A phone appears to be "charging backwards" when it is plugged in but the battery percentage keeps dropping instead of increasing. This usually happens because the phone is using more power than the charger is providing. Common reasons include:
- Using a weak or low-quality charger or cable that cannot supply enough current to keep up with the phone's power consumption.
- Running power-hungry apps or having very high screen brightness while charging, causing the device to drain power faster than it charges.
- A dirty or loose charging port causing an inconsistent connection and intermittent charging.
- Battery health that has declined , making the battery unable to efficiently take or hold charge.
- Charging in cold environments below about 10 degrees Celsius, which can reduce battery chemical activity and charging efficiency.
Other possibilities include battery percentage miscalibration (the displayed percentage not reflecting true battery level) or reverse current from certain power banks. To fix or avoid this:
- Use a high-quality, original charger and cable.
- Avoid using power-intensive apps or high brightness while charging.
- Make sure the charging port is clean and the cable fits snugly.
- Charge in a warm environment above 10 degrees Celsius.
- If battery health is poor, consider battery replacement.
- Restart the phone or fully discharge and recharge it to recalibrate battery percentage.
This explanation applies to all phone brands including iPhones and Android devices.
