Does this sound familiar?
- The battery dies halfway through a movie or a car ride
- It says charging, but the percentage hardly moves
- The cable slips out, or it only charges at one angle
- You see "not charging" even with a good charger
- The screen is lifting away from the frame, which may be a swollen battery
Start with the simple stuff
Kids' tablets are especially good at collecting crumbs and pocket lint in their charging ports. It's one of the first things we check, since a quick cleaning may solve the whole problem. After that, we test with a known good cable and charger so we aren't replacing something that's fine.
Tablet batteries take patience
A tablet battery is a large, flat pack glued into the back of the case, and on most tablets, the screen has to come off first just to reach it. So this isn't normally a quick wait-at-the-counter job, the way a phone battery often is. We'll tell you how long it should take for your model, and whether the screen removal adds any risk, particularly if the glass is already damaged.
Replacing a charging port
Some tablets have the port on a small part that can be swapped by itself. Others have it soldered to the main board, like many iPads, and in that case the work is much more delicate. We can do that kind of soldering, and you'll hear what's involved and how long it'll take before we go ahead.
If you've got a dead tablet that shows no signs of life at all, bring it in with the charger you've been using. We can test the battery, the port and the board to see which of them has failed.
Rob and his team are top notch. He got a new screen for my Pixel 8 the next day and had it installed in about an hour. He also cleaned my charging port on the spot while assisting other customers. I would utilize their services in a heartbeat!
Questions we get a lot
Why does my tablet charge so slowly?
Tablets have large batteries, so a small phone charger can take all night or even struggle to keep up during use. Try the charger that came with it. If that doesn't help, the cable, port or battery is the next thing to check.
How long should a tablet battery last?
Several years is normal, though it depends on how the tablet is used and whether it stays plugged in all the time. If it's fading on a tablet you like, a new battery can be well worth it.
What should I do about a swollen battery?
Stop using and charging it, and bring it in soon. Don't press the screen back down. A swollen battery is a safety problem and a reason to act quickly.
Is the battery covered by your warranty?
Batteries wear out with use, so they aren't covered. The port and any other repair work are covered if the repair itself fails.