You’ve had your iPad plugged in since breakfast. It’s now dinner. Battery’s gone from 11% to… 12%.

At this rate, it’ll hit 100% sometime next month.

Before you lose your mind (or buy a new cable you don’t need), let’s talk about why your iPad is dragging its digital feet — and how to fix it without turning into a full-time detective.

Why Your iPad’s Suddenly Charging Slower Than Dial-Up

Here’s the thing — iPads don’t age gracefully.
They get dusty, their ports loosen, their chargers wear out, and suddenly it takes longer to charge than it does to binge-watch a full Netflix series.

Sometimes it’s the power source. Sometimes it’s your cable.
And sometimes, it’s your iPad whispering, “I’m tired, Karen.”

Let’s narrow it down before you start shopping for a replacement you don’t actually need.

Step 1: Test the Cable and Power Brick — 80% of Problems Start Here

You’d be shocked how many “charging issues” are just bad cables or underpowered adapters.

✅ Here’s what to check:

• Make sure you’re using an original Apple cable or MFi-certified charger.
• If you’re using a 5W iPhone brick, that’s your problem — iPads need more juice (at least 10–12W).
• Try another cable and outlet before assuming the iPad’s toast.

If your adapter’s old, frayed, or smells vaguely like melted plastic, replace it.
If you’re not sure, bring it by Barrie Screen Repair — we’ll test your charger for free before you waste money on the wrong fix.

Step 2: Check for Lint, Debris, or Corrosion Inside the Port

Your iPad’s charging port is basically a lint magnet.
If it’s been near a hoodie pocket, purse, or gym bag, it’s probably housing enough fuzz to knit a sweater.

✅ Do this safely:

• Shine a light into the port.
• If you see gunk, use a wooden or plastic toothpick to gently clean it.
• Avoid metal tools — you’re cleaning a port, not fighting a duel.

If you see corrosion (tiny green or white spots), that’s a moisture problem — and it needs professional cleaning fast.
Check out our charging-port repair page for what that process looks like (spoiler: we don’t use rice).

Step 3: The Charging Habits That Kill Speed (and Battery Health)

Some charging sins are slow killers.
Here are the biggest offenders:

• Using your iPad while charging — it splits the power between use and charge.
• Leaving 50 background apps open — your iPad’s trying to do cardio while eating pizza.
• Using a weak cable or hub — not all USB ports deliver the same wattage.

And no, keeping it plugged in overnight every single night isn’t great either.
If your battery’s permanently stuck at 78%, it might just be time for a professional battery replacement.

Step 4: How to Tell When It’s the Battery, Board, or Port

Here’s your cheat sheet:

• Charges slowly but holds power fine: Port or cable issue.
• Charges slowly AND dies quickly: Battery’s had it.
• Doesn’t charge at all, even with a good cable: Possible board issue.

If it’s anything past “just the cable,” that’s your cue to stop guessing.
Our Barrie iPad repair team can diagnose it in minutes and tell you whether it’s a $30 cable fix or a $165+ soldering skills replacement level job.

Wrap-Up: When to Hand It Off Before You Throw It Out

If you’ve cleaned it, swapped cables, rebooted twice, and prayed to the tech gods but your iPad’s still charging like it’s in retirement mode, stop suffering.

Bring it to Barrie Screen Repair — we’ll test your charger, inspect your port, and get it charging like new again.
Most iPad charging issues can be fixed sin 1 – 3 days, so you’re not stuck watching your battery tick up one percent per hour.

👉 Book a diagnostic here — fast repairs, honest answers, no upsell nonsense.