Since the pandemic has caused the majority of people to spend their days at home, plenty of us have been spending hours upon hours on our smartphones. Some of us might have realized that our batteries have been falling faster than usual. Now, of course, the increased usage will cause a quicker drop is battery percentage, but it could be other reasons too, such as a degrading battery. So, to make sure our smartphone batteries last long enough so we don't have to choose between charging and listening to music, here are a few tips about smartphone battery charging:
1. Don't Drain Your Battery
There is a myth that you should fully discharge and recharge your battery, especially on a new phone, so that you can refresh the battery's "memory" but it is just that - a myth. It used to be true a few decades ago when phones still used lead-acid cells, but smartphones these days use lithium-ion batteries and going all the way to 0% then straight to 100% will cause it a lot of stress.
2. Don't Max The Charge
We've said you shouldn't let your battery go all the way down, but the same goes for the other way round. Lithium-ion batteries don't like being pumped fully. That's because at more than 80%, a higher voltage is required for charging. Not only does this stress out the battery, it might also cause more heat. The optimum battery % to keep your phone at? 60% - 80% according to experts.
3. You're Hot & You're Cold
Speaking of, extreme temperatures are extremely unfriendly to electronic devices, especially your phone and its battery. In a country like Malaysia, it's not hard for your phone to get into direct sunlight. So, try not to leave your phone in the car by accident and if you're using one of those phone holders so you can use your phone's GPS, just make sure your phone isn't sunbathing all the time. And, if you're travelling to a cold country, try keeping it in your pockets as much as possible.
4. Top-up, Top-up, Top-up
Since we already know not to let your battery drain to low levels, the best way to prevent it is to charge your phone whenever you can. Contrary to popular belief, plugging the charging cable in and out of your phone for 5 minutes multiple times a day DOES NOT ruin your battery, it might even save it. So, instead of charging your phone overnight, you can charge it in short periods throughout the day, such as when in the shower, when having dinner with your family, or while you're watching the TV.
So, there you have it. 4 simple steps to keep your phone's battery healthy for longer. Remember to share this with your friends who have bad charging habits, and especially to those who just bought a new phone!
If you have an iPhone and wanna know how to make your battery charge last the entire day, you might want to check this out!
