7 ‘Harmful’ Charging Mistakes That Are Actually Taking A Toll On Your iPhone, Apple Experts Warn

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.