How to Charge Smartphone even When Laptop is Powered off/Lid is closed

In this tutorial, you‘ll learn how to use eSATA/USB port available on your laptop to charge your smartphone using a USB data cable even when the laptop is powered off. And how to charge a phone when the laptop lid is closed/screen is shut.

Sometimes your smartphone battery is drained out or your iPod battery is drained out and an AC power source is not available or an AC travel charger is not available. In such a situation, you can use your laptop to charge your phone or other device of course via a USB data cable. But what if you do not want to turn on your laptop to charge your phone? Or you don’t need to open your laptop screen?

Charge Smartphone even When Laptop is Powered Off

First thing you need to make sure that eSATA/USB port is available on your laptop. You can easily figure this out by noticing the following image like port on your laptop.

So eSATA/USB port is available on your laptop, right?

That’s good news.

Don’t be sad if eSATA/USB is not available on your device. You can check if USB Powershare option is available for regular USB port under your BIOS Setup, if it is there you can follow the next steps.

Next, you need to check in your “BIOS Settings” whether the necessary setting is “Enable” to get power through eSATA/UBS port even when laptop is powered off. Follow these steps to enable USB Powershare option under your device BIOS setup:

Step 1: Turn off your laptop.

Step 2: Turn it on and press F2 key to enter into BIOS Setup.

(In case of DELL Devices F2 is the key to enter into BIOS Setup, if your laptop is of other make, after pressing power key to turn it on, keep your eyes on the screen and see which key is to be pressed to enter into BIOS Setup. You can also Google the procedure to enter into BIOS setup of your device. For example BIOS setup of DELL xps 14, BIOS setup of HP 14S, etc.)

Step 3: Navigate to Advanced tab using the arrow key & select the USB Powershare option and Enable it. If it is already not Enable.

Step 4: Save Changes and Exit BIOS Setup. It’s done. You are ready to go.

Now Turn Off your laptop and plug in phone’s USB data cable to eSATA/USB port and connect it to your phone. Your phone should start charging.

Using this port you may also charge other devices like iPads, Tablets, etc, the devices which can be charged using a USB data cable.

I have tested this method with DELL XPS 14 and DELL Inspiron 14, and it works like a charm. I hope this guide will be useful for you. Please share your experiences in the comment section below and also mention Brand and Model of your device.

Charge Phone When Laptop Lid is Closed/ Screen is Shut

If your laptop stops charging your phone via USB when laptop lid is closed (sleep state)/ screen is shut, you can try following tweaks to enable USB power when the laptop is in sleep state/screen is shut.

Disable USB Power Save Setting

• To disable USB Power Save setting you need to open Device Manager:
  Right-click on Start Menu icon in Windows 11/10. (Or you can access Device Manager from This PC/My Computer properties menu.)
• Then click Device Manager to open it.
• In Device Manager, click the arrow (>) before Universal Serial Bus Controller to open its drop-down menu.
• From drop-down menu go to USB Hub Properties then click Power Management tab.
• Next, disable the option “Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power” by unchecking the box before this option.
• Then click OK to save changes.
• You have to disable the above-explained option for different USB hubs like Generic USB, USB 3.0, USB 3.1, etc., or all, one by one depending on the hardware configuration of your machine.

Disable USB Selective Suspend Setting

• To disable USB Selective Suspend Setting you need to go to Power Options:
• Search Control Panel in Windows search bar in Windows 10/11.
• Click Control Panel to open it, then click Power Options.
• Now click Change plan settings next to the currently active power plan.
• Next, click Change advanced power settings, then click USB Settings > USB Selective Suspend Setting.
• Now disable On battery and Plugged in options one by one.
• Click Apply then OK to save changes.

What other methods work for you to enable USB power in sleep mode/ lid closed state, share those methods with others and us through the comments section below. Also, mention the brand and model number of your laptop so that others can apply those methods.

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