MacBook Not Charging? Here's What Might Be Wrong.

Nothing’s more annoying than plugging in your MacBook and realising… nothing’s happening. No light, no charging symbol, and no clue what’s going on. Don’t panic — here are a few simple checks and fixes you can try before getting it looked at.

Start with the Obvious Stuff

It sounds basic, but it’s worth double-checking:

• Is the charger properly plugged into both the Mac and the wall?

• Try a different wall socket or another USB-C port if your Mac has one.

• If possible, try another charger with your Mac, or try your charger on another Mac.

• If the charger cable looks damaged (frayed or melted-looking ends), that could be your culprit.

  
  

Look Inside the Port

Have MagSafe? Try cleaning the little gold circles with some alcohol or a dry cloth. Also look for anything magnetic that might have got stuck in the port like a staple.

Have USB-C? Check the gold strips on the inside to see if they have turned green or black. Green could mean some liquid has got in, while black means something may have burnt. Also check if any fluff has found it's way in. If it has, very delicatley remove it with something small and thin, avoid metal if you can.

Check Battery Health

Does the Mac still have some charge? You can check the health of your battery by going to:

Apple Menu > About This Mac > More Info > System Report > Power

Look out for:

• Cycle Count — if it’s over 1000, the battery could be worn out

• Battery Condition — if it says anything other than “Normal”, your battery probably needs replacing

This isn't often the cause of charging issues, but not unheard of!

Reset the SMC

For Intel-based Macs, a quick SMC reset can sometimes sort charging issues:

1. Shut the MacBook down

2. Hold Shift + Control + Option on the left side of the keyboard and the power button for 10 seconds

3. Release all the keys and turn it back on

For Apple Silicon Macs, this isn’t needed — they handle power management differently. Just a restart will do the trick.

Any Battery-Limiting Apps?

Some apps like AlDente or Battery Health 3 let you limit charging to preserve battery life. If you’ve used something like this in the past, double-check it’s not still running in the background.

Run Diagnostics

Still no luck? Running Apple’s built-in diagnostics is a great next step. The process depends on whether your Mac uses an Intel processor or Apple Silicon (M1/M2 etc...)

For Intel-based MacBooks:

1. Shut down your Mac completely.

2. Turn it back on and immediately press and hold the D key on your keyboard.

3. Keep holding until you see a screen asking you to connect to WiFi. Choose your network and pop in the password. Your Mac may skip this step if it remembers your network.

4. Choose your language and agree to the terms and conditions.

5. Apple Diagnostics will start automatically — follow the prompts and wait for the results.

   
   

For Apple Silicon (M1/M2) MacBooks:

1. Shut down your Mac completely.

2. Press and hold the Power button until you see “Loading startup options.”

3. You should see a screen showing your hard drive and a settings option, press Command (⌘) + D on your keyboard and keep them pressed until you see the diagnostics screen.

4. Apple Diagnostics will launch and run its checks.

   
   

Once the test is complete, you’ll see any detected issues along with reference codes that can help guide further troubleshooting or support.

Still No Luck?

If your MacBook’s still refusing to charge, it might be time to get it looked at properly. Whether you’re in Hampshire, Dorset, or nearby, I can help get it sorted — whether it’s a failing battery, a dodgy charging chip, or just a bit of dirt causing the issue.

Book a quick chat to get your Mac looked at properly.