How Long Should You Charge Your iPhone? We Asked Battery Experts

Years ago charging your phone seemed so much simpler. You would attach your device to any old charger, leave it there for as long as you’d like (or until you remembered it was charging), and the result would be a fully-charged phone that could carry you through the day. But the more we’ve learned about the iPhone’s lithium-ion battery, the more charging tips we’ve acquired that can help prolong your expensive device and ensure that you aren’t actually damaging the battery during charging sessions. The big question remains: how long should you actually charge your iPhone? We asked battery and tech experts to clear this one up.

Charge Your Phone Until It’s Fully Charged — Then Remove It

Depending on your phone model and how old it is, the time it will take to fully charge it will vary — but one thing remains clear: tech experts say you should always remove your device from the charger once it’s fully charged, if not before.

“Avoiding overcharging is, in my opinion, one of the most crucial things you can do to increase battery life,” says Tech Expert Martin Lassen, Founder & CEO of GrammarHow. “After the battery is fully charged, unplug chargers and rechargeable battery-powered gadgets. When a battery or item is placed into a charger after it has reached full charge, overcharging takes place. This can shorten the lifespan of the battery. According to Battery University, lithium- and nickel-based batteries should be kept at a 40 percent state-of-charge when being stored. This level keeps the battery in good functioning condition, reduces age-related capacity loss, and permits self-discharge.”

Use Apple-Certified Chargers And Cables

The products you use to charge your phone are just as important as your charging habits, according to Tech Expert Harry Gallagher, CTO of Life Part 2.

“First, make sure you’re using the original Apple charger and cable that came with your phone,” Gallagher says. “Using a third-party charger can result in a slower charge. Second, try not to use your phone while it’s charging. The more you use your phone, the less charge it will get. Finally, if you have an iPhone 6 or newer, you can use the fast-charging feature by using a USB-C to Lightning cable and a USB-C power adapter.”

What can happen if you overcharge your iPhone?

If you overcharge your iPhone, it can cause permanent damage to the battery. This means that your phone may not hold a charge as long as it did before, and eventually, it may not be able to hold a charge at all.

Tips To Avoid Overcharging

You may have heard that overcharging your phone is the worst thing you can do, but today’s phones are built to protect against the past’s worst overcharging outcomes (like tales of the occasional exploding phone that live on).

Tech Expert Steve Anderson, CEO of Junkyard Near Me, outlines three tips to keep in mind: