William in Science

I’m a phone expert – here’s why you should NEVER charge your device overnight

There’s nothing worse than buying a new smartphone, only to find its battery life dramatically reduced after a year or two.

But how can you prevent this from happening? There are a lot of tips and tricks out there but one of them might be a bit surprising – because it goes against what many of us do.

That’s right, one expert says if you want to extend your battery life, you should never charge your phone overnight.

“Most new generation smartphones will take between 30 minutes and two hours to fully charge,” said Ritesh Chugh, associate professor of ICT at CQUniversity Australia.

“(Therefore), cCharging your phone overnight is not only unnecessary, it also speeds up battery life.

Are you charging your phone wrongly? There are a lot of tips and tricks on how to stop battery degradation. However, one of them may be a bit surprising because it goes against what many of us do. That’s right, one expert says if you want to extend your battery life, you should never charge your phone overnight (stock image)

This happens because the lithium-ion batteries that power modern smartphones chemically degrade as a result of things like charging patterns, temperature fluctuations, and the amount of device use.

If you charge overnight, this means your battery gets a boost four times as long as it needs because it was left plugged in for six to eight hours.

First off, this isn’t great from a safety standpoint, although the good news is that most devices automatically stop charging when their battery reaches 100% to prevent overheating.

However, the problem is that since the apps are running in the background all night, the device inevitably keeps dropping to 99%.

Each time this happens, the phone starts boosting its battery again in a method known as “sequential charging.”

“Intermittent charging can wear down the battery over time,” Mr. Chu explained in an article. Conversation.

“That’s why many manufacturers have features to regulate it.”

Apple’s iPhones offer a function to delay charging by more than 80 percent. Samsung Galaxy phones offer the option to limit the charging percentage to 85 percent.

Another thing that’s particularly damaging to the life of lithium-ion batteries is when you let your phone completely run out of power.

Instead, you should aim to keep your charge level between 20-80 percent, according to a phone repair expert who specializes in refurbishing old phones.

What’s causing the problem: Since the apps are running in the background all night, the device inevitably keeps dropping to 99 percent. Each time this happens, the phone starts boosting its battery again in a way known as “rolling charging” (stock image)

To mitigate “intermittent charging,” Apple’s iPhones offer a function to delay charging by more than 80 percent (left). Samsung Galaxy phones offer the option to limit the charging percentage to 85%. On Pixel phones, the option can be found under Battery but it looks a little different (on the right)

This may seem like a hassle to achieve, but many new phones offer the option to optimize charging so as not to put unnecessary strain on the battery.

“For iPhones running iOS 13 and later, go to iPhone Settings > Battery > Battery Health & Charging, and select Optimized Battery Charging,” said Kewin Charron, senior director of refurbishing operations at Back Market.

“This setting will automatically reduce battery wear, improving its lifespan.”

Apple says the feature delays iPhone charging by more than 80%, using machine learning to learn your daily routine so that optimized battery charging is activated at the right time.

With Android, settings can vary between different manufacturers.

But, as Sharon explains, “By going to Settings, then selecting Battery > Battery Usage, you can see your battery health.”

“Then, under Manage battery usage, tap Optimized to automatically help extend battery life.”

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

“Crits and dust are the enemies of your mobile devices and battery life,” he added.

Dust builds up in your phone’s charging ports, causing the device to overheat or stop charging.

“Cleaning your phone safely can ensure the battery doesn’t overheat, which can cause long-term damage.”

Charron recommends using a toothpick and a damp cloth to clean your charging port to get rid of debris that could damage your phone.

“The first thing you should do before cleaning your phone is to turn it off. 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 area. To remove debris inside the port, use a toothpick, moving it from side to side, making sure you are gentle as this area is very vulnerable to damage.

“When the debris comes out, wipe it away with your cloth and insert it again with a clean toothpick.”

Why you should never charge your iPhone under your pillow?

Apple recently issued a stark warning to smartphone addicts who sleep with their devices while plugged into their charger.

In its online user guide, the tech giant says its iPhones should only be charged in a “well-ventilated area” – that is, on a flat table top and not on a thick duvet.

iPhones heat up while charging, so if that heat doesn’t have room to escape, it can potentially cause burns or even start fires.

That’s why keeping a charging phone under your pillow is one of the worst things smartphone users can do.