Is your Nexus 7 charging very slowly? You're not the only one.
A significant number of users have taken to Google's support forums to report that their Google Nexus 7 is charging very slowly. They are finding that a full a charge is suddenly taking up to 10 hours, whereas it previously used to take just a couple of hours.
One user on the support forums commented that their Nexus 7 only charges "around 2-3 hours for every 25%", while another added that their tablet "Takes ages to charge, charges only up to 85% and discharges really fast."
The issue more commonly affects the original Nexus 7, but users with the new 2013 model are also reporting problems.
Initially, many users put the issue down to the Android KitKat (4.4.2) update which recently rolled out to Google's tablet. But the real problem seems more likely to be caused by oxides building up on the contacts of the USB connector or problems with the microUSB slot on the tablet itself.
Google have stated that they are investigating the issue, but havn't identified the source of the problem yet.
If your tablet is under warranty the first thing to do is contact customer support and report the problem. We've had a Google Nexus 7 in our office stop charging entirely due to the microUSB port slowly degrading over time, so if you're already suffering from a problem it's best to get your tablet replaced or fixed as soon as possible.
If your device is no longer under warranty, the first thing to establish is whether the problem lies with the charger itself. You should try using the wall-charger, plugging it into a laptop, using a dock or possibly even considering buying a new charger for your Nexus 7.
One solution that has helped a number of users is to unplug and re-plug the USB connector into the wall adapter a number of times. You can find out exactly what to do in the video below and we recommend that you also install the 'Battery Monitor Widget' from Google Play.
With the helpful widget you can details on the power currently being delivered to your Nexus 7. Basically, you want to unplug and replug the charger until the widget displays a +ma reading - in theory you should be able to get a reading well over +1000mA.
If that doesn't help users on Google's forums have suggested cleaning the USB connector and the microUSB port on the tablet itself, but you do so at your own risk. (Instructions can be found here). Hopefully, Google will find the cause of the problem and post an official fix in the coming weeks. As soon as they do we'll let you know.
Have you suffered from slow charging on your Nexus 7? Have any of the proposed solutions fixed your issues? Let us know by leaving a comment below.
