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If there’s a way to make our expensive iPhones run just a little bit better (and for just a little bit longer), count us in — even if that means resorting to some unorthodox methods. And that’s where draining your phone all the way down to zero comes in. Why do it in the first place? (Should you really do it?) And, if so, just how often should you force your phone down to zero in an effort to make your phone run at optimum speed? Here’s how often you should actually be letting your iPhone battery die, according to tech experts.
Every 1 To 3 Months
So, here’s the deal when it comes to draining your battery down to zero: it isn’t recommended that you do it often (at all). But once every one to three months can have some benefits, says Tech Expert Eden Cheng, co-founder of PeopleFinderFree.
“It’s not a good idea to drain your iPhone battery down to zero too often, but doing it from time to time does actually be beneficial because it allows your battery to stretch its legs and run a full charge cycle,” Cheng says. “This in turn helps the controllers that monitor the battery to remember where your battery’s high and low points are, which in turn gives you a more accurate reading of your iPhone’s charge. In this respect, I would recommend letting it drain down to zero every 1-3 months. However, it is not necessary that you do this, only that doing so can help you keep your iPhone’s power gauges working properly for longer, ensuring that it displays the most up-to-date information possible.”
However, not all tech experts agree that allowing your phone to dip down to zero is needed at all.
“Ideally, you don't want to drain it completely down to zero as it can put unneeded stress on the battery,” says Tech Expert Carl Prouty of Abt Electronics. “It's best to run it down to 10 to 20 percent, then charge it up to between 80 and 90 percent. This helps prevent the chemicals within the battery from aging prematurely. And you don't have to run it down that low every day, but a few times a month is good to keep the battery fresh.”
According to Prouty, there can be downsides to letting your battery die, including that it can shorten the overall lifespan. “But letting it run all the way down every once in a while isn't going to have a noticeable negative impact,” Prouty says. “Lithium-ion batteries, like those used in almost every phone made now, are much more tolerable of charging inconsistencies than older, non-lithium based batteries. Most new phones have software built in to help manage the inflow of energy to the battery when the phone is charging. Batteries tend to have much longer lifespans now than they did even just 5 years ago.”
If you feel strongly about letting your battery die, doing it once every few months won’t kill your phone — but it shouldn’t become a regular habit.
