An improved apparatus for charging a cell phone battery in the dark. An LED and its control circuitry including a control switch are included in a USB connector to automatically illuminate a cell phone and its charging port or receptacle or jack, which happen to be located in an unlit or pitch black space, when a user attempts to insert a USB connector plug into the charging port for purposes of charging the battery. The LED is automatically energized by the user's mere touching of the overmold of the USB connector at its flat or bottom side, without otherwise manually operating the control switch, and thereby eliminating hunting in the dark for a control switch on the USB connector. This apparatus is useful with both standard charging equipment and with dongle charging equipment.