Short answer
If an outlet is not working, plug in a lamp you know works and try both sockets. Flip the wall switches nearby: some outlets are switch-controlled. Then find the GFCI outlets (Test and Reset buttons) in the kitchen, bathrooms, garage and outside, and press Reset. Last, reset a tripped breaker once. If it is still dead, warm or scorched, leave it alone and call an electrician.
Safety first
If the outlet is warm, buzzing, discolored or smells burnt, stop using it and switch off its breaker. Do not take off the cover or poke anything into the slots. Touch the panel only with dry hands, standing on a dry floor.
How to check an outlet that stopped working
1Test it with a lamp you know works
Plug in a lamp that works somewhere else and try both sockets. A dead phone charger can fool you into blaming the outlet.
Read all the steps
- Test it with a lamp you know works. Plug in a lamp that works somewhere else and try both sockets. A dead phone charger can fool you into blaming the outlet.
- Flip the wall switches nearby. Some outlets, often the bottom half, are controlled by a wall switch. Flip each switch in the room and watch the lamp.
- Press Reset on the GFCI outlets. One GFCI can feed outlets in other rooms. Check the kitchen, bathrooms, garage and outside, and press Reset firmly on each one.
- Reset the tripped breaker once. Look for the breaker sitting in the middle. Standing on a dry floor, push it fully Off, then On. If it trips again, leave it off.
- Still dead, warm or scorched? Call. A loose wire or a worn outlet can cause this. Do not open the cover. If it is warm, switch off its breaker and call an electrician.
- Still not fixed? Call an electrician Especially if: it is still dead after you reset the GFCI outlets and the breaker.
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Why an outlet stops working
- A GFCI outlet tripped, maybe in another room, and cut the power to the outlets after it.
- A breaker tripped, often from a space heater or a hair dryer on the same circuit.
- A wall switch controls the outlet and it is off.
- A loose wire or a worn outlet. This is the one that can heat up, so it needs an electrician.
What not to do
- Do not take off the cover plate or push anything into the slots.
- Do not run an extension cord from another room as a long-term fix.
- Do not keep resetting a breaker that trips again right away.
When to call an electrician
- It is still dead after you reset the GFCI outlets and the breaker.
- The outlet or its cover is warm, buzzing, discolored or smells burnt.
- Several outlets died at once and no breaker or GFCI is tripped.
- The breaker trips again as soon as you reset it.
- Plugs feel loose or fall out of the outlet.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my outlet not working if the breaker is not tripped?
Most often a GFCI outlet somewhere else tripped and cut the power to it. Check the GFCIs in the kitchen, bathrooms, garage and outside, and press Reset. If none are tripped, a wire may be loose: call an electrician.
Why does only half of my outlet work?
That half is probably controlled by a wall switch. Flip the switches in the room. If no switch brings it back, a connection may be loose: call an electrician.
How do I find the GFCI that controls an outlet?
Look for an outlet with Test and Reset buttons, usually in the kitchen, bathrooms, garage, basement or outside. It can be in a different room. Press Reset firmly on each one you find.
Can a dead outlet be dangerous?
It can be. A loose wire that cut the power can also heat up. If the outlet is warm, buzzes or smells burnt, switch off its breaker and call an electrician.
Can I replace an outlet myself?
Replacing an outlet means working on the wires behind the cover. If you are not trained, have an electrician do it: they also find out why it failed.
Is a dead outlet an emergency?
Not by itself. It is urgent if the outlet is warm, buzzing, sparking or smells burnt. Switch off the breaker and use the "24/7 emergencies" filter to find electricians who answer now.