Outlet Not Working? What to Check When an Outlet, Half an Outlet, or a Room Goes Dead

An outlet that suddenly goes dead may have lost power upstream rather than failed. Check, in this order: a GFCI that tripped in another room, a breaker that tripped (sometimes one that barely moved), and a wall switch that controls the outlet or half of it. If none of those explains it, the outlet may have worn out or a wire connection may have worked loose. Don't ignore one that stays dead: the CPSC says "Failure to operate should not be ignored," because it can be a warning sign of a more serious problem.

This page covers one outlet, half an outlet, or a room of them. If a GFCI won't reset, see GFCI outlet won't reset; if a breaker trips again after you reset it, breaker keeps tripping; and if half the house went dark at once, half the house has no power.

First, Confirm the Outlet Is Dead

Plug in a lamp you know works; Whirlpool's and Chamberlain's troubleshooting both check an outlet with a lamp or another device known to work. Try both halves, then the outlets nearby, and note which are dead, since the pattern points to the cause.

A plug-in outlet tester also flags common wiring faults. Klein Tools says to check its tester on a known live, correctly wired outlet first, rates it for indoor use on three-slot outlets only, and says it detects only common wiring problems; if it shows one, consult a qualified electrician. Reversed hot and neutral or an open ground on an outlet that works is a different problem: see reversed polarity and ungrounded outlets.

Most Likely Causes

1. A GFCI tripped somewhere else. A GFCI outlet, the kind with TEST and RESET buttons, protects the outlets downstream on its circuit, the ESFi explains, so when it trips they all go dead, and Leviton notes they can be in different rooms. Check bathrooms, the kitchen, the garage, an unfinished basement, and outdoors, all places the CPSC says the electrical code has called for GFCI protection, and press RESET on each, with dry hands. Look in the panel for a GFCI breaker, too. Leviton's outlet-type AFCIs also have TEST and RESET buttons and cut power to the outlets wired after them. If a GFCI won't reset, follow our GFCI guide rather than forcing it.
2. A tripped breaker, including an AFCI breaker. The ESFi warns that a breaker may trip to a position close to ON. On Square D's QO breakers, a tripped handle sits about midway between ON and OFF, and a red Visi-Trip flag shows. In newer homes, also look for AFCI breakers, which have a TEST button on the breaker: Leviton says the National Electrical Code requires arc-fault protection on nearly all 120-volt, 10- to 20-amp circuits in living spaces, bedrooms, living and dining areas, and kitchens included. Square D colors that button white on its arc-fault breakers and purple on dual-function ones. To reset any breaker, unplug what's on the circuit, then push the handle all the way to OFF and back to ON, once, as our breaker guide explains. If it trips again, leave it off and call an electrician.
3. A wall switch controls it. Some outlets have power only while a wall switch is on. Whirlpool describes "an outlet with a wall switch that must be in the ON position to supply power to the outlet," and Chamberlain's troubleshooting says to check for an outlet controlled by a light switch. It can be just one half: Leviton's outlet instructions show how to wire the top and bottom halves to two different hot wires, so one half can be fed through a switch, or from a different breaker, while the other stays live. With a lamp plugged into the dead half, flip every switch in the room. If the lamp comes on, nothing is broken. Keep things that must stay on off a switched outlet: Whirlpool says so for its undercounter refrigerators and dishwashers, and Chamberlain for garage door openers.
4. A worn outlet that won't hold a plug. If a plug slips in and out easily or pulls out under the weight of its cord, the CPSC says the connection may be loose and likely to overheat. Its test: insert plugs, preferably new ones, from two or three other cords. If all or most fit firmly, the first cord is worn out or defective. If most fit loosely, the CPSC says the outlet probably needs to be replaced by a qualified electrician. Don't bend a plug's blades to make it grip; the CPSC says that usually causes worse overheating later. The U.S. Fire Administration says the same: replace wall outlets if plugs don't fit snugly.
5. A loose wire connection. Outlets are critical connection points, the ESFi says, and with time and use those connections can become loose. The CPSC warns that a loose screw holding a wire can lead to arcing, overheating, or a fire, and that outlets that don't operate properly may indicate an unsafe wiring condition; one that cuts in and out when you wiggle the plug qualifies. One loose connection can kill outlets beyond it: the CPSC notes that power to one outlet often passes through the connections of others, and Leviton names a loose connection upstream as one reason a GFCI gets no power. The CPSC flags two suspects: push-in connections, which newer homes may have instead of wires tightened under a screw and which may tend to loosen and overheat, and aluminum wiring, whose connections at outlets tend to loosen during use. Finding a loose connection means opening outlet boxes and tracing the circuit: a licensed electrician's job.

What You Can Fix Yourself

• Test with a lamp you know works, on both halves and on the outlets nearby.
• Press RESET on every GFCI and outlet-type AFCI, with dry hands.
• Find a tripped breaker, including one resting near ON, and reset it once.
• Flip every wall switch in the room with a lamp in the dead outlet.
• Try two or three other plugs in an outlet that won't hold one.

Replacing a worn outlet. The CPSC's advice is to have a qualified electrician replace it. Our DIY vs. hire-a-pro guide puts an identical swap in the yellow zone: do it yourself only if you're confident and your local code allows it. Turn off the breaker, then confirm both halves are dead with a lamp and a non-contact voltage tester. Klein Tools says to check its non-contact tester on a known working circuit before and after each use, warns that voltage could still be present when it shows nothing, and says never to assume neutral or ground wires are de-energized. Photograph the wiring, then match the new outlet to the old one wire for wire. Leviton's outlet instructions say the same: turn off power at the breaker, test that it's off before wiring, and consult an electrician if you're unsure.

Stop and call a licensed electrician instead if the outlet is a GFCI or AFCI (see our GFCI guide); the wire is aluminum, since Leviton's outlet instructions call for copper or copper-clad wire; you see scorch marks, melted plastic, or darkened insulation; the wires don't match the new outlet's instructions, or you don't know what a wire feeds; or either half still has power with the breaker off, which Leviton's GFCI and AFCI instructions say means stop work and call an electrician.

When to Call a Pro

Call a licensed electrician now, and leave the circuit off, for an outlet or cover plate that feels warm or hot, looks discolored, buzzes, crackles, or sizzles, sparks, or smells like burning. The CPSC says to stop using a hot outlet immediately and get a qualified electrician as soon as possible, and lists sparks, sizzles or buzzes, and the odor of hot insulation among its warnings of potential hazards; the U.S. Fire Administration says a warm outlet means call an electrician. If an outlet's faceplate or screws shock you, even with a tingle, the CPSC says to turn off that circuit at the panel unless it powers an essential appliance, and not to touch it until a qualified electrician has helped.

Book an electrician soon for:

• An outlet that's still dead after you've checked the GFCIs, the breakers, and the switches.
• An outlet that works only some of the time.
• A breaker that trips again after one reset, or a GFCI that won't reset.
• Outlets dead in several rooms with nothing tripped; start with our partial power guide.
• A worn outlet you'd rather not replace yourself, or one a plug-in tester shows as miswired.
• Push-in connections you know about: the CPSC says to feel those faceplates regularly and call a qualified electrician if one is overheating.
• No GFCI where you'd expect one near water; see missing GFCI protection.

Prevent It

Insert plugs fully and don't overload outlets, as the U.S. Fire Administration advises, and plug only one heat-producing appliance, such as a toaster or space heater, into an outlet at a time, per the NFPA. Switch appliances off before unplugging them; the CPSC says using the plug as the off switch can damage the plug and the outlet. Test GFCIs and AFCIs monthly, as the CPSC and the NFPA advise, following the manufacturer's instructions.

Make a circuit map: the ESFi describes switching off one circuit at a time and noting every outlet and light it serves. And if your home is 40 or more years old, you're its new owner, its breakers trip often, or its outlet plates run hot or discolored, the ESFi suggests an inspection by a qualified, licensed electrician or electrical inspector.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my outlet not working when no breaker has tripped?

Look for a tripped GFCI in a bathroom, the kitchen, the garage, the basement, or outdoors, and press RESET. Then look at the panel again: the ESFi says a tripped breaker can rest close to ON, and in newer homes an AFCI breaker or AFCI outlet may protect bedroom and living-room circuits. If a wall switch doesn't bring it on either, call an electrician.

Why does only half of my outlet work?

Leviton's instructions show how an outlet's two halves can be wired to separate hot wires, so one half may be switched or on another breaker. Plug a lamp into the dead half, flip the room's wall switches, then check the breakers. If nothing brings it back, the outlet may have failed or lost a connection; call an electrician.

Why are all the outlets in one room dead?

One tripped GFCI can take out outlets in more than one room, Leviton notes, and a tripped breaker shuts off everything on its circuit. Reset the GFCIs and check the breakers, including AFCIs. If outlets in several rooms are still dead with nothing tripped, see half the house has no power.

Can I replace a dead outlet myself?

Only if the outlet itself is the problem, the swap is identical, you're confident, and your local code allows it. The CPSC recommends a qualified electrician for a worn outlet, and a new outlet won't fix a loose connection elsewhere on the circuit. GFCIs, AFCIs, aluminum wiring, and anything scorched go to a licensed electrician.

The Bottom Line

Test with a lamp you know works, reset the GFCIs in other rooms, check for a breaker resting near ON or a tripped AFCI, and flip the wall switches. If most plugs fall out of it, the outlet is worn; replace it like for like only if you're confident and code allows, or have an electrician do it. An outlet that nothing explains, or one that's warm, discolored, buzzing, sparking, or smells like burning, goes to a licensed electrician, with its circuit off until then.

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