Electrical problem
Outlet not working but the breaker is not tripped
The commonest cause of a dead outlet is a tripped GFCI somewhere else in the house. After that come a breaker that tripped without looking tripped, an outlet controlled by a wall switch, and a loose connection at the last working outlet on the circuit.
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Check these in order
Test with something that works
Use a lamp or charger you know is good. Try both halves of the outlet.
Look for a wall switch
In rooms with no ceiling light, one outlet, or its top half, is often controlled by the switch at the door.
Press every GFCI reset button
Check bathrooms, the kitchen, garage, basement, laundry and outside. One device often protects outlets in other rooms.
Reset the breaker firmly
A tripped breaker may sit only slightly off center. Push each suspect fully off, then on. Check for a GFCI or AFCI breaker with its own test button.
See what else is dead
A group of dead outlets on one wall points to a failed connection at one of them. Stop here and call.
Causes and who fixes them
| Cause | Clue | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Tripped GFCI upstream | Dead outlet is in a bath, kitchen, garage, basement or outdoors | Reset it. If it trips again, see GFCI won't reset. |
| Switched outlet | Works when a wall switch is on | Nothing is wrong. It can be rewired to always-on. |
| Tripped breaker | Other things on the circuit are dead too | Reset once. If it trips again, see breaker keeps tripping. |
| Loose or burnt connection | Several outlets in a row are dead, or power comes and goes | Electrician. The fault is usually at the last live outlet or the first dead one. |
| Worn-out outlet | Plugs fall out, one half works, the face is cracked | Replace the outlet. |
| Open neutral | A tester shows voltage but nothing runs | Electrician. Do not use the circuit. |
Why one bad outlet kills the ones after it
Outlets on a circuit are wired one after another. In many houses the current for every outlet further along passes through the terminals of the ones before it. When a connection burns or works loose, everything downstream goes dead while everything upstream carries on.
This is why the fault is often not in the dead outlet at all. It may be behind a working outlet in the next room, or in a ceiling box. Finding it means opening devices in sequence, which is routine work for an electrician and takes far less time than guessing.
Signs it is more than a nuisance
The outlet or plate is warm or discolored
A connection has been overheating. See electrical burning smell.
Power comes back when you wiggle a plug or tap the wall
A loose connection is making and breaking.
It died with a pop or flash
A short circuit occurred. Leave the breaker off.
Half the house is dead
See partial power outage.
Dead outlet questions
Why does only the top half of the outlet work?
Either the outlet is half-switched by design, with the tab between the two halves removed, or one set of contacts has failed.
Can a dead outlet be dangerous?
The outlet may be dead because a connection has burned open. That connection can still be live on one side and can still heat up, so have it found.
Do I need an outlet tester?
A plug-in tester is a cheap way to check for power and basic wiring faults. It cannot detect every problem, and a reading of correct does not prove the wiring is sound.
This page is general safety information, not a diagnosis. Electrical faults can cause fire and electric shock. If you are unsure whether something is safe, switch it off and have a licensed electrician inspect it.
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