Chicago
Track Your Order
0
Maximize Your Phone’s Battery Life with These Simple Tips
*Charging your phone to 100% overnight is convenient, but it can shorten your battery’s lifespan. Experts say small changes in charging habits can help extend its life.
According to The Huffington Post, keeping a battery fully charged maintains it at a high voltage, which speeds up chemical aging. “A battery will degrade faster if you charge it to 100% versus a little bit lower state of charge,” explains Chao-Yang Wang, director of the Electrochemical Engine Center at Penn State University.
Charging to 100% regularly can reduce battery life by 10% to 15% over time. “So it’s not a whole lot, but it’s noticeable,” Wang adds. However, modern phone batteries are durable, often outlasting other phone features. “[Batteries] last, probably, longer than the other features of the phone,” he notes.
For optimal battery health, aim to keep your phone’s charge between 20% and 80%, says Dibakar Datta, associate professor at New Jersey Institute of Technology. Letting the battery drop to 0% regularly can impair its ability to hold a charge. On critical days, like travel, “you will be better off to charge to 100% so you have more electricity and longer usage time,” Wang advises.
Temperature matters, too. “I think that the battery is probably more afraid of too cold or too hot [temperatures],” Wang says, noting that extreme conditions cause more damage than full charges. Smartphones adjust charging rates in harsh climates, but frequent “too hot” notifications signal a need for attention.
Avoid overusing fast chargers, as they generate heat that degrades batteries. “Slow charging is more preferable,” Datta explains, highlighting safety risks from overheated batteries. To monitor battery health, check your phone’s settings or consult experts at stores like Apple or Samsung. If battery health dips below 80%, Datta recommends replacement.
By charging smartly and avoiding extreme temperatures, you can keep your phone’s battery healthy with minimal effort, ensuring it lasts throughout your device’s lifespan.