Dell AC Power Adapter Not Recognized? Here’s How to Fix It!

Your Dell laptop doesn’t recognize the AC power adapter, so the battery cannot charge. Once the battery is dead, your laptop won’t work any more. That can be frustrating. But not to worry. The problem can be fixed.

There are four methods below available for you to fix the problem. You can try them one by one until you find the one that works for you.

Method 1: Drain the battery and reconnect the power adapter again
Method 2: Reinstall the battery drivers
Method 3: Update BIOS
Method 4: Troubleshoot hardware issues

Method 1: Drain the battery and reconnect the power adapter again

Whenever your Dell AC power adapter is not recognized by PC, the first method you should try is to drain the battery and reconnect the power adapter again. It’s pretty easy. To do so:

1) Unplug the power adapter from the wall outlet and the laptop.

2) Disconnect any external peripherals from your laptop (if you have any). If you don’t have any external peripherals connected, skip this step.

3) Remove the battery. If you have no idea how to do it, refer to the steps in the User Manual of your laptop. If your laptop has a non-removable battery instead of a removable battery, skip this step.

4) Press and hold the power button for 30 seconds. This will drain a residual power from your laptop.

5) Put the battery back.

6) Re-plug the AC power adapter to the wall outlet and the laptop.

7) Turn on your laptop and check to see if the AC power adapter can be recognized.

If Method 1 doesn’t work for you, continue to try Method 2.

Method 2: Reinstall the battery drivers

To fix the problem, you can try reinstalling the battery drivers without the battery installed.

Here’s how to do it:

1) Shut down your Dell laptop.

2) Unplug the AC power adapter from the wall outlet and the laptop.

3) Remove the battery. If your laptop has a non-removable battery, skip this method.

4) Plug the AC power adapter again.

5) Turn on your Dell laptop.

6) Open Device Manager (learn how to access Device Manager).

7) Expand the category “Batteries”, then refer to the steps below to reinstall ALL entries under this category.

a) Right-click on the device (for example, Microsoft AC Adapter) and select Uninstall device.

b) Tick the checkbox next to Delete the driver software for the device and click on Uninstall.

Repeat the above two steps for each device under the category “Batteries”.

8) Once uninstalling all battery drivers, shut down your laptop.

9) Unplug the AC power adapter again.

10) Put the battery back.

11) Plug the AC power adapter again.

12) Start your laptop then Windows will reinstall the battery drivers. Check to see if the problem still persists.

If Method 2 doesn’t work for you, continue to try Method 3.

Method 3: Update BIOS

Updating BIOS to the latest version may help fix the Dell AC power adapter not recognizing issue. You can download the latest BIOS version from Dell’s official website and then install it for your laptop. Generally, the steps to update BIOS can be found on your machine manual or the manufacturer’s website.

Warning: Modifying BIOS incorrectly may cause serious system issues. It can even prevent your laptop from booting. So ensure you know what you’re doing. If you’re not sure, it’s recommended you contact Dell support or other IT support for further assistance.

Method 4: Troubleshoot hardware issues

If none of the above methods works, it can be a hardware issue. The AC power adapter, the computer’s AC adapter port or the motherboard may be damaged.

If you still have warranty for your laptop, you can contact the Dell support to replace the damaged components. If not, you can take your laptop to the nearby repair store to have a further check.

Hopefully you find this article helpful. If you have any questions, feel free to drop a comment below. I’ll get back to you ASAP.

8 thoughts on “Dell AC Power Adapter Not Recognized? Here’s How to Fix It!”

  1. Thank you so much. Saved me from buying new battery or AC adapter. I thought I need a replacement already. Method 1 worked!

    Reply

Leave a Comment