6 tips to extend your smartphone's battery life

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Why the device should not be discharged to zero and kept on charge all night.

Most smartphones are now equipped with lithium-ion and lithium-polymer batteries, the main problem of which is degradation and aging. And no matter how you use the gadget, its battery will lose capacity over time. It is impossible to stop this process, but to slow it down is quite possible.

1. Observe incomplete recharge cycles

Battery life is highly dependent on the number of recharge cycles. Cycle means battery charge up to 100% and full discharge up to 0%. On average, the batteries of modern smartphones are designed for 400-500 such cycles, after which the loss of capacity becomes already noticeable.

However, if you do not set the battery to zero, then the number of cycles will be much higher. The so-called depth of discharge is of decisive importance here. It is measured as a percentage and is equal to the level of charge that is spent. That is, if the smartphone shows 30% of the battery, then the depth of discharge is 70%.

It is the reduction in the depth of discharge that allows the number of cycles to be increased. Likewise, with charging up to full 100%, which also gradually takes away the battery life. Therefore, maintaining the charge at a level of 40–80% is considered optimal for lithium batteries.

2. Do not charge your smartphone overnight

It is highly discouraged to leave your smartphone on charge overnight. And it's not just the unwanted 100% charge. You can easily set the permissible maximum of 80% through special applications, but this will still negatively affect the state of the battery.

If even a particle of charge is lost, the smartphone connected to the network will immediately try to replenish it. This process will be repeated throughout the night, keeping the battery at bay.

If circumstances still forced you to connect to an outlet at night, in no case leave the gadget under your pillow. Lack of air flow can lead to excessive heating, which not only accelerates battery degradation, but can also lead to a fire hazard.

3. Do not overheat the device

As already mentioned, excessive heating does not bode well for the battery. At high temperatures, the loss of battery capacity is noticeably accelerated. This is especially true in the summer heat, when the smartphone can become hot under the influence of sunlight.

Exposure to heat sources during charging is also detrimental. For a battery, this is the most stressful situation, because under the influence of external factors, the maximum allowable temperature for its use can be exceeded. The consequences are unpredictable, up to and including fire.

4. Do not use your smartphone at low temperatures

Similarly, it is not recommended to use a smartphone in subzero temperatures. This leads to a decrease in the supply of energy supplied and, accordingly, to the premature depletion of the battery resource. It is not for nothing that manufacturers of modern gadgets warn against their use in negative conditions on the street.

5. Use the original charger

Using a charger from other gadgets can also significantly harm the battery, especially when it comes to some kind of cheap charging adapter. These accessories often contain extremely poor quality components that may not provide the required amperage or may not be able to protect against voltage surges.

With the development of accelerated charging technologies, the problem of using non-original chargers is becoming more and more urgent. Different smartphones use different charging modes, which may require not only the original adapter, but also the original cable.

6. Observe the rules for storing batteries

Lithium-based batteries age and lose capacity even when not in use, so there is no point in buying spare batteries for the future. This also applies to gadgets that simply lie idle. In order for their batteries to degrade as little as possible, special storage conditions must be observed.

In particular, unused gadgets and individual batteries should be charged by half or even slightly less. Optimally - at the level of 40-50%. So for a year of inactivity, the capacity will be reduced by only a few percent. But if the battery was left with 100% charge, the losses can increase three to four times, especially at high temperatures.

Smartphone user checklist

• If possible, put the gadget on charge at 40% and unplug at 80%.
• Try not to leave your phone on charging all night, get in the habit of plugging it in in the morning.
• Do not use your smartphone in cold weather and avoid external heating of the case.
• Use the chargers that come with smartphones, especially with flagships.
• Periodically charge unused gadgets to 40-50%.