Charging your phone may seem like a simple, automatic part of your daily routine, but there’s more going on than you might think. After all, one of the few downsides to our modern, connected existence is that we’re almost always monitoring our phones’ battery life to make sure they don’t run out of juice, and charging habits play a huge role in this.
But there are some common mistakes you could be making that could prove costly, meaning you’ll have to repair or replace your phone much sooner.
Charging the phone for too long
Modern phones almost exclusively use rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, and while these batteries have proven to be very size-efficient and adaptable, they still have some limitations. In particular, they are not well suited to being fully discharged or left charging when already full. Either of these two situations can slowly but surely deplete the total charging capacity of a battery cell.
So try not to leave your phone charging for hours on end, and instead unplug it when the battery is at 100%. Many phones now include systems to stop charging once they’re full, but this isn’t as foolproof as unplugging it yourself.
Charge your phone in a warm place
This issue has more to do with safety than the health of your phone’s battery. When charging many phones, you’ll now notice a noticeable heat as the battery fills up. You’ve probably felt this before.
This means that it’s not advisable, for example, to leave your phone under your pillow while it charges overnight, or even anywhere on your bed: blankets and sheets can cause your phone to get hotter and hotter over time. This can even lead to overheating and a fire risk, which is why companies like Apple and Google recommend charging your phone on a clean surface, such as a bedside table.
Buy cheap replacement cables and plugs
Find us someone who still has their original charging cable and plug years after buying their phone (if it came with both) and we’ll be amazed. They’re easy to lose and cheap to replace, but be careful not to spend too much on these items.
The worst cables and plugs out there aren’t particularly well-made or rated for efficient power delivery, so if you use a cable that only costs you £1 on Amazon, don’t be surprised if your phone charges more slowly or the cable gets really hot while you’re using it. It’s much better to stick with more reputable brands (like the phone’s original manufacturer or something like Anker), even if it costs a little more.
Buy apps to save battery
It can be tempting to check out apps that can help limit battery drain, but it’s not worth the risk. On iPhones, for one, they’re unlikely to have access to important settings and are more likely to just take your money and run. On Android, an app may have more access to the inner workings of your phone, but we’d caution against giving that kind of power to an app you can’t necessarily trust.
Charging and transmitting at the same time
We’ve talked a lot about phones overheating, and rightly so: it’s one of the biggest risks when charging your phone.
Avoid taxing your mobile device while it’s charging by doing something power-intensive, whether that’s streaming an HD video or playing a graphics-intensive video game.
The stress this will put on the battery (in the form of heat) is not good for its long-term lifespan. And while it won’t ruin your phone overnight, it’s worth a try to let it sit while it charges.
