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I have a MacBook Pro 15", about a year old. Today, the charger started working only intermittently. I've seen a few other people talking about similar problems, and most people say it's a problem with the charger.

However, I'm on a working holiday and the only Apple suppliers in this city are very expensive. If I have to, I'll buy a new power adapter, but I'm hoping somebody might know some fixes I can use to get me through the next couple of weeks until I'm back in the UK.

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  • Is it the charger not working, or the light not coming on? Sometimes the light will stay off even though your computer is charging.
    – ughoavgfhw
    Commented May 11, 2011 at 2:27
  • @ughoavgfhw I'm pretty certain the charger isn't working - OS X shows the battery as not charging, the little lights that come on when I press the button show the battery is losing charge, and the pack itself stays cold. Sometimes it works, but for most of the day it hasn't been.
    – Dan Blows
    Commented May 11, 2011 at 2:31
  • Macbook chargers only work for about a year. They stop when the warranty ends after a year. I've replaced mine 3 times.
    – user19145
    Commented Feb 22, 2012 at 19:57
  • @Beaglelover That's nonsense. I've got five chargers, the oldest is almost six years old, and they all work perfectly.
    – Cajunluke
    Commented Jun 9, 2012 at 22:13

1 Answer 1

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This is a very common problem and has happened to me twice in the past -- unfortunately the adapters are very fragile at the tip.

Apart from getting it replaced, you can try gently wiggling the thin wire connection right where it meets the metal adapter tip. Pushing it in towards the computer can also help. Sometimes it will start working again if it's in just the right position, but it's easy to knock out of place again. Either way, it will be difficult to live with for two weeks. :[

EDIT: In case it wasn't clear, the gentle wiggling/pushing should be done while the adapter is attached to the computer. You can judge your success by whether or not the computer starts/stays charging. Keep the computer on a stable surface while you do this, and if you get it working, don't touch it -- or it will likely stop working again.

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  • Wow that worked perfectly! I might end up getting desperate enough to buy a new one, but hopefully if I just sit the right way it'll be good enough to get my work done. Thank you VERY much!
    – Dan Blows
    Commented May 11, 2011 at 2:35
  • @Blowski You're welcome -- I'm glad that worked for you! But trust me that it will eventually degrade to the point where the "wiggle" trick won't work, so replace it as soon as possible. Don't be stuck without power! (Also, don't forget to mark this question as answered.)
    – Austin
    Commented May 11, 2011 at 2:44
  • Yeah, I'm hoping it will see me out until I get back to London :S
    – Dan Blows
    Commented May 11, 2011 at 3:08
  • @Blowski In the past I've limped one along for over a month (treating it gently), so two weeks is definitely possible. I wish Apple would make them more durable -- especially considering their cost!
    – Austin
    Commented May 11, 2011 at 3:15

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