Laptop power & battery

Laptop shows 'charging' but the battery percentage isn't going up

This is usually a reporting glitch or a charger that's just barely keeping pace with power use, rather than a battery that refuses to charge.

Difficulty
Easy
Time
15–30 minutes
DIY cost
$0–$60
Pro cost
$80–$150

Symptoms

  • Charging icon is shown but percentage stays flat for a long time
  • Percentage may even slowly decrease despite the charging icon
  • Problem resolves temporarily after closing demanding apps
  • Percentage eventually starts moving after a while

Likely causes

  • CommonLaptop is using more power than the charger supplies, so it's charging but net power use exceeds itCommon with underpowered chargers during gaming or heavy CPU use.
  • CommonBattery reporting service stuck or delayedA software glitch can cause the displayed percentage to lag behind the actual charge level.
  • PossibleBattery nearly full and trickle-charging very slowly by designCharging naturally slows dramatically near 100% to protect the battery.
  • PossibleAging battery accepting charge very slowlyDegraded cells can take a charge much more gradually than before.

What to do

  1. Close demanding apps and let the laptop sit idle to see if the percentage starts climbing.
  2. Check the charger's wattage against the laptop's requirement to rule out an underpowered charger.
  3. Restart the laptop to refresh the battery reporting service.
  4. Give it more time if the battery is already above 80%, since charging slows intentionally near full.
  5. Check battery health for signs of aging if the behavior persists at all charge levels.
  6. Try a different charger and cable to rule those out.

Tools and parts

  • None required
Correct-wattage replacement chargerSearch: “[laptop model] original charger wattage”

When to call a pro

If percentage never rises even fully idle with the correct charger, have the battery and charging circuit professionally tested.

Safety

Generally low risk

Generally low risk for a careful person. Stop if anything looks different from what this guide describes.

Related guides

Operator provides AI-generated troubleshooting information. It can be wrong. For safety-critical, electrical, gas, structural, medical, automotive safety, or other high-risk problems, consult a qualified professional.