Battery, lights and resets

The tracker won’t turn on or charge

Updated 23 Oct 2026

  1. Check the pad is plugged in

    Check the charging pad’s cable is pushed fully into a USB phone charger, and the charger is plugged in and switched on at the wall.

    TipDid the tracker turn off by itself? Its battery probably ran low. It turns itself off to protect the battery, without showing a red light, and charging turns it back on.

    The round Waggi charging pad with its cable

  2. Set the tracker flat in the middle

    Take the tracker off the collar and set it flat in the middle of the pad, Waggi logo up. Within a few seconds the light comes on to show it’s charging.

    Charge the tracker for the first timeLights and button

    What the light means

    • Tracker on the pad with a red light Battery lowCharging. Leave it on the pad.
    • Tracker on the pad with an amber light Partly chargedCharging. It had some charge left.
    • Tracker on the pad with a green light Fully chargedThe battery is full.

  3. Try another charger or socket

    Still no light? Plug the pad into a different USB phone charger, or the same charger into a different wall socket. Then set the tracker back in the middle of the pad.

    Battery and charging

    The tracker on its charging pad with no light showing

  4. Contact support

    Still no light on two chargers? Contact support and we’ll help.

    Contact support

Frequently asked questions

My tracker isn’t working. What should I check?

Put it on its charging pad: the light should come on within a few seconds, red or amber while it charges. Leave it to charge, then check the app: your dog’s location card shows when the tracker last sent its location. If the light never comes on, follow the guide “The tracker won’t turn on or charge”, above. If it charges but the app shows no updates, see “Location and Live mode”, above.

I can’t see the light on my tracker. Is it working?

Usually, yes. The light stays off most of the time. It only comes on while the tracker is charging (red, amber or green), green for 3 seconds when it turns on off the pad, flashing blue while Live mode is on, and solid red when you hold the button to turn it off. To check it’s working, open the app and see when its location last updated, or press the button once to send a fresh location.

The tracker isn’t charging, or there’s no light on the pad. What should I do?

Set it flat in the middle of the pad, Waggi logo up, and check the charger is switched on at the wall. The light should come on within a few seconds: red if the battery is low, amber if it has some charge. No light at all? Follow the guide “The tracker won’t turn on or charge”, above.

My tracker turned off by itself. Why?

The battery ran too low, so the tracker switched itself off to protect it. This happens without the red light. Put it on its charging pad: it starts up again and the light shows it’s charging.

My tracker got wet and now won’t charge.

Take it off the pad and unplug the pad. Dry the tracker, especially its underside, and the top of the pad with a soft cloth, then leave them both to air-dry at room temperature. Don’t use a hairdryer or a radiator. Then set the tracker flat in the middle of the pad again. If no light comes on, follow the guide “The tracker won’t turn on or charge”, above. If it still won’t charge, contact support. Water and care has more on keeping it dry.

I held the button but the tracker didn’t turn off. Why?

It was probably on the charging pad, which keeps it powered, so it restarted instead. Take it off the pad first. The guide “Reset the tracker” shows each step.

What does Factory Reset (Developer) do?

Don’t use this option. It makes the tracker forget your account, drops any locations it hasn’t sent yet, clears what it learned about the Wi-Fi around your fences, and restarts it. The app and our servers still list the tracker, so only support can pair it again. The option is being removed from the app. If the tracker isn’t working, restart it instead: see “Reset the tracker”, above.

Why am I not getting low-battery alerts?

Check Battery is switched on: in the app, go to Settings, then Notifications. Check your phone allows notifications from Waggi too. Alerts don’t come while the tracker is charging, and it needs mobile coverage to send its battery level.

Why is there a question mark on the battery icon?

The app hasn’t had a battery reading for over an hour, and your phone isn’t connected to the tracker over Bluetooth. Open the app near the tracker so they connect, or check it’s charged and has mobile coverage.

The tracker is on the pad, but the app doesn’t say Charging. Is it charging?

The app only shows Charging while your phone is connected to the tracker over Bluetooth. Check the light on the tracker instead: red, amber or green means it’s charging.

Why does the battery drain quickly?

Live mode uses the most power, so check it wasn’t left on. After that comes time on the move: the tracker checks in more often while your dog is moving than while they’re resting, so a busy day uses more. Battery and charging explains what else affects battery life.

What does a red light mean?

On the charging pad, red means it’s charging and the battery is low. Off the pad, a solid red light means the tracker is turning off.