Dell XPS 12 9Q23 Troubleshooting

The laptop does not hold a charge when it is unplugged or will not charge when the power cord is plugged in.

First check to see if the problem is with the outlet and not the cord. To do so, unplug the charging cord from the current outlet and re-plug into a different outlet. If the problem persists move on to the second check.

The second check is to confirm that there are no exposed or frayed wires along the cord. First remove the power cord from the outlet and from the computer. Then, if there are frayed or exposed wires refer to this guide on how to fix wires. If the cord displays no frayed or exposed wires, move on to the next check.

Next check both the adapter to the computer and the adapter to the battery box. For the battery box adapter, unplug the longer AC adapter cord and check to see if the metal prongs are bent or broken. If bent, gently use pliers to unbend. If broken, then the cord needs to be replaced. If neither, check the AC adapter to see if the prong inside the cylindrical circle is slightly bent. If so, completely unplug the AC adapter from the large battery box. Then take some small pliers and gently unbend the prong. Re-plug the AC adapter cord back into the battery box on one end and plug the AC adapter into the computer to test. If the AC adapter prong is unfixable or broken, it is time to buy a new cord.

Finally, confirm the power adapter is plugged in and the light is on. If the light remains off while the adapter is plugged in and all the above steps are cleared, consider a replacement. If the light remains on, check the Faulty Battery Section.

Confirm the power adapter is working. If the problem persists, then the battery is faulty and follow this guide on how to replace the battery.

First step for running diagnostics within the system: Turn off the laptop. Then try one of the following combinations: While the PC is off, charge the battery for a while. Or, restart the laptop by holding down the power button for 30 seconds and tap the F2 key to enter the BIOS or System Setup. Charge the battery within BIOS. Verify if the battery charge percentage has increased. Restart the PC, and proceed to the next step.

The next step is to run the Dell ePSA built-in hardware diagnostics. To do so, first turn on the laptop, and tap the F12 key. Then choose Diagnostics from the menu. Answer any prompts accordingly. If the test fails, replace the battery. If the diagnostics test passes move on to the next step. For more information look at  Dell’s more in depth guide.

Next check the battery health status. Power on the computer and tap the F12 key at the Dell logo screen. In the One Time Boot Menu, select Diagnostics, and press Enter key. In the Pre-boot diagnostics, respond to the user prompts appropriately. Review the test results for battery. If the battery test fails by giving an answer of less than 50%, then replace the battery. For information on possible error codes, click here.

The final step is to uninstall the battery driver. To do so, start by pressing the Windows key + R on the keyboard. Then, in the Run dialog box, type devmgmt.msc and press the Enter key on the keyboard. Next, in Device Manager, click > or + sign next to Batteries. Right-click Microsoft ACPI-Compliant Control Method Battery, click Uninstall. Click OK to confirm uninstalling the driver. Finally, restart the laptop.

The mouse doesn't move or click on the screen when the touchpad is pressed or touched.

The touchpad's hotkey may be disabled. First click the Windows key on your menu or keyboard. Then click the Settings icon on the left of the menu over the power icon. Under settings click System Settings and then under that click Mouse and Touchpad Settings. Look for a Touchpad On/Off toggle. Toggle the button to On.

If the touchpad is broken, try replacing it with this guide. 

Refer to the guide on how to remove the clicker and check to see if there is any debris or obstructions preventing the clicker from responding. Clear debris with a pressurized spray duster.

The fan sounds like a helicopter is in the room with you or your computer is too hot to touch.

Refer to this guide to take apart the fan and check to make sure there are no debris blocking the fan blades. Use a pressurized dust spray to remove the debris if there are any.

Next restart the laptop. On the reboot screen click the F2 key on the keyboard to open the BIOS or System Setup menu. Check the menu to see if there is a system update. Update the computer.

Next go to Device Manager for hardware IDs matching the fans and reboot those. To do that you go to Settings then System then Notifications and then Turn off tips on Windows.

First check that there is not a debris blockage preventing the fan blades from spinning. Then check that the necessary wires are still connected to the fan. If they are not, connect them and see if the fan runs. If it is not a wiring issue consider replacing the fan as it is essential in the cooling of the system hardware. Follow this guide to access and/or replace the fan.

The keyboard keys are stuck and you cannot type what you want with it or the keys themselves are cracked/broken/missing.

The number one cause of stuck keys is debris such as food and dust. To remove use an antistatic cloth or a can of dust spray.

The next step if the problem persists is to reset the keyboard settings. Open Start and type in device manager. This will search your computer for the "Device Manager" program, which allows you to reset hardware on your computer. If your keyboard won't let you type correctly, scroll down to the Windows System folder and click it, click Control Panel, click the "View by" option and then select Large Icons if you're in Category view, and find Device Manager and click on it.

Next scroll down to Keyboards and click on the arrow icon to expand the list of currently connected keyboards. Select the keyboard that you want to reset by double clicking on its name. A smaller window will pop up and under the subsection titled Driver click the Uninstall Device button. Click OK when prompted.

Next click the Search for Updates icon at the top of the screen (it looks like a computer monitor with a magnifying glass in front of it). Select Keyboards again and click the keyboard’s name. Once the name is highlighted click on the Update Device Driver icon at the top of the screen (it's in between the Search for Updates icon and the giant red ‘X’ icon). Click on the ‘search automatically for updated driver software’ option (it’ll be the first of the two options on the screen). Allow the newest drivers to install (they do this automatically). Close the window once it is finished installing, then Restart your computer.

For replacing any broken, cracked, or missing keys please refer to this guide. Remember to unplug and power down your device before attempting to fix the keys.