Hearing a high pitched noise from your phone charger can be annoying and also quite alarming. However, this is more common than you think. Let's talk about why it happens and whether it is dangerous.
When your phone charger makes a high-pitched noise, it can be annoying, but it's not dangerous. There are a few different reasons why this can happen, but none of them pose a danger to you or your phone.
Let's discuss why this happens and what you can do about it.
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Causes of high noise level in phone chargers
Now that we know you're not in danger, here are some reasons why you might hear that noise and what you can do about it.
loose output wires
One of the reasons why you may hear a high-pitched beep when charging your phone could be due to the power outlet you are using. If the outlet has loose wires, they will vibrate, which can cause a high-pitched howling noise to be emitted from the outlet. This is particularly common in older houses.
The best way to determine if this is the problem is to plug the charger into a different outlet and see if the sound persists. If you still hear the same noise with a different output, something else is causing the noise. If not, you have some loose wires in your outlet and you need to contact an electrician to help you get it working properly again.
Old/damaged/defective charger
A common reason for your charger making a high pitched noise is a problem with the charger. This can be difficult to see if there is no visible damage and the charger is still working. The best way to tell if the charger is the problem is to try a different charger with the same outlet and phone.
If the noise comes back with a new charger, here are some other options to consider to figure out why it's happening. However, we understand that getting a new charger isn't always easy. If you do not have another charger available, you should inspect your current charger for damage to the cord or plug.
Even with no visible damage, your charger may still be faulty. It even happens with new chargers, as it happens with any electrical or wiring device. If you have a new charger that is making this noise, contact the manufacturer for a replacement.
Power surges can also be a major factor in charger wear over time. Connecting the charger to a power source only for that source to shut down and restart can cause a power surge. Sometimes this will completely burn out your device, which is why most electricians recommend unplugging the unused wire.
However, power surges do not always cause cables to stop working. Sometimes the damage is less noticeable, and the symptoms of a damaged but usable power cord can show up in high-pitched sounds like the one you're hearing. Internal damage to a charging cable is much more difficult to diagnose.
power switching
Another common reason chargers make a high pitched sound when in use is power consumption. Pay attention when you hear the high pitched tone to better diagnose the cause.
low battery status
When you first connect your phone to charge when the battery is low, the charger consumes a lot of power to charge the phone again. If you hear noise when you first plug in your phone, your charger may be trying to draw too much power.
When the charger supplies power to the phone, current flows through the charger. The transformer inside the charger vibrates when current passes through it, powering the charger by sending a charge to your phone. These vibrations can cause the cable's transformer to produce a high-pitched tone.
This happens most often when your phone is low on power as the charger sends a lot of current through the transformer to make up for the low battery level. If this is the cause, the charger will stop making this noise once the phone reaches a higher battery level, typically around 80% charged.
Fully charged
Sometimes the sound may appear after the phone is fully charged. Once your phone is fully charged and remains connected to the charger, the charger will stop sending as much power to the phone. Instead, the charger directs power to the phone as needed to keep it fully charged. This prevents the device from being overcharged.
While this is useful for those who don't want to stare at their phones while they charge, it can get annoying when the charger starts making shrill noises once it reaches 100% battery. Just as the charger uses more power when the phone's battery is low, it uses less power when it is fully charged.
This change in power can affect the phone charger in the same way. When the charger adjusts its power and slows down, it can cause the charger to make a noise as it tries to control the amount of power being sent to the phone. Any change in power can cause this high frequency when the charger attempts to switch to a different power method.
fast chargers
Noise issues are common with faster chargers. These chargers give your phone plenty of power right away, so the battery fills up much faster than with a regular charger. Because the charger uses so much power to do this, noise is often heard during operation.
For the same reason, you will hear them when a normal charger is charging a phone with a low battery. The charger works harder and uses more power to charge a phone faster than other chargers. This means that you are more likely to hear the current surge through the transformer.
How to fix loud noise on a charger
Once you've diagnosed the problem with your charger, there's likely an easy fix. Most of the time you need to do some electrical work on your outlet or buy a new charger. However, these steps are not always necessary.
As a possible solution, try plugging the charger into a different outlet. If the problem is the outlet, the audio should not follow it to another power source. If this is the case, you have a charger issue rather than a plug issue. If the problem is with the outlet, we do not recommend trying to fix it yourself.Always consult an electrician first.
If the problem is the charger, there are a few ways to fix the charger without having to replace it. In fact, there are charging cable repair kits that you can check out if you want to repair them yourself. HeiPhone Cleaning Kit Connector Cleaner, available on Amazon, is perfect for minor repairs to your charging cable.
Unfortunately, kits like the ones above can cost more than buying a new charger. So before you buy, weigh the pros and cons. Otherwise, you may just wantbuy a new chargerand thus eliminate the problem.
final thoughts
There are many reasons why your charger is making a high-pitched noise, but none of them endanger your safety. So if you're good with sound, this won't be a big problem for you. If you don't want to hear the high pitched noise every time you plug in your phone, we have solutions to help.