Smartphone – USB Socket Defective

If you can’t charge your smartphone or you find a loose contact on the USB socket, you don’t have to go to the workshop right away. Here are a few tips!

If you can’t charge your smartphone or you find a loose contact on the USB socket, you don’t have to go to the workshop right away. For many, it has become an important everyday item that you always carry with you and have close at hand. It is usually in the jacket or trouser pocket, with women also in the handbag.

But there is also dust and dirt there , which inevitably accumulates in the socket. This is how small “wool mice” get into the opening, which are pushed backwards and thus more and more compacted by the almost daily insertion of the charging/data cable. At some point there is so much dust that you can no longer insert the plug deep enough and no contact is made. The contacts themselves stick together due to the dirt, so that the conductivity is reduced considerably to completely.

How can I clean the USB socket?

When removing the dirt, please be very careful. Turn off the device. Unfortunately, removing the battery is no longer possible with most smartphones. Use a wooden (!) toothpick to clean the bushing from the inside. Be careful not to damage any contacts. Use several toothpicks one after the other so that you don’t just spread the dirt. Never use pointed metal objects such as scissors, knives or paper clips. There is a high risk of short circuits that can permanently damage the device.

If you want to use a vacuum cleaner for cleaning, you should attach the upholstery nozzle. It must be clean to avoid additional contamination or damage. Here, too, great caution is required, although I advise against it. A small, stiff brush with tight-fitting bristles is also helpful.

How can I prevent the USB socket from getting dirty?

The only protection against dust and dirt is either a protective cover that is closed at this point or a rubber cover cap . The caps are commercially available at low cost. Also in larger quantities, as they are easy to lose.

If the supposed contact error is still there despite cleaning and using a different cable, this indicates a defect in the socket. Although the components are designed for thousands of uses, isolated contacts can bend or solder connections can come loose. Usually only an exchange helps at this point.

Even if the change is described as easy and problem-free in Internet forums or on YouTube videos, I strongly warn against trying it on yourself! There are some basic rules that are not mentioned in these articles, such as strict adherence to ESD protection. Contact our smartphone maker partners , who will carry out this repair promptly, quickly and usually at a fixed price for all common devices. Depending on the device and manufacturer, new components are installed or special soldering techniques are used. If possible, back up your data before handing it in to the workshop. Also hand in the charging cable so that you can also check that it is working properly.

This problem will be with us for a while. The current USB Type C standard and Apple’s Lightning connector are ubiquitous. But the QI wireless charging technology is on the rise across all manufacturers. Data transmission is also becoming increasingly wireless. So it’s only a matter of time before the USB socket is history. That this is no utopia can be seen from the omission of the headphone jack in newer devices.

Also Read: 10 Important Mobile Accessories And Gadgets