[Solved] Nexus 4 won't turn on or charge

[Scott7217]

My Nexus 4 wouldn't turn on or charge today, but I was able to figure out the problem after doing a few quick Google searches. I'm posting this information in case someone else has a similar problem.

Apparently my Nexus 4 was running low on power, so it went into a deep hibernation mode. I thought I could simply charge it, but instead of seeing a charging icon, my screen was completely blank and unresponsive. Pressing the power button didn't do anything, and I was worried that I bricked my phone somehow. I then performed the following actions:

1. Remove the case off the Nexus 4. (Edit: If you don't have a case or bumper on your Nexus 4, you can ignore this step.)
2. Hold down the power and volume down buttons.
3. Insert the USB charging cable into the Nexus 4 while continuing to hold down the power and volume down buttons.

After a few seconds, the screen displayed a green android and a menu of options. Using the volume up and down buttons, I selected the option to Start, then I pressed the power button to confirm my selection. My Nexus 4 then displayed my home screen. I was then able to charge it normally.

By the way, I originally tried this procedure with the case on my Nexus 4, but somehow the case was preventing the buttons from waking up my phone. Removing the case made it easier to press and hold down the buttons to wake up my Nexus 4.

February 14, 2014 Addendum:

Parris from Epic Reviews has a YouTube video that essentially shows the steps that I followed. The difference in my procedure is that I didn't have to do a complete phone wipe. I just selected the option to Start. However, if you can't get your phone to work at all, you may want to consider a total factory reset (which will erase the contents of your phone).

You should start viewing his video at the 2:40 mark:

Google Nexus 4 how to reset phone

 

[cydu]

Re: Solved - Nexus 4 Won't Turn On or Charge

Thanx! I allmost sent it to warranty repair!
In my case i didnt see the green android menu, but the led blinked red in a weird rhythm...
Tnx again.

 

[mttfrog13]

Re: Solved - Nexus 4 Won't Turn On or Charge

Thanks! This worked for me. I've been looking around the internet and a lot of them say to just hold the power button or to hold the power button and some combination of the volume buttons. The key thing that worked for me here is to hold the power and volume down button for 15 seconds, and then plugging in the charging cable without letting the buttons go.

Also, from what I've read, if you have a flashing red LED, or no LED at all, you're OK. But if you have a solid red LED, then your nexus 4 is probably bricked. With my phone I had no LED at all, then when I plugged it in, I got a flashing LED and a minute later, I got the battery charging symbol.

 

[jemilgray789]

Re: Solved - Nexus 4 Won't Turn On or Charge

Thanks! This worked for me. I've been looking around the internet and a lot of them say to just hold the power button or to hold the power button and some combination of the volume buttons. The key thing that worked for me here is to hold the power and volume down button for 15 seconds, and then plugging in the charging cable without letting the buttons go.

Also, from what I've read, if you have a flashing red LED, or no LED at all, you're OK. But if you have a solid red LED, then your nexus 4 is probably bricked. With my phone I had no LED at all, then when I plugged it in, I got a flashing LED and a minute later, I got the battery charging symbol.

- - - Updated - - -

How are you guys getting this work. All I get is a flashing red light

 

[Scott7217]

Re: Solved - Nexus 4 Won't Turn On or Charge

- - - Updated - - -

How are you guys getting this work. All I get is a flashing red light

It definitely wasn't easy. I had to repeat the steps multiple times to get my Nexus 4 working. Some things you may want to consider:

- Use the original power cable that came with your Nexus 4.
- Try using power directly from an electrical outlet.
- Try using power from a PC USB port (if the electrical outlet doesn't charge up your Nexus 4).

Another suggestion would be to charge your Nexus 4 for one hour connected to an electrical outlet. After that, disconnect the power cable, reconnect the power cable again quickly, then hold down the power button for 15 seconds. Hopefully your Nexus 4 will power on.

These procedures sound silly, but I figured that I should give them a chance. My other option would have been to send in my Nexus 4 for warranty repairs. Luckily, I got my Nexus 4 to charge.

Hope this helps!

 

[Karl80]

Re: Solved - Nexus 4 Won't Turn On or Charge

I just got my nexus 4 today and am having this problem too. When I follow your steps, the light at the bottom flashes red and nothing happens. Have tried multiple times. Any help would be very appreciated.

Note: I've had it plugged into the wall charging for about 3 hours too.

 

[perrymike15]

Re: Solved - Nexus 4 Won't Turn On or Charge

Wow thank you guys so much i finally got it to turn on buy i did the 15 secs with power+vol down and THEN put in usb cable...it made some weird red led pattern but finally worked

 

[Scott7217]

Re: Solved - Nexus 4 Won't Turn On or Charge

I just got my nexus 4 today and am having this problem too. When I follow your steps, the light at the bottom flashes red and nothing happens. Have tried multiple times. Any help would be very appreciated.

Note: I've had it plugged into the wall charging for about 3 hours too.

First, don't give up! It took me at least 5 attempts before my Nexus 4 came back to life. I felt really stupid because the procedure seems so simple, but nothing appeared to work.

Second, make sure you don't have a case or bumper or anything else near the power and volume buttons. You need to be able to put steady pressure on the volume down and power buttons. (A screen protector should be okay to leave in place if it only covers the front or back, but not the sides.)

Third, try different USB power cables. The one that came with your Nexus 4 should be the best one to use, but we can't rule out a defect in the cable, either. If you have other micro USB cables in the house, try those. If you have a USB charging adapter, try that, too. On my final attempt to revive my Nexus 4, I was using the power adapter for my bluetooth headset. One end has micro USB, which goes into the Nexus 4. The other end plugs directly into a wall outlet.

Fourth, try power directly from a wall outlet. I don't know if power strips or surge protectors affect anything, but at this point, you're probably desperate to try anything.

Fifth, DON'T insert the micro USB cable first. It won't work that way. Hold down the power and volume down buttons simultaneously THEN insert the micro USB cable. If you're having difficulty, have a friend insert the micro USB cable while you hold the power and volume down buttons with steady pressure. I didn't press down to a point where I would break the buttons, but I was definitely pressing more than I normally would.

Finally, I've heard of people who have charged their Nexus 4 for a full 24 hours and it still didn't work. I think my Nexus 4 was only charging for 30 minutes before I did the procedure. So it's hard to say how much you need to charge your Nexus 4 (if at all) before you can revive it. Only repeated attempts of holding down the buttons and inserting the power cable seem to work.

Good luck!

 

[Dublinlad33]

Re: Solved - Nexus 4 Won't Turn On or Charge

Thanks for this, worked a treat on the wifes N4 (Who no matter how many times I tell her not to - she lets the battery drain until the phone shuts off)

 

[Adriano Muro]

Re: Solved - Nexus 4 Won't Turn On or Charge

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You rescued me. You saved me. I wasn't able to see the light at the end of the tunel. Nothing made sense for me before this post. I was going to kill myself literally. I'm in Argentina and they don't even sell this phone here, I had to figure out a solution by myself and you SAVED ME.
Thank you- I owe you everything.


PD: A little correction: you have to press both volume down and power button for SEVERAL seconds. Be patient holding them down.

 

[ChrissMari]

Re: Solved - Nexus 4 Won't Turn On or Charge

Thanks for this! Worked a charm.

I want to add that before my phone did this, the screen suddenly went blank for me. Like it was on and back lit, but completely black and blank. I had to hold down power several seconds to shut the screen off and then the phone wouldn't turn on and charge. Then I did as suggested above.

Someone had spilt something on it earlier and I was convinced I was out of luck! Thanks again

 

[Sicily1918]

Re: Solved - Nexus 4 Won't Turn On or Charge

Thanks for this! Worked a charm.

I want to add that before my phone did this, the screen suddenly went blank for me. Like it was on and back lit, but completely black and blank. I had to hold down power several seconds to shut the screen off and then the phone wouldn't turn on and charge. Then I did as suggested above.

This happened to my N7 (2012) and I found that leaving it off and charging would *eventually* allow me to turn it on (after about an hour).

It seems (and this is just conjecture) that if the battery drains all the way, Nexuses do a slow-charge until about 15 percent, and only then will it charge up at its normal rate -- this would explain why my software was claiming it would take 19 hours to charge my device, yet after it got to that 'sweet-spot', it charged like normal in about another 2 or 3 hours.

 

[Nick0116]

Re: Solved - Nexus 4 Won't Turn On or Charge

I only registered to post this, just so i could thank the OP! The wife's N4 shut down after low battery (like it's done a million times before) but wouldn't turn back on. Like many here she got that heart-stopping moment when she tried to work out just how long the phone would be away while it's repaired! Like others, I had to take the case off and try it several times, both before, while and after the charger was plugged in. I don't know which combination did it, but we first got the flashing red LED and then on a later attempt we got the boot menu and started it that way while it was on charge. The wonders of the internet.. Thank you all

 

[Marcilioqsj]

Re: Solved - Nexus 4 Won't Turn On or Charge

Thanks! This worked for me. I've been looking around the internet and a lot of them say to just hold the power button or to hold the power button and some combination of the volume buttons. The key thing that worked for me here is to hold the power and volume down button for 15 seconds, and then plugging in the charging cable without letting the buttons go.

Also, from what I've read, if you have a flashing red LED, or no LED at all, you're OK. But if you have a solid red LED, then your nexus 4 is probably bricked. With my phone I had no LED at all, then when I plugged it in, I got a flashing LED and a minute later, I got the battery charging symbol.

Gotcha! Finally! This solution worked to me!

 

[laval1875]

Re: Solved - Nexus 4 Won't Turn On or Charge

Thanks this worked for me.Was charged at 85% and the GPS was not working somehow.So I decided to rebooted the phone and then the phone would not turn on.
Followed your instructions and everything is fine. Thanks!!!

 

[TobiB]

Re: Solved - Nexus 4 Won't Turn On or Charge

Thanks for this. Followed instructions and got red light flashing. After about a minute and nothing was happening and I started to get cramp in my hand. I had to oet go and when I did the the charging icon appeared. Phew. Thanks again..I was thinking 11 months old and bye bye nexus...

 

[Tressa Mckay]

Re: Solved - Nexus 4 Won't Turn On or Charge

many thanks . my service provider tech support didnt have a clue regards this wanted me to send in for repair possibly costing me as said may not be covered under warrenty due to a small crack in the back . saved me min 7 days without my phone and possible ?70 .

 

[BillUnit]

Re: Solved - Nexus 4 Won't Turn On or Charge

I have to say that I have a love / hate relationship with this phone. When it is working I love its functionality. However since I bought it in July 2013 it has locked up on me 5 times, three of which were due to drained battery and the other two at 50% or greater charge. This time I can't seem to get it to come back to life and I dread sending it in for repair. Just based on its reliability I would recommend to anybody to steer clear of the Nexus and go with any phone that isn't such a POC. I will try waiting a few hours then go through the hokey-pokey again to see if I can resurrect it, if not... back to Future Shop with this wonderful piece of technology.

 

[Jason_C1]

Re: Solved - Nexus 4 Won't Turn On or Charge

Thanks alot for this information! It seemly started working again, fingers crossed!

 

[Saswati]

Re: Solved - Nexus 4 Won't Turn On or Charge

Thank you! I was facing the exact same problem and I found your solution - it worked