Many of us habitually charge our phones overnight to ensure we start the day with a full battery. However, this may not be the best approach for the long-term health of your battery. You may have heard that continuously charging your phone to 100% and leaving it plugged in can be detrimental to the battery’s lifespan. According to Chao-Yang Wang, director of the Electrochemical Engine Center at Penn State University, there is some truth to this idea. Over time, charging the battery to 100% accelerates its degradation compared to maintaining it at a lower charge level.
Dibakar Datta, an associate professor of mechanical and industrial engineering at New Jersey Institute of Technology, explains that keeping the battery at a high voltage by constantly charging it to 100% can lead to chemical aging, causing the battery to deteriorate faster. Wang estimates that regularly charging your phone to 100% could lead to the battery deteriorating 10% to 15% faster over its lifetime compared to charging it to a lower level like 90%.
Despite this, modern phone batteries are quite durable, so the deterioration is gradual and not a major concern. Wang reassures that the battery typically outlasts other phone components, such as the camera or screen, before needing replacement due to battery issues.
While it’s not ideal to always charge your phone to 100%, there are exceptions. Wang suggests that on days when you need your phone extensively, charging it fully can provide you with more usage time. For routine days at home, charging the phone to around 85% or 90% can help preserve the battery over time.
It’s also advisable to avoid letting your battery drop to 0% regularly, as this can impact its ability to hold a charge. Datta recommends plugging in your phone once it reaches about 20% and keeping it charged between 20% to 80% for optimal battery health.
In addition, extreme temperatures can harm your phone battery. Wang emphasizes that both too cold and too hot temperatures are detrimental to the battery’s health. Ideally, keep your phone in moderate room temperature environments to protect the battery. Be cautious of fast chargers, as they can also affect the battery’s longevity.
Ultimately, being mindful of your phone’s charging habits and environmental conditions can contribute to maintaining a healthy battery and prolonging the overall lifespan of your device.
Powered by rapid chargers, who wouldn’t appreciate having faster access to their phone? Nevertheless, experts caution against frequent use of fast chargers. “Slow charging is actually more preferable,” Datta elucidated. “Charging too rapidly generates heat within the battery, leading to potential degradation over time.” Excessive heat can pose a safety hazard as well, with instances of phones catching fire due to overheated batteries, as highlighted by Datta. Therefore, safety is a critical consideration in this regard.
For those mindful of their phone’s battery health, most smartphones offer the option to assess battery health in the settings menu. Alternatively, seeking assistance from experts at authorized stores like Apple or Samsung for a battery health check is recommended. Should the battery health fall below 80%, Datta advises opting for a replacement.
Overall, there are numerous measures one can undertake to maintain a healthy phone battery over its lifespan—many of which are simple to implement.
