There’s nothing worse than buying a brand new smartphone, only to find its battery life shrinking dramatically after a year or two.
But how can you stop this from happening? There are plenty of tips and tricks floating around but one of them might be a little surprising — because it goes against what so many of us do.
That’s right, one expert says if you want to extend your battery’s lifespan you should never charge your phone overnight.
‘Most new-generation smartphones will take somewhere between 30 minutes and two hours to charge fully,’ said Ritesh Chugh, an associate professor in Information and Communications Technology at CQUniversity Australia.
‘[Therefore], charging your phone overnight is not only unnecessary, it also accelerates battery ageing.’
Are you charging your phone wrong? There are plenty of tips and tricks floating around about how to stop your battery degrading. However, one of them might be a little surprising because it goes against what so many of us do. That’s right, one expert says if you want to extend your battery’s lifespan you should never charge your phone overnight (stock image)
This happens because the lithium-ion batteries that power modern smartphones chemically degrade as a result of things such as charging patterns, fluctuations in temperature and the amount the device is used.
In the case of charging overnight, it would mean your battery gets a boost that is four times as long as it needs because it’s left plugged in for some six to eight hours.
For a start, that’s not great from a safety point of view, although the good news is that most devices automatically stop charging when their battery hits 100 per cent to prevent them from overheating.
The problem, however, is that because apps run in the background all night long the device inevitably keeps dropping to 99 per cent.
Every time this happens, the phone begins boosting its battery again in a manner known as a ‘trickle charge’.
‘Trickle charging can wear a battery down over time,’ Mr Chugh explained in an article on The Conversation.
‘That’s why many manufacturers have features to regulate it.
‘Apple’s iPhones offer functionality to delay charging past 80 per cent. Samsung’s Galaxy phones provide the option to cap the charge at 85 per cent.’
The other thing that’s particularly harmful to the lifespan of lithium-ion batteries is when you let your phone run out of power altogether.
Instead, you should aim to keep your charge level between 20-80 per cent, according to a phone repair expert who specialises in refurbishing old handsets.
Why it’s a problem: Because apps run in the background all night long the device inevitably keeps dropping to 99 per cent. Every time this happens, the phone begins boosting its battery again in a manner known as a ‘trickle charge’ (stock image)
To mitigate against a ‘trickle charge’, Apple’s iPhones offer functionality to delay charging past 80 per cent (left). Samsung’s Galaxy phones provide the option to cap the charge at 85 per cent. On Pixel phones, the option can be found under Battery but looks slightly different (right)
That might sound like a pain to achieve, but many new handsets offer the option to optimise charging so as not to put unnecessary stress on the battery.
‘For iPhones with iOS 13 and beyond, go into your iPhone Settings > Battery > Battery Health & Charging, and select Optimized Battery Charging,’ said Kewin Charron, senior lead refurbishment operations manager at Back Market.
‘This setting will automatically reduce the wear on your battery, improving its lifespan.’
Apple says that the feature delays charging iPhone past 80 per cent, using machine learning to learn your daily routine so that Optimised Battery Charging is activated at the right time.
With Android, the settings can vary between different manufacturers.
But, as Charon explains, ‘by going into your Settings, and then selecting Battery > Battery Usage, you can see your battery health.
‘Then, under Manage Battery Usage, tap Optimized to automatically help extend the longevity of your battery.’
Another problem that can damage battery life over time is dirt in the charging port, Charron said.
‘Crumbs and dust are the enemies of your mobile devices and your battery life,’ he added.
‘Dust accumulates in the charging ports of your phone, causing the device to overheat or stop charging.
‘Cleaning your phone safely can ensure your battery isn’t overheating, which can cause long-term damage.’
Charron recommends using a toothpick and damp cloth to clean out your charging port to get rid of debris which could be damaging your phone.
‘The first thing to do before cleaning your phone is to switch your device off. Then, shine a light on your device to see how much dust you’re dealing with,’ he said.
‘Use a soft, slightly damp, lint-free cloth to wipe around the area of the charging port. To remove the debris within the port, use a toothpick, moving it from side to side, making sure you’re gentle as this area is very susceptible to damage.
‘As debris comes out, wipe it away with your cloth and go in again with a clean toothpick.’
