Is Leaving Your Phone On A Charger ‘Smart’?

This Simple Rule Can Extend The Life Of Your Phone’s Battery!

If you’re wondering whether there’s a right and wrong way to charge your phone – too long, too often, or too fast – you’re not alone.  I’ve heard several myths, and multiple mistaken impressions about charging those necessary evil devices!  Most of us are spending a lot more time at home the last 6 or 7 months. So should we just leave our phones on the charger unless we’re leaving?  Some ideas about this *were* true, but they’re no longer applicable.  So let’s set the record straight.  The following info is true today…for the latest devices.

Basically, if you’re the type of user who replaces your iPhone or Android every 2 years,then the small steps you can take to prolong the “health” of your phone’s battery simply aren’t worth the effort.  Just keep rockin’, keep charging, and upgrade every 2 years (plus or minus, depending on your provider’s contract specs).

But – my Pop, for example, is 80.  He’s from a generation of consumers that took their toaster to a repair shop to be fixed!  You and I (the Gen X  folks) have gotten into the habit of just junking a malfunctioning gadget and buying a new one.  For us, trying to keep a battery working beyond the 2 year window just isn’t practical.

However, if you REALLY want to keep your phone healthy and operating until the nurse peels it from your hands, then there ARE a few things you can do.

First, charging your phone’s battery degrades its performance over time.  Smart phones are powered by lithium-ion batteries, and they work better when you charge them from halfway depleted to completely drained.  What you want to avoid is putting a phone on the charger when it’s, say, 90% full…just to top it off.

Another thing that will help prolong your battery’s life is to keep it in a relatively cool place.  That can be a challenge considering where we live!  But heat is deadly for those lithium-ion batteries, so do your best to keep your phone out of extreme heat situations.

Again, your battery health is really not much of a factor if you’re going to replace the phone in 24 months.  But if you’re wanting to keep it running longer than that, you might want to consider those tips.

Stay healthy!
-Johnny