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When it comes to keeping your iPhone in good shape, there are a number of things you should be doing (like only using Apple-approved cables for charging), but there are also plenty of “no’s” to keep in mind, as well. If you’re confused about iPhone maintenance and want to make sure you aren’t committing common tech device sins, we spoke with Apple experts who let us is on the one thing you should never do to your iPhone. Avoiding this habit may just keep you from having to visit an Apple store any time soon.
Charging your phone may seem like a simple enough task. But there is a right and a wrong way to go about it. The one mistake that you should never make with your phone is waiting too long between charging sessions.
“Regularly letting your phone die completely is not a good idea since keeping your phone between 20 to 80 percent charged throughout the day can potentially prolong your battery life,” says Imani Francies, a digital expert who writes for the insurance comparison site, TheTruthAboutInsurance.com.
Even though you can get insurance for your iPhone, it’s important not to use that as a fall-back plan for not properly caring for and charging your device. “All plans may not offer phone replacement if your battery becomes weak and starts dying faster than it once was,” Francies says.
Although this is still a sometimes controversial tip, Francies says the most convenient time to charge your phone is overnight while sleeping. “You can let it charge to 100 percent at the top of the day because fully charging your battery is not a bad thing,” Francies says. “You should just keep it between 20 to 80 percent charged for the remaining day.”
And while you are developing better charging habits, tech experts like Christian Boyce remind us that cleaning your device the wrong way is another major mistake.
“Never spray anything onto your iPhone in an attempt to clean it,” Boyce says. “Moisture that gets into the iPhone will cause damage, and void your warranty. Also, iPhone screens have a special coating on them designed to repel fingerprints (it’s “oleophobic”), and products like Windex will degrade that coating. Once it’s gone, it’s gone.”
To clean the screen, Boyce recommends using a pre-moistened wipe, or just a clean soft cloth.
“Strong cleaners aren’t necessary and will likely cause permanent damage,” Boyce says. “Treat the iPhone screen like you’d treat an expensive pair of sunglasses.”
