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If you’re like most iPhone users, you rarely consider how you charge your phone or whether you’re doing it right. The fact that you are charging your device is enough — and what more is there to think about other than plugging it in and letting it power up? But tech experts say there are right and wrong ways to charge your phone and the wrong ways can result in diminishing battery quality and a device that doesn’t run for as long (or as well) over time. Somdip Dey, Embedded Artificial Intelligence Scientist and CEO of Nosh Technologies, spoke with SHEFinds.com about the one thing you should never do when charging your iPhone.
Many of us are in the habit of charging our phones overnight, which usually lasts around 7 to 8 hours on an average every night, Dey explains. And this is part of biggest problem tech experts notice when it comes to common charging mistakes. “Although the iPhone is smart enough to automatically stop charging after the battery percentage reaches 100, however, what most people are not aware of is the concept of ‘trickle charge,’” Dey says. “There are several applications and processes that run in the background which consumes energy even when the iPhone is on sleep or on standby.”
As it turns out, allowing your phone to charge slowly and constantly without unplugging it can harm your device.
“Regardless of being plugged in the background apps and processes use energy to reduce the battery percentage to 99 and then the iPhone starts charging again till it reaches 100, and this cyclic process continues throughout the night,” Dey says. “This is trickle charging the device and hence deteriorating the charge capacity over time. Therefore, it is better to charge until the battery percentage is almost full and unplug the power cable right after. Moreover, the optimal charge capacity is between 20% to 90% (not 100%). Therefore, this could help to prolong the battery longevity in the long-term usage over the next few years of the smartphone.”
One tip to keep in mind is the 40-80 rule: avoid charging your phone beyond 80 percent and give it a charging boost when it threatens to dip below 40 percent. Always make sure you’re powering up your phone when it’s at room temperature because extreme temps can affect your phone and, to keep your phone in that sweet spot, opt for briefer charges throughout the day rather than one long charge at night.
