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Test your charging cable again to make sure it is working. If you notice that your toothpick is picking up some grime or knocking out debris, stop and switch to canned air if possible. Try to stay away from the sides of the port as you work to avoid damaging the anchors. Any more than that, and you risk damaging the port permanently. Avoid putting any pressure on the toothpick at first if no particles or grime are coming free, you can exert the lightest pressure for a soft scrape. Lightly insert the tip of the toothpick into the charging port and gently wiggle it around. With a toothpick in hand and your iPhone turned off, find a spot with great lighting, such as under a desk lamp or a flashlight. You may want to cushion the tip with a bit of a cotton pad to soften the edge even more, but not too much.
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A toothpick is a better tool for this purpose than plastic or wire - like a paper clip end - because the wood is softer and more flexible. Again, all the dangers we just discussed still apply, so it’s important to be careful and patient.
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In that case, you can try digging around a wee bit inside the charging port yourself using a slim toothpick. Perhaps there is a buildup of grime in the port that air alone can’t dislodge, or there’s some kind of invasive particle lodged inside that can’t be easily removed. Sometimes, a spritz or two of compressed air isn’t going to cut it. Use a toothpick - very carefully Andy Boxall/DigitalTrends If the air has dislodged dust or debris stuck in the port, then it should be working just fine again. After you’ve blown a careful blast of air at the port, wait a few seconds, then try attaching your charging cable again and see if it is detected. Resist the urge to blow into the port yourself: Wet, hot air from the human mouth won’t do the port and its contact points any favors. Spray the air in very short, light bursts. Hold it upright and close to the port, but not too close, and don’t try to stick the nozzle inside - remember all those delicate parts. This also means that one of the best options for unclogging the iPhone port is to use a can of compressed air. If possible, you should try cleaning your charging port without touching it or sticking anything inside. So, the first rule is to be extremely careful. The only solution after that kind of damage is to have the charging port replaced by a professional, which costs both time and money - and may not even solve the problem. If the anchors on either side get damaged, they won’t be able to lock in your cable, which is another serious problem. If the contact points get damaged, then the charger won’t work at all, no matter how much you try to clean it. Your phone’s charging port has delicate contact points - tiny strips of metal - that the charging cable must dock into, so you need to approach touching such components with extreme caution.
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#Iphone cleaner pad how to#
Use compressed air Julian Chokkattu/Digital TrendsĪlthough Apple specifically recommends you not use compressed air to clean your phone, many people are going to do it anyway, so our instructions here emphasize how to do it in the safest manner. Remember to unplug your phone and turn it completely off before you do anything, and use a flashlight to illuminate the inside of the port as much as possible. The following techniques can also be used on any brand of smartphone or tablet with similar construction. To keep your phone working as it should, we’ve outlined a few steps every iPhone owner can take to flush damaging materials from the connector bay. Your iPhone is as good as dead unless it has a functional charging port, so you want to have proper maintenance, as well as set procedures for keeping your handset functional. Updated July 2022: These are the most up-to-date steps for iOS 15. Or maybe you just want to start over fresh - hey, whatever floats your boat! Regardless, follow these steps to wipe all personal data and erase your iPhone or iPad. It's also equally as important to wipe all of your information before selling or giving away your device. That's why it's super important to make sure that you backup your data so that it's always available, just in case. All of that data and information is extremely private, and we definitely do not want it to fall in the hands of anyone besides us. We accumulate a ton of personal data and information on our devices over time, especially if we've been using iOS since its inception. Once the wiping process is complete, you can set up as a new device, restore from a different backup, or give or sell your device to someone else without worries. Erase data on iPhone: Tap Erase All Content and Settings, tap Continue, enter passcode, proceed with on-screen instructions (Image credit: iMore)
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