There is a lot of confusion over whether or not it’s safe to charge your phone overnight — and even tech experts seem conflicted about it. According to Imani Francies, a digital expert with the insurance comparison site USInsuranceAgents.com, there is no 'best time' to charge your iPhone, but the most convenient time would be to charge it overnight while sleeping. “Charging your phone overnight is simply more convenient,” Francies says. “While you are sleeping, your phone will charge to 100%. Doing so will not make your battery bad because you cannot overcharge your iPhone.”
You also do not have to wait until your phone is completely drained to charge it, Francies says. “Letting your phone die completely on a regular basis is not a good idea since keeping your phone between 20 to 80 percent charged throughout the day can potentially prolong your battery life, making it easier to include when you are insuring your gadgets.”
Instead of focusing on the time of day that you charge your phone, Francies says it’s more important to pay attention to how you’re charging your phone.
“The only thing that can potentially prolong your battery life is by not completely charging and not completely discharging it regularly,” Francies says. “Charging it to 100% at the top of the day is fine but leaving it between 20 and 80 percent throughout the rest of the day could potentially extend the battery's life.”
So, yes, you can charge your phone at any time of day. But another non-negotiable is using the right kind of charger that won’t damage your battery. If you have an iPhone, it’s really important to not rely on cheap third-party chargers, says Cybersecurity Analyst Eric Florence at SecurityTech.
“I have heard of so many cases of users buying a third party charger for their iPhone and it actually hurting their battery, or worse, actually frying it,” says Florence. “The best thing you can do for your iPhone is use the official charger that comes in the box with your phone. Your iPhone is an expensive piece of hardware that should be taken care of at all costs, so putting it at risk with a cheap charger from who knows where is the last thing you want to do. Follow this advice and use the charger that comes in the original box.”