It doesn’t take a lot of maintenance to keep your iPhone and its battery healthy and working at peak levels. You may want to consider taking steps to reduce the amount of storage your phone uses so that it continues to perform at an optimum speed and you aren’t held back from downloading files and taking more videos and photos. Deleting apps that you never use from time to time can also be helpful. And perhaps one of the most important maintenance steps you can remember is to charge your phone the right way.
Is there a wrong way to charge your device, you may be wondering? Actually, yes. If you’re making any of these seven charging mistakes, you could be putting your phone at risk for battery degradation. Avoid these mistakes at all costs.
Leaving Your Phone in a Hot Room
Leaving your phone in a hot room all day, and especially under direct sunlight, can cause your battery to heat up even more. Now if you add charging to the equation and charge your device in a hot room, you’re adding the heat from charging to the heat from your environment, and this can really do a number on your device. Only charge your phone in a room-temperature setting and keep it in the shade if you are outside.
Using Non MFi-Certified Charging Cables
Using charging cables that are not designed for your iPhone or iPad can lead to your phone receiving a charge that isn’t compatible with its battery. And this can mean adding — you guessed it — more heat to your phone’s battery, which can cause it to degrade over time.
Using Your Phone While it Charges
Stop using your iPhone while it charges — each time you do that, it raises the temperature of your device and can affect your battery. If you have to check your phone quickly, remove it from the charger and then place it back on the charger.
Don’t Use a Phone Case While Charging
This one is debatable, but some tech experts say keeping a phone case on your device while it charges is an obvious way to cause it to heat up too much. Getting into the habit of removing the case while it charges can help.
Using Cheap Chargers
Chargers come in all price points these days, and the temptation to buy one that won’t set you back $30 or more is high. But you can also score an Apple-certified charger for a lot less money than what was once the case — so when you are shopping for deals, make sure this one fact becomes a deal breaker. Your charger should always be able to handle your phone’s specific needs. Any old cheap charger that doesn’t state that it’s safe for your iPhone model could deliver an inappropriate charging speed that damages your battery.
Using Fast-Charging Power Banks
Faster isn’t always better. You may be in a rush to charge your device and get out the door, but some fast-charging power banks can provide too much charge too soon, which can damage your battery. That’s why chargers that specify that they are safe for your Apple model are always the best way to go.
Letting Your Phone Die Before Charging It
Keeping your phone’s charge in the sweet spot of between 30 and 80 percent is the best way to ensure it stays healthy. If you are routinely allowing your phone to die before you rush to find a charger, you are forcing your phone to work a lot harder than it needs to. As soon as you see your phone reaching 30 percent battery, you can turn on Low Power Mode to help delay it from losing more battery. Then charge it as soon as you can.
One way to help kick the habit of letting your phone die before charging it is by building in routine charging sessions throughout your day. These sessions can be brief — they’re designed to keep your phone powered to around 80 percent — but they will ensure you have a consistently powered device.
