If you only see an empty battery icon, your iPhone is charging and will power on shortly. ... Here's what to look out for to ensure an iPhone is charging, whether dead or alive.

My iPhone battery seems to have completely drained (I think maybe the charging port is gunked up) and when I plug it into a usb port or into the wall wart, I get a flickering lighting cable ...

If your iPhone won't charge, make sure to check the cable, lightning port, and AC adapter. You can also try restarting your iPhone, updating the software, or restoring it. If your iPhone stops ...