I’m a cellphone repair expert – here’s the big charging mistake everyone makes

Most of us have charged our phones incorrectly, according to a phone repair expert who specializes in refurbishing old handsets.

The way many of us charge our phones — including charging them overnight or plugged in while we work — can actually damage the battery, permanently reducing the amount of charge the device can hold

It’s also harmful to let phones go completely flat, warns Kewin Charron, Senior Lead Refurbishment Operations Manager at Back Market, speaking to DailyMail.com.

Are you charging your phone all wrong?

Charron said, “Leaving your phone plugged in or running out of juice will quickly deplete your battery life.

“Instead, you should aim to keep your charge level between 20 and 80 percent.”

That may sound tricky to achieve, Charron said, but many new handsets offer the option to optimize charging (so the phone doesn’t strain the battery).

This is easy on newer Apple handsets, Charron said.

He said, “For iPhones running iOS 13 and above, go to your iPhone Settings > Battery > Battery Health & Charging and select Optimized Battery Charging.

“This setting automatically reduces wear on your battery, extending its life.”

Apple says the feature slows iPhone charging to more than 80 percent, using machine learning to learn your daily routine so that optimized battery charging kicks in at the right time.

You must enable Optimized Charging if it is not already enabled

It’s a little trickier on Android, because the settings can vary by manufacturer, Charron said.

He said, “By going to your settings and then selecting Battery > Battery usage you can see the status of your battery.

“Then under Manage Battery Usage, tap Optimized to automatically extend your battery life.”

On Pixel phones, it can still be found under Battery, but it will look slightly different (like in the screenshot below).

Another issue that can hurt battery life over time is dirt in the charging port, Charron said.

Charron said, “Crumbs and dust are the enemies of your mobile devices and your battery life. Dust builds up in your phone’s charging ports, causing the device to overheat or stop charging. Safely cleaning your phone can help keep your battery from overheating, which can cause long-term damage.”

Charron recommends using a toothpick and a damp cloth to clean your charging port to remove any debris that could damage your phone.

Charron said, “The first thing you should do before cleaning your phone is turn off your device. Then shine a light on your device to see how much dust you’re dealing with.

“Use a soft, slightly damp, lint-free cloth to wipe around the charging port. To remove the dirt in the port, use a toothpick and wiggle it back and forth. Be careful as this area is very susceptible to damage.

“If dirt comes out, wipe it off with your rag and go back in with a clean toothpick.”

Charron also warns that leaving your phone in direct sunlight can permanently damage the battery.

If you get warnings that your phone is overheating, it could mean long-term damage to the battery, he warns.

Charron said, “It’s best to keep your phone away from extreme temperatures. Below 0°C is too cold, while anything above 35°C is too hot, and both can hurt battery life. So it is very important to keep your phone out of direct sunlight for long periods of time and limit its use in hot cars or trains.

“If your device’s internal temperature exceeds the normal range, you’ll likely notice the screen dim, go completely black, or the camera’s flash turns off. You can also get a notification saying ‘Charging on hold’ or get a temperature alert.’

If you see such a warning, it’s best to charge your phone in a cool place and not charge it wirelessly, Charron said.

He said, “When charging your phone, find a cool, moisture-free environment with a temperature below 32°C. Wired charging is also better and preferable to wireless charging to avoid overheating.”

If you’re somewhere warm, there are a few steps you can take to keep your handset from getting too hot, Charron said.

Charron said, “If your phone isn’t charging, you can prevent overheating by lowering your brightness. If your phone’s battery is low and searching for a signal, it can cause the device to overheat. So if you’re somewhere with a weak signal, turn on airplane mode and turn it off when you’re in an area with better connectivity!’