There can be few things that cause quite such a sick feeling in the pit of your stomach than seeing that your laptop is not charging, despite being plugged into the mains. You desperately check that the plug is in the wall socket correctly, and try reconnecting the adapter, but it’s no good – you might as well be using a carrot for all the effect it is having.

It is easy to go into a panic, like a rabbit stuck in the headlights, and start to count down how many hours and minutes you have left before your beloved MacBook shuts down forever, but don’t worry, help is at hand. First and foremost, you can call upon MacBook repair from Fixapplenow.com, and rest assured that whether it is the plug, the adapter or something within the machine itself, they will soon have you back online.

Secondly, you can take comfort in the fact that while the MacBook is generally recognized as one of the most reliable and robust machines on the market, if it does have a an Achilles heel, the dreaded Magsafee power adapter is most certainly it. Here, we offer five tips on diagnosing and resolving your power supply problem before you call in the experts.

1) Are you using the right adapter?

It might sound like a “Well, duh,” type question, but these days, we have so many gadgets around the house that it is easy to pick up the wrong one. Just check, you might save yourself some embarrassment and solve the problem very easily, all by yourself.

2) Is the cable damaged?

With prolonged use, the cable will inevitably get twisted and deformed, leading to fraying. Have a good look for any cracks or indications that it is coming away from either the plug or the adapter body. Even if it looks fine, give it a wiggle – if the LED light flickers on and off, you’ve probably found the root of the problem, and realistically, you need a replacement adapter.

3) Is the adapter overheating?

If the adapter is old or positioned such that it is not getting any ventilation, then it will overheat and shut itself down for safety. Touch it very gently, and if this is the case, leave it for an hour and see if it works. If the overheating persists, then seek professional advice.

4) Try a reset

If you are plugged in to the same circuit as some other large appliance, the over-voltage detector inside the adapter might be triggered, causing it to shut down. So try unplugging, leaving it alone for two minutes and then plugging back in. This will reset the detector. If the problem persists with different outlets, you need to call in the experts.

5) Check the connectors

Sometimes, dust and debris can accumulate around the connectors. Check both the adapter and the computer itself, and give them a blast of compressed air. If that doesn’t work, you can try carefully flicking out the foreign matter with a cotton swab or a toothbrush.