Smartphone Batteries 2022: Ways That Will Ruin Your Batteries Fast

Sophie Webster, Tech Times 19 May 2022, 10:05 pm

There is a lot of information out there about how to treat your smartphone batteries. You can check for the best practices, but there are some clearly bad things that can ruin the batteries fast.

It can't be helped that smartphone batteries get worse over time. There are systems in place to slow down the process as much as possible, but some things speed up that process and can even skip right to the end.

Using Damaged or Cheap Chargers

One of the worst and most dangerous things that you can do is to use cheap cables or incompatible ones with your smartphone. If you have ever heard a story about a smartphone catching fire, it is usually the fault of the cable.

It is best to stick with charging accessories from the manufacturer of your smartphone or any other trusted brands. Do not purchase super low-cost accessories that do not have a lot of customer reviews.

iPhone users can look for the "Made for iPhone" stickers to make sure that the accessories are safe. All of this applies to wireless chargers too, as reported by HowtoGeek.

Also Read: Extending Smartphone Battery, Possible?

Running the Battery to Zero

Charging cycles are what affect the lifespan of a battery the most. The constant cycle of charging and discharging slowly degrades the battery's life, according to PCMag.

What makes the situation worse is when the smartphone is frequently starting the cycle from 0%.

It is best to keep your smartphone charged between 20% to 80% as much as possible. Some smartphones have features to help you do this, but they can only do so much.

Shorter charge cycles are a lot better for smartphone batteries, so try not to let it get below 20%.

Keep the Smartphone Plugged In

Keeping your smartphone plugged in at 100% all the time is just as bad as letting your smartphone get to 0%. Charging your smartphone overnight is not bad, but you should not charge it more than you need to.

When the battery reaches 100% charge, it stops charging to protect itself. But as soon as it drops back to 99%, it will charge back up to 100%. This cycle repeats itself, and it is not good for your phone's battery.

The good news is the iPhone and Android phones now have Optimized charging features that reduce these charging cycles overnight.

They keep the battery at 80% most of the night and finish the last 20% around the usual wake-up time.

Subjecting the Battery to Extreme Heat

Batteries can't handle excessive heat as they shorten their lifespan. That is another reason why it is not great to keep your phone plugged in all of the time, according to TechRepublic.

Heat can come from other sources too, like playing games on your phone, leaving your phone in a hot car or counter, or letting it bake in the sun while you're outdoors. All of these things can overheat your smartphone and damage its battery.

The good news is you do not have to worry about ruining your smartphone's battery. Just stick with name-brand charging accessories, do not overly exhaust it, and keep the device at a comfortable temperature.