Common Scenarios
MacBooks of all generations are reported to show slow charging, even brand-new ones.macOS updates can trigger the charging problem.Battery Preferences may show a long charging time of around 5, 10, or 20 hours.The charge may decrease even when the MacBook is plugged in.The charger’s charging light may turn orange.Power Information reveals input wattages significantly lower than the charger’s capacity (e.g., 12 watts).MacBook may experience heating up and sluggishness.
How to Fix a MacBook that is Charging Slow
Firstly, we will try to fix the slow charging on the MacBook with less invasive methods. If that fails, then we will move to methods such as reseating internal components or performing an internet-based macOS recovery.
1. Restart the MacBook
A malfunction in the power modules of the MacBook will not allow it to charge at regular speed. To overcome this, restart the MacBook.
Restart
Power Off and Charge
Completely Drain the Battery
2. Boot the MacBook with Bare Minimum
If a MacBook is drawing excessive power due to a connected hardware device, the charging process will be prolonged because the charger can only supply the amount of current required by the hardware. In this case, starting up the MacBook with the minimal essential components will resolve the issue.
3. Clean the Charging Port of the MacBook
If debris or dust has gone into the charging port of the MacBook, the charger will fail to properly connect with the MacBook or will keep on connecting/disconnecting, thus charging slowly. Here, cleaning the charging port will do the trick.
4. Update the macOS of the MacBook to the Latest Build
The MacBook will charge slowly due to a bug in the macOS. Updating the OS of your MacBook will clear out any such bugs and thus solve the problem.
5. Check for a Conflicting Application
If the MacBook’s resources are being excessively utilized by an application such as Desktop Docker or Logic Pro X, the laptop will divert all the available power to execute the said application. This will certainly slow down the laptop’s charging speed. This can be fixed by closing any resource-heavy application.
Close Running Applications and Processes
Boot the MacBook into the Safe Mode
6. Perform an SMC Reset on the MacBook
SMC (System Management Controller) is a chip on the mainboard of your MacBook that handles settings such as temperature monitoring, status and keyboard lights, fan control, and most importantly, power management. Failing to charge a MacBook at regular speed can occur if the SMC configurations are no longer valid. In this case, performing an SMC reset on the MacBook will fix the problem. This is only applicable to Intel MacBooks.
MacBooks with T2 Chips
MacBooks without a T2 Chips with a Removeable Battery
MacBooks without a T2 Chips with a Non-Removeable Battery
7. Disable Optimized Battery Charging on the MacBook
In the latest macOS versions (macOS Big Sur or later), the MacBook uses Optimized Battery Charging to learn your charging habits and uses this technique to improve the lifespan of its battery. You will get slow charging on the MacBook if this feature is disabling the charging or slowing it to match your charging habits. To solve this, disable the Optimized Battery Charging feature on the MacBook.
8. Try Another Charger and Power Outlet
You will experience slow charging on your MacBook if the charger is faulty or if the power outlet is providing “bad” electricity to the charger. This issue can be resolved by using another power outlet and charger.
9. Reseat the Internal Components of the MacBook
If an internal component of the power circuit of the MacBook has become loose, it can cause inexplicable power behavior in the laptop, including slow charging. This can be solved by reseating the internal components of the MacBook.
10. Perform a macOS Recovery Over the Internet
The MacBook will charge slowly if its core OS components dealing with the charging mechanism are damaged, and as a result, fail to properly control the charging procedure. Here, performing a macOS Recovery over the Internet will solve the problem. If the issue persists, contact Apple Support for further assistance. You may request a replacement if it’s still under warranty. Otherwise, have the MacBook checked for a hardware error. The error might be a faulty charging port, a malfunctioning battery, or a damaged motherboard.
