the battery. This often happens when you connect to the power port during a flight–it can provide sufficient power to run your MacBook but not charge it at the same time.
Check your MacBook’s battery condition
- Press and hold the Option key then tap the battery icon in the top menu bar
- Review the results
- Normal: your battery is functioning normally
- Replace Soon: The battery holds less charge than it did when new
- Replace Now: The battery holds significantly less charge than when new. Continue to use the battery until you can replace it
- Service Battery: The battery needs replaced. Take note of any change in behavior or the amount of charge it holds. You can continue to use your battery before it’s checked without harming your computer
Clean your charging port and the power adapter

It’s possible that your port or the charging cable is dirty. So we recommend cleaning both your MacBook’s charging port AND the power adapter’s cable and the charger itself.
Check to make sure there is no dust or debris inside the connectors. Check and clean both the adapter connector and the power port on Macbook. Look closely and remove debris using a magnifying glass or the magnifying glass function on your iPhone.
Learn how in this article: How to clean a USB-C charging port on your MacBook, iPad, or phone
Try a different charger, outlet, power source, or warm it up!
If possible, use a different charger from another MacBook and see if the problem persists or resolves. If you do not have access to another charger, visit an Apple Store or Apple Authorized retailer and ask them if you can test your MacBook using one of their chargers.
Make sure that the power outlet you are using to charge your device is working properly. Try a different wall power outlet to test.
It is known that some chargers/adapters may not work if it is too cold. Warming up the charger may fix your problem. Try heating your charger. I heard that some people put it under their armpit to warm it up.
Reset the System Management Controller (SMC)

Resetting the SMC may resolve many power-related issues. Try this if your MacBook does not appear to be charging properly.
MacBooks with a nonremovable battery
- Shut down your MacBook
- On your built-in keyboard, press and hold all of these keys:
- Shift on the left side of your keyboard
- Control on the left side of your keyboard
- Option on the left side of your keyboard
- While holding all three keys, press and hold the power button
- Keep holding all four keys for 10 seconds
- Release all keys, then press the power button to turn on your Mac
MacBooks with a removable battery
- Shut down your Mac
- Remove the battery
- Press and hold the power button for 5 seconds
- Reinstall the battery
- Press the power button to turn on your Mac
MacBooks with the T2 chip
- Shut down your Mac.
- On your built-in keyboard, press and hold all of the following keys:
- Control on the left side of your keyboard
- Option on the left side of your keyboard
- Shift on the right side of your keyboard
- Keep holding all three keys for 7 seconds, then press and hold the power button as well
- Keep holding all four keys for another 7 seconds, then release
- Wait a few seconds, then press the power button to turn on your Mac
Obsessed with tech since the early arrival of A/UX on Apple, Sudz (SK) is responsible for the original editorial direction of AppleToolBox. He is based out of Los Angeles, CA.
Sudz specializes in covering all things macOS, having reviewed dozens of OS X and macOS developments over the years.
In a former life, Sudz worked helping Fortune 100 companies with their technology and business transformation aspirations.
I tried the pressing and holding shift/control/option and then the power button for 10 seconds procedure and nothing changed.. then I did the “7 second” procedure and BAM it fixed it! Wow.. so cool .. thx so much 😉
it didn’t work, i try many times still light is on but no charging
time is time is time
THANK YOU SO MUCH! YOU SAVED MY DAY!
Thank you! It must have been dust! I did try the armpit though. 😉
didn’t work for me sadly and it is dying and I need to go to bed.
Great armpit advice, it made all the difference
I was travelling for two months and left my MacBook Pro at home, fully charged and turned off. I came home last night and it won’t charge or turn on. Charging light stays green. I live in Congo, DRC, so there are no certified repair shops here. I googled for ideas. Did all the reboot/start tricks. Took out and reconnected the battery. No luck. HELP!!!
Serhat Kurt, you made my day! Thank you for posting this. It worked like a charm.
Many blessings to you!