X Series: Unable to Charge

X Series: Unable to Charge

Applicable Models: ONE X, X2, X3, X4, X4 Air, and X5

Scenario 1: Unable to charge (For all X Series cameras)

Description

After connecting the camera to a charger, you may encounter the following issues:

• The camera is completely unresponsive and unable to charge.
• The charging icon does not appear on the camera screen.
• The indicator light does not illuminate, it flashes red, or it stays solid red but the battery level does not increase.

Diagnostic aid: Indicator light statuses for charging faults

Depending on the model, the indicator light statuses can help initially identify the issue, as detailed below:

Model	Indicator Light Status	Suggested Solution
X4, X4 Air, and X5	Flashing yellow 3 times rapidly every 5 seconds: Low battery	The charging screen usually appears after 5 to 10 minutes of charging
ONE X, X2, and X3	Solid red: Charging in progress, but not fully charged	Please refer to Step 1 of the solution below
	Flashing red: Battery not recognized
	Off: No power connection	The cable / charger / charging port may be faulty. It is recommended to replace them

Solution

Step 1: Troubleshoot charging components and connections

1. Check charging port
   • Check the camera's Type-C charging port for any debris or obvious damage (e.g., port deformation).
2. Check battery
   • Replace the battery with a spare battery (if available), then reconnect the charger. If charging works with the spare one, the original battery is faulty.
   • If you do not have a spare battery, proceed to the next step.
3. Verify specifications: It is recommended to use a charger with the recommended specifications for your specific model to avoid abnormalities due to incompatibility.
   • X5: Using a 5V/3A charger, or a 9V/3A charger that supports PD 3.0 PPS is recommended.
   • X4 Air: Using a 9V/2A charger.
   • X4: Using a 5V/3A charger, or a 9V/2A charger that supports PD protocol is recommended.
   • X3: Using a 5V/3A charger is recommended.
   • ONE X and X2: Using a 5V/2A charger is recommended.
4. Troubleshoot charger and cable
   • Connect the current charger and cable to another compatible device. If that device charges normally, it indicates that these charging components are not faulty.
   • If that device also fails to charge, it is recommended to replace the charger and cable with compliant and undamaged ones and try again.

Please note: When the camera battery is extremely low, the internal battery will be charged first after connecting to a power source, and the charging screen may only appear after 5 to 10 minutes.

Step 2: Troubleshoot based on scenarios

• If you confirm that the battery is faulty in Step 1: We recommend you apply for Insta360 Repair Service and send back the battery failing to charge for professional diagnostics.
• If you confirm that the charger or cable is faulty in Step 1: Replace them with original ones that meet the model specifications mentioned above and function properly.
• If the charging port is damaged, or charging still fails after completing the above steps: We recommend you apply for Insta360 Repair Service and send back the camera and battery together for professional diagnostics.

Scenario 2: Slow charging (For X5 only)

Official charging times are measured "in an ideal laboratory environment at 77℉ (25°C), with the camera powered off, cloud storage disabled, and using a 30W PD 3.0 PPS charger". Actual charging times may vary under your usage conditions.

You can improve charging speed by following these steps:

1. Charge the camera while it is powered off, and avoid recording while charging.
2. Use a charger that supports the PD 3.0 PPS protocol with a power rating no less than 5V/2A.
3. Disable the automatic upload of media to cloud on your camera. If you need to enable it, please update the camera firmware to v1.0.10 or later.

Please refer to: X Series: How to Check and Update Firmware Version

Scenario 3: The camera cannot be fully charged (e.g., charging stops at 80%) / Charging stops (For X5 and X4 Air)

Symptom 1: The camera cannot be fully charged when powered off with the indicator light flashing green

This occurs because the camera is automatically backing up media to the cloud. It is not a charging issue, so please don't worry. If you have enabled the automatic cloud backup feature, the camera, while charging in the power-off state and detecting media available for backup, will automatically start the cloud backup process. During the process, the indicator light will flash green continuously. This process consumes charging resources, leading to the perception of "not charging to full / not charging". Once the backup is complete, the camera will resume normal charging, and the indicator light will switch to indicate the corresponding charging state.

Symptom 2: The camera stops charging at 80%, or cannot be fully charged while uploading media to the cloud

This is a battery protection feature designed to prevent overheating and extend battery lifespan. When uploading media from the camera to the cloud, the charging level is automatically limited to 80%. Normal charging resumes after the upload is complete.

Symptom 3: Charging suddenly stops while powered off and the indicator is off or flashes orange; or charging stops while the screen stays active in the standby mode / during recording

This is a temperature protection mechanism that helps extend the battery lifespan. Charging should resume within 15 minutes under normal temperatures.

• If you need to charge urgently, you can disable the automatic cloud backup feature. After the camera cools down, charge it while powered off.
  • X5: Using a 9V/3A charger that supports PD 3.0 PPS fast charging protocol is recommended.
  • X4 Air: Using a 9V/2A charger is recommended.

Please note: To disable the automatic cloud backup feature, swipe down from the top of the camera screen to access "Control Center" > swipe right to enter the "Insta360+" homepage > tap "Sync settings" > turn off "Automatic Sync".

• If you are using the camera while charging, you can set the screen to turn off or enable "Endurance Mode".

If charging does not resume after more than 15 minutes, we recommend you apply for Insta360 Repair Service for professional diagnostics.

Symptom 4: Battery drains while charging, or battery level decreases while charging

1. Check charger: Ensure the charger you are using meets the required specifications. Using the original cable is recommended.
   • X5: Using a 9V/3A charger that supports PD 3.0 PPS fast charging protocol is recommended.
   • X4 Air: Using a 9V/2A charger is recommended.
2. Retry after cooling down: If the camera is hot, power it off, and let it cool down. Then charge for 5 minutes to check if the battery level increases.
3. Adjust cloud backup settings (For users subscribed to Insta360+): Swipe down from the top of the camera screen to access the "Shortcut" menu, set "Conditions for Auto Sync" in Insta360+ to "Charging priority", and pause manual upload of media to the cloud to avoid power consumption during charging.
4. Reduce camera's power consumption: We recommend disabling AI Highlights Assistant to prevent the camera from triggering media recognition while charging in the powered-off state, which can affect the charging process. After disabling the feature, try powering the camera off to charge again. Alternatively, remove the SD card, reconnect the charger, and check if charging returns to normal.

If none of the above solutions resolves your issue, or if other abnormal situations occur (e.g., charging stops while the screen is off in the standby mode), we recommend you apply for Insta360 Repair Service for professional diagnostics.