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What does the lightning bolt symbol on iPhone mean?

I cannot find a definitive answer anywhere: What does the lightning bolt symbol on iPhone mean?


More specifically, my iPhone battery is dead and sometimes the battery symbol shows up WITH the lighning bolt and the battery symbol above it with a small amount of red. If I jiggle the connection cable the lighning bolt disappears, then reappears, but the low battery symbol is always present. So my question is specifically what is the difference? What does the lightning bolt mean? Why has Apple made it so cryptic? Sometimes the lightning bolt, sometimes not, which one means charging? Both? Why have it then?


You see, I don't know whether to jiggle the cable until the lightning bolt is NOT visible, or whether to jiggle it so that it IS visible. Which one means the phone is charging. Why have a symbol that is open to interpretation but have no icon legend/reference anywhere that a user can know what it means? Why have this symbol when it is just as easy to have plain text "charging" or "not charging"?

OS X Yosemite (10.10), null

Posted on Jun 18, 2016 4:24 PM

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Posted on Jun 19, 2016 11:37 PM

Although that is technically possible, I think unlikely as the reason I bought the new cable was because this problem was occurring. I tried the new cable once, saw that it made no difference, then went back to the cable that was supplied with the phone. Part of your reply however, that the socket is damaged, is apparent.


Thanks for the info on getting assessed, will do. They could fix the lock button as well (actually I checked and would have to pay for that lol)

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Jun 19, 2016 11:37 PM in response to seventy one

Although that is technically possible, I think unlikely as the reason I bought the new cable was because this problem was occurring. I tried the new cable once, saw that it made no difference, then went back to the cable that was supplied with the phone. Part of your reply however, that the socket is damaged, is apparent.


Thanks for the info on getting assessed, will do. They could fix the lock button as well (actually I checked and would have to pay for that lol)

Jun 19, 2016 11:20 PM in response to celliott147

The Apple cable that came with the phone. I bought a new cable but that made no difference so have gone back to the original cable. If I move the cable slightly the lightning bolt appears/disappears. What I have found is if I place it carefully down and click the home button to check the lightning bolt is there it should be ok. I just have to check every time. I was just jiggling it randomly without knowing which setting meant "charging" because the battery symbol was appearing as well, so I assumed that meant it was charging. Now I understand what they both man I should be fine. Thanks again 🙂

Jun 18, 2016 7:27 PM in response to celliott147

Hey thanks for the response 🙂


So I'm just being impatient then, sometimes after several hours no change. I jiggle it, wait a while, no change etc. This can go on for several hours. Eventually, jiggling the cable and waiting and leaving it, as I have just done, it comes up as charged.

At least now I know which position to leave it on. Thanks.

What does the lightning bolt symbol on iPhone mean?

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