If your MacBook Pro won’t charge, there are many possible reasons why this could happen. But most of them are easy to fix without too much effort. Using the methods below, you can quickly find out if your MacBook is connected incorrectly, or if there’s a more serious problem. We’ll help you troubleshoot.
MacBook Not Charging – The First Check
Multiple plugs plugged in and turned on?
Yes, it sounds banal, but in many cases it is simply the power outlet, or more precisely the power strip, that is the cause of charging problems. This is the case, for example, when it is not switched on. Many power strips have switches that stop the flow of current. In addition, you should also test whether the power strip is plugged in correctly.
Too weak or wrong charger?
Modern MacBooks can be charged via USB-C. However, this results in many users trying to use power adapters other than the original ones. Make sure to always use the charger included with the MacBook, because third-party devices often have far too little juice. Also, power strips with USB ports or many monitor USB-C ports are not made for the power that a MacBook needs. So: always use the original charger with the original cable on a working power outlet to ensure this source of failure is eliminated. Also, make sure that the plug is inserted correctly on the MacBook.
Reset SMC When MacBook Pro Not Charging
If the power and power adapter are connected correctly, but the MacBook still won’t charge, we recommend resetting the so-called SMC (System Management Controller): unlike PRAM, the Mac stores very deep system functions in SMC, including battery and charging current control. A system error, crashes or shutting down when the battery is low can cause malfunctions here. The SMC is not only responsible for the power supply, but also for other things like fan control. If the SMC goes haywire, the Mac goes haywire, too. Fortunately, the SMC can be easily reset on MacBooks:
SMC reset for MacBooks with removable battery.
If you still have an old MacBook with a removable battery, resetting the SMC is simple:
- Shut down the Mac and remove the battery.
- Press the power button for 5 seconds.
- Reinsert the battery.
- Start up the Mac again. Now everything should work normally.
SMC reset on MacBooks with a permanently installed battery.
For Mac notebooks with a permanently installed battery, the procedure is slightly different. Here, the SMC cannot be "de-energized", so a little keyboard gymnastics is required:
- Turn off the MacBook.
- Then press the [Shift] + [Ctrl] + [Option] keys on the left side of the keyboard together with the power button.
- Hold this position for 10 seconds and then release.
- The SMC is now reset. You can restart the Mac.
SMC reset for MacBooks with T2 chip (MacBooks from 2018).
More modern MacBooks require yet another procedure. To perform an SMC reset here, you need to proceed as follows:
- Turn off the MacBook.
- Then, press and hold the power button for 10 seconds.
- Release the switch and restart the MacBook.
- The SMC is now reset, charging problems should be eliminated.
What To Do if the MacBook Pro Still Not Charging?
If the MacBook Pro still does not charge after all the previous measures, it is likely that there is a hardware defect: Either the charger is defective or the charging port. You can test this, for example, by swapping the power supply with an identical device. If the MacBook still doesn’t charge after that, everything points to a defect on the part of the MacBook – now you’ll unfortunately have to take your device to an Apple service partner after all.