Keeping your phone’s battery healthy is about more than just getting through the day. This is particularly true for smartphones, which have a lot of processing power and can be used for a variety of demanding tasks. Your battery health also affects how much your phone can do at any given time.
Here’s how to keep your phone battery in good health.
Keep the battery between 30% and 80%
If possible, try to keep your phone’s battery level somewhere between 30% and 80%. The closer it gets to 100%, the more strain there is on the battery, which could potentially affect its lifespan. On the other hand, letting it dip too low will run the risk that it’ll die before you get a chance to recharge it.
Keep it cool
Lithium ion batteries don’t like heat, which can cause them to permanently lose capacity. When possible, keep your phone out of direct sunlight and away from hot surfaces. A cool environment is ideal, but not too cold. It’s probably a good idea not to leave your phone in a parked car during the winter.
Don’t use fast charging
Fast charging is convenient. The bad news is that you shouldn’t use fast charging, because it will degrade your battery more quickly. But the good news is that the technology has a few safeguards in place to minimize that degradation.
For example: Many Android phones will default to regular charging speeds once they hit 80% capacity. So, not only are you not harming your battery as much as you would with 100% fast charging, but you’re also getting a faster charge when it matters most — when your phone is at a dangerously low level of battery life.
Avoid charging overnight
Avoid charging or leaving your device plugged in when it’s already fully charged. In fact, experts recommend taking your phone off the charger before it hits 100%. Overcharging can shorten the overall life of your phone’s lithium-ion battery and lead to other issues, like swelling or excessive heat.
Avoid using your phone while charging
This can be a hard habit to break, especially when you’re waiting for an important call or text. But for a phone to charge correctly, it needs to be able to draw energy from the battery and give energy back. So if you’re watching cat videos while your phone is plugged in, it’s working double time and generating heat. That heat will eventually damage the battery.
Besides being bad for your phone’s battery, this practice is also dangerous. Some phones have exploded because of overheating, which is why it’s important to keep your phone away from flammable materials while charging.
Don’t let the screen on for too long
The screen is the biggest power drain in any smartphone, so if you want to extend your battery life, lock your phone when you’re not using it and avoid using apps that keep the screen on for long periods of time (like navigation apps) longer than you need them.
Gaming is another huge power drain on smartphones, so avoid playing graphics-intensive games like “Fortnite” or “PUBG Mobile” for more than a few hours a day — especially if those games are keeping your screen at full brightness.
Don’t buy a cheap knock-off charger
Those chargers may damage your battery, depending on the quality of the product. They might also be poorly made and cause a fire hazard. Instead, buy a charger made by the manufacturer of your phone brand.
Turn off Bluetooth and GPS when you’re not using them
If you’re out of Bluetooth range of other devices or if you just aren’t actively using GPS — driving directions or playing Pokemon Go — turn them off. They drain batteries constantly by pinging for nearby signals.