Docking Stations and Power Delivery: Why Your Laptop May Not Be Charging

Plugable docking stations are built to streamline your workflow, expand your ports, and, oftentimes, charge your laptop. So what’s going on when everything connects, but your battery percentage just won’t budge?

Here’s a high-level look at the most common reasons your Plugable dock might not be charging your laptop, and how you can get things powered up again.

1. Does Your Dock Support USB-C Power Delivery?

Not every docking station is designed to charge your laptop. There are two types of Plugable docks that support charging:

• Built-in Power Delivery (PD) docks come with their own AC power adapter, delivering power directly to your laptop. A list of Plugable docking stations with built-in Power Delivery can be found here.
• PD passthrough docks are smaller hubs that require you to plug in a separate USB-C charger to the dock’s PD input port, which then passes power to your laptop. A list of Plugable docking stations with PD Passthrough can be found here. 

What to check:
Find your dock’s product page on plugable.com and confirm whether it supports Power Delivery. Make sure to check whether it requires its own charger or one supplied by you.

2. Does Your Laptop Support Charging Over USB-C or Thunderbolt?

Just because a laptop has a USB-C or Thunderbolt port does not guarantee it can charge through it.

Some common reasons charging might not work:

• The laptop’s USB-C port only supports data and video, not power input.
• Only one of the USB-C ports supports charging.
• Gaming or enterprise laptops often rely on proprietary charging systems.

What to check:
Search your laptop manufacturer’s website for model-specific information about USB-C charging support. If your laptop has multiple USB-C ports, try them individually.

3. Is the Dock Receiving Enough Power?

A dock cannot deliver power to your laptop if it is not getting enough power itself.

What to check:

• Use the original Plugable power adapter if your dock has one.
• If using a passthrough dock, ensure your USB-C charger delivers enough wattage for your laptop.
• Avoid third-party adapters that may not meet power specifications, even if they fit.

4. Are You Using the Right Cable?

The USB-C cable is a critical part of the charging equation.

What to avoid:

• USB-C to USB-A cables, which cannot charge laptops.
• Data-only USB-C cables that do not support Power Delivery.
• Low-quality third-party cables with limited power capabilities.

What to use:
Use the USB-C to USB-C cable that came with your Plugable dock, which you can identify through its included cable tag.

5. Check Battery Health and Charging Settings

Some laptops come with built-in software that limits charging to extend battery life. These features can sometimes make it appear that your laptop isn't charging, even when the dock is functioning correctly.

What to check:

• Open your laptop’s battery management utility. This could be:
• Lenovo Vantage
• MyASUS
• Dell Power Manager or Dell Command | Power Manager
• HP Battery Health Manager
• Look for settings like "Battery Conservation Mode," "Peak Shift," or "Charge Limit Mode."
• These features often prevent the battery from charging past 60% or 80% to preserve battery health.

If these settings are enabled, your laptop may show “Plugged in, not charging” or appear to stop charging at a certain level by design.

6. Are Your Drivers and Firmware Up to Date?

Outdated firmware or drivers can interfere with charging even when the hardware is compatible.

What to do:
Check your laptop manufacturer’s website for updates to the BIOS, USB-C controller, and Thunderbolt firmware.

7. Does Your Laptop Demand More Power Than the Dock Can Provide?

Some high-performance laptops, like gaming systems or mobile workstations, require more power than some docks can deliver.

What to watch for:

• A 100W laptop connected to a 60W dock may charge slowly or not at all.
• The battery may still drain during heavy use even while plugged in.

What to do:
Compare the wattage listed on your laptop’s original charger to the maximum PD output of your Plugable dock. If needed, consider a higher-wattage dock or continue using the laptop’s charger alongside the dock (see our other Blog post on the topic)

Still Not Charging?

We’re here to help. If you have tried the suggestions above and your laptop still won't charge, please contact us at support@plugable.com. Please include the following information:

• Plugable dock model (for example, UD-ULTC4K or TBT4-UDZ)
• Your laptop’s make and model
• A brief summary of what you’ve already tried