You've been charging your smartphone wrong
Do you practice safe tech?
Charging to 100%, or overnight? Fully discharging before plugging in? These are common practices that even I am guilty of and can shorten the life of your battery, according to Cadex, a company that offers devices that test smartphone batteries.
So let’s just admit it… Chances are you've been charging your smartphone wrong!
Well it turns out that if you want to delay having to replace your battery or buy a new phone, there are specific percentage levels you should keep your phone's battery.
Here's how to — and how not to — charge your phone.
DON'T
Don't charge your phone overnight.
There's a lot of debate about the effects of charging your smartphone overnight and it's not good.
Charging to 100% causes the most damage to a phone battery's lifespan, you should probably cut it out.
Don't fully discharge your phone before plugging it in.
The so-called deep discharges — aka when you use your phone until only a small portion of its battery life is left — wears down batteries. ( I can hear you saying NOOO!! under your breath).
Never fully charge your battery — and particularly not from a low charge level.
Charging your phone's battery to 100% from a low 25% — or pretty much any amount — can reduce its capacity and shorten its lifespan.
Lithium-ion batteries do not need to be fully charged, according to Battery University.
"In fact, it is better not to fully charge," it says, "because a high voltage stresses the battery" and wears it out in the long run.
DO
Keep your battery's charge level between 65% and 75%.
Ok this is a little crazy and impractical border line heart attack..
According to Battery University, the lithium-ion battery in your smartphone will last longest if you keep it 65% to 75% charged at all times.
If you can't do that, try to keep its charge level between 45% and 75%.
The second-best charge range for batteries inside smartphones is 45% to 75% — probably a lot more realistic for most people on a day-to-day basis than 65% to 75%.
Maybe develop a daily routine to plug in your phone at particular times to keep its charge within those levels? I agree, a lot of work!
The best way to charge your phone is a little at a time, whenever you have a chance.
Just plug it in whenever you can, even if it's for a few minutes, and you'll be fine.
"Partial charges cause no harm," according to Battery University.
Info: Business Insider and Cadex
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