Buzz
Follow these simple troubleshooting steps to bring your tablet back to life.
If your Samsung tablet, whether brand new or pre-owned, refuses to power on, don't panic. This is a fairly common issue, and there are some easy at-home fixes you can try. Before heading to a repair shop, check out these solutions for any Samsung tablet model, from Galaxy Tab A to others. Keep reading for some practical tips!
Fix a Samsung Tablet That Isn’t Turning On
Ensure that the charger and charging port on your tablet are free from dirt and functioning correctly. To power up, try performing a soft reset by holding both the Power button and the Volume Down button together for 20-60 seconds.
Steps
Examine your tablet and charger.
Your tablet won't charge if the charger or port is obstructed. Clear out any dust and debris from your charging port by gently cleaning it with a toothpick.
- Use isopropyl alcohol to clean the charger’s connectors if they are dirty.
Try performing a soft reset.
This is a typical solution for tablets with completely drained batteries. Whether your tablet is new or old, a soft reset is a common way to revive your device after charging it for a while. Here’s how to do it:
- Press and hold both the Power button (or Side button) and Volume Down button for 20-60 seconds.
- If your tablet enters "Maintenance Boot Mode," use the Volume Up or Down button to select Normal Mode.
- Press the Side button to confirm.
Check for signs of liquid damage.
Liquid damage may prevent your tablet from turning on. Check the LDI (Liquid Damage Indicator) to see if your device has been exposed to liquid. It can be found either inside the SIM card tray or on the removable battery (applicable only to older models with removable batteries).
- After removing the battery or SIM card tray, inspect the LDI:
- No liquid damage - You'll spot a white square with pink or purple "X" marks.
- Liquid damage - A completely pink or purple square indicates damage.
Use a genuine charger.
Inexpensive chargers may fail to charge your tablet. Using non-authentic chargers can harm your tablet's battery.
- Consider switching the charger type: switching from a fast charger to a standard charger can help.
Allow more time for charging.
A completely drained battery can take up to 10 minutes before it starts showing any signs of charging. If you're trying to charge a completely dead battery, leave the tablet plugged in for at least 1 hour using the original charging cable.
- For optimal charging, plug the charger directly into a wall outlet. Avoid using extension cords, power strips, or USB ports from computers as they may not supply sufficient power.
Request a repair.
Hardware problems may stop your tablet from powering up. Visit Samsung's support page to schedule a service request.
