Charging your phone to 100 per cent? You might be killing your battery | Technology News
Most modern smartphones come with non-removeable batteries. And with Samsung and Google now offering more than half a decade of software updates, many are wondering if their phone’s battery will hold up in years to come.
If you are looking for ways to extend your battery health, new Android smartphones and iPhones now have an option that restricts charging to 80 per cent. While it might seem counterintuitive, limiting the charge can actually extend battery lifespan and improve long-term performance.
Does limiting smartphone battery charge to 80 per cent really help?
At first, this 80 per cent number may seem arbitrary, but there is some science behind it. The main reasons why smartphone batteries lose their full capacity are heat and voltage.
While the former can be easily controlled by keeping your phone cool by placing it on the table and using fast charging only when needed, but voltage wear is something that cannot be fully controlled since it happens when charging the battery.
Traditionally, battery voltages are usually high when charging for the first 60 per cent, and they eventually slow down when reaching to full. This isn’t worrisome if it happens a few times, but if you often charge your phone to full, the extra wear might add it and deplete the battery health faster. This is where the concept of limiting battery charge to 80 per cent comes in handy since the battery isn’t at the peak voltage when limiting battery charge.
Most modern Android phones also have an option that intelligently starts and stops charging. (Express Photo)
Should I limit my battery charge to 80 per cent?
Like all batteries, your phone’s battery will degrade over time no matter how much you take care of it, so this is just a band aid solution that will slow down the battery wear.
This means that depending on your usage, limiting battery to 80 per cent charge might or might not be helpful in the long term. If you are someone who has access to a charger when working, limiting your battery to 80 per cent charge can be a good idea since it will only take a few minutes for it to charge fully.
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Limiting battery charge is also useful for users who heavily use their device. For example, if you use a tablet to work on all day, try capping the charging level to 80 per cent whenever possible. While this may not yield any real benefits in the short term, if you plan to use your device for years to come, keeping care of your battery health can be useful.
However, if you are someone who is always on the go and don’t have access to a power bank or a charger on the go, you may need that 20 per cent charge. This also holds true for mobile gamers and people who have bizarre charging habits.
Thankfully, most smartphone manufacturers these days offer battery replacements at a fraction of the price of the phone, and in case the company isn’t selling you a spare battery, you can always buy a spare battery from your friendly neighbourhood stores.
How to limit battery charging to 80 per cent?
Most modern Android and iPhones have a built-in option to limit battery charging to 80 per cent. On Samsung devices, this option can be found under ‘Battery Protection’, while on OnePlus devices it is named ‘Battery Health.’
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If you have an iPhone, the Optimised Battery Charging is on by default, but you can always set a custom limit by heading over to Settings>Battery>Charging and choose from a pre-set charge limit.
