Why is my laptop not turning on or charging?

If your laptop is not turning on or charging, there could be several possible causes. In this comprehensive guide, we will walk through all the common issues that can prevent a laptop from powering up or charging properly. We will also provide solutions to help you get your laptop up and running again.

Table of Contents

Quick Overview of Common Causes

Here is a quick overview of some of the most common reasons a laptop may not be turning on or charging:

Battery issues – The battery may be completely dead, not seated properly, or have a faulty battery cell.

Power adapter issues – The adapter may be damaged, not plugged in correctly, or needs to be replaced.
Motherboard issues – Faulty components on the motherboard can prevent power from flowing properly.
Display issues – Screen connectivity problems may prevent laptop from turning on.

Power button issues – A failed power button or related circuitry can prevent powering up.

We will now dive into more details on diagnosing and fixing each of these common issues when a laptop won’t turn on or charge.

Troubleshoot the Laptop Battery

One of the first things to check when a laptop won’t turn on is the battery. Here are some steps to troubleshoot laptop battery issues:

Check that the battery is seated properly in the compartment. It should click into place and may have release levers to lock it in.
Try removing the battery completely and plugging in the power adapter to see if the laptop turns on. This verifies the battery is faulty or dead.
Inspect the battery connectors to make sure they are not dirty or damaged. Use isopropyl alcohol to clean the connectors if needed.

Check the battery charge lights while plugged into the adapter to see if it is charging – no lights could indicate a bad battery.
Test with a known good battery from a working laptop to rule out other issues.
As a last resort, replace the battery if it is no longer holding a charge.

Laptop batteries degrade over time and will eventually need to be replaced. If your battery is more than 3-5 years old, a replacement battery may be required to get your laptop running again.

Battery Calibration

In some cases, calibrating the battery can help revive a battery that is no longer holding much charge:

Fully charge the battery to 100% while turned off and plugged in.

Disconnect AC power and operate laptop until it powers off due to low battery.
Fully charge the battery again to 100% while turned off and plugged in.
Disconnect AC power and operate laptop on battery until it powers off.

Fully recharge the battery one final time.

This calibration process may help rejuvenate the battery if it has been rarely used or left discharged for an extended period.

Check the Laptop Power Adapter

A faulty power adapter or charging issues are another common reason for laptop power problems. Here is how to troubleshoot adapter issues:

Try using the adapter on a known good laptop to see if it powers it on – this verifies if the adapter works.
Wiggle and apply pressure to the adapter cable near the connector and see if the laptop briefly turns on – indicating a loose connection.
Inspect the adapter port and connectors on the laptop for damage, broken pins, or debris/corrosion.

Try plugging the adapter into a different wall outlet in case the original outlet is faulty.
Test the output voltage of the adapter with a multimeter to verify it provides the expected voltage (19-20v usually).
Replace the adapter if no lights turn on when connected or it fails any of these tests.

Using an underpowered or third-party adapter that does not provide sufficient wattage for your laptop can also cause charging and startup issues in some cases.

Reset the Laptop Power

As part of troubleshooting power adapter issues, you may need to do a power reset to discharge built up static electricity:

Unplug the AC adapter from the laptop.

Press and hold the laptop’s power button for 30-60 seconds to drain residual power.
Reconnect the AC adapter and check if the laptop can now turn on.

Resetting the power forces a hard reboot which can fix some power-related startup problems after ruling out the adapter.

Motherboard Issues

If you have verified the battery and adapter are working properly, startup and charging issues may be due to problems with the motherboard. Some things to check:

Inspect for any damaged components around the CPU or GPU.
Reseat RAM modules in case they became loose.

Try removing extra RAM, drives, and external devices to simplify troubleshooting.
Reset CMOS to troubleshoot motherboard power issues.
Attempt a BIOS update from USB if available from manufacturer.

Damaged ports, fried circuitry, loose connections, and firmware bugs can prevent the laptop from starting up properly. You may need to replace the motherboard or service the laptop if the issue persists after trying these steps.

Common Motherboard Failure Points

Some parts of the motherboard are more prone to failure and can cause startup issues:

Power circuits – Failure in the switch-mode power supply, voltage regulators, or PMIC chips can prevent clean, stable power from being delivered.

CMOS battery – A dead CMOS battery that maintains BIOS settings can cause boot issues.
BIOS firmware – Corrupted BIOS chips or outdated firmware may fail to initialize components.
Capacitors – Leaky or bulging capacitors can indicate the motherboard is failing.

Repairing the motherboard requires advanced microsoldering skills. A computer repair shop may be able to diagnose and replace individual chips and components in some cases to fix the underlying problem.

Screen/Display Connectivity

Since the laptop display is not turning on, connectivity between the motherboard and screen should be checked. Issues to look for:

Loose internal display cable – Open up the laptop to reseat cable.

External display output not working – Connect laptop to a monitor via HDMI or VGA to test.
Damaged video card or graphics chip – Integrated GPU may need to be replaced.

Determining if video-out is working can help narrow down a display issue versus a full system failure. Shining a flashlight at the screen could reveal a faint image in some cases of a backlight/inverter failure.

Project to External Display

If the laptop display fails to turn on, connecting to an external monitor tests if video output is still working:

Connect the laptop to a monitor via VGA, HDMI, DisplayPort, or USB-C with video capabilities.
Power up the laptop and wait a few minutes to see if video appears on the external display.

Try pressing the display toggle hotkey (Fn + Fkey like F8) to switch video output to the monitor.

A mirrored or extended desktop confirms the integrated graphics or video card is likely okay. The issue is then related to the laptop screen or cables specifically.

Power Button and Indicators

If the laptop appears completely dead with no signs of power, the front power switch and LED indicators should be investigated:

Check for mechanical damage to the power and Caps Lock buttons.
Test each button independently to see if the laptop starts.
Inspect for damaged power status LEDs and cable.

Attempt shorting power switch pins to turn on.

A damaged or unresponsive power button module can prevent successfully turning on a laptop even when the system is otherwise okay. The same applies to the LED indicators related to battery charge and disk activity.

Short Power Switch Pins

If the power button fails entirely, you can attempt to short the power switch pins on the motherboard as a workaround:

Disconnect AC power and remove the battery.
Use a screwdriver to gently short the two pins for the power switch for a few seconds.
Reconnect the battery and AC adapter to see if laptop starts.

Caution must be taken to only short the specific pins for the power button and not accidentally touch other components on the board.

Common Motherboard Failure Points

Some parts of the motherboard are more prone to failure and can cause startup issues:

Power circuits – Failure in the switch-mode power supply, voltage regulators, or PMIC chips can prevent clean, stable power from being delivered.

CMOS battery – A dead CMOS battery that maintains BIOS settings can cause boot issues.
BIOS firmware – Corrupted BIOS chips or outdated firmware may fail to initialize components.
Capacitors – Leaky or bulging capacitors can indicate the motherboard is failing.

Best Practices to Avoid Laptop Power Issues

To help prevent laptop power and charging failures:

Avoid using the laptop in hot environments that can overheat components.

Be gentle and avoid dropping/damaging connectors and ports.
Keep the laptop charged regularly and don’t leave unused for long periods.
Carry spare charged batteries when traveling.

Use adequately rated, OEM power adapters to avoid issues.

Following manufacturer guidelines for temperature limits, power adapters, and proper battery maintenance will maximize your laptop’s lifespan and minimize startup problems.

When to Seek Professional Repair

If you have tried all troubleshooting steps and your laptop still does not start up or charge, it’s best to seek professional repair:

PC repair shops can diagnose down to the component level using specialized tools and spare parts.
They have experience disassembling laptops to access internal cables and parts safely.
Some complex repairs like motherboard failure or screen replacement are best left to professionals.

A local repair shop may be significantly cheaper than sending back to the manufacturer.

Be sure to backup any important data first and remove sensitive information if sending your laptop in for professional repair.

When to Consider Buying a New Laptop

If the cost estimate for repairs exceeds 50% of the laptop’s original purchase price, it may be better to put that money towards a new system. Other cases when it makes sense to replace instead of repairing:

Very old laptops that lack processing power for today’s needs.
Repairs require expensive motherboard replacement or screen assembly.
Manufacturer no longer provides support or parts for the model.

Buying newer technology is preferred over fixing dated components.

As a rule of thumb, once a laptop reaches 3-5 years old, replacement becomes preferable to repairing an aging system. Newer laptops provide better performance, battery life, features, and reliability.

Conclusion

Troubleshooting laptop power and startup issues requires patience but can save you from an unnecessary expensive repair or replacement. Follow these steps to diagnose the problem:

Inspect the battery condition and connections.
Test the power adapter and port for faults.
Check for motherboard failure points.

Verify display connectivity and output.
Examine power buttons and lights for damage.

Seeking professional repair services is advised if problems persist. For older laptops with extensive issues, replacement is the more cost-effective solution over time. Follow best practices like regular charging and careful handling to maximize your laptop’s lifespan.