Does Overcharging Affect The Battery Performance And Life Of A Cell Phone?

Cell phones have become the most inseparable part of our daily lives and it is vital that they have a battery that lasts long enough. After the size of the screen and cameras, most people look for the battery life and performance while buying a cell phone. 

There are a lot of questions about the life and performance of our cell phone batteries, such as:

• How can you get the longest cell phone battery life? 
• When is the right time to charge your phone? 
• Should you charge it partially or up to 100%? 
• Is it alright to leave your cell phone plugged in overnight? 

When it comes to the battery performance of our cell phones and our charging practices, it turns out that everyone has their own theories and opinion. In fact, this debate about the effects of overcharging your cell phone never ends. 

We have narrowed down some of the dos and don’ts about charging your cell phone that can improve your battery performance in the long run.

Overcharging Your Cell Phone – Myths And Truths:

The most significant concern about the battery performance of the cell phone is overcharging. Your phone died late at night and you wonder if it’s safe to leave it plugged in overnight. There are many myths and truths related to this issue. 

Some people consider it fatal to the battery life and say that it affects your cellphone the same way that over-eating does to your body. While others think that smartphones are smart enough to manage and stop overcharging on their own when they get fully charged. 

There are also people who say that overcharging can even cause your cell phone battery to explode. But this is highly unlikely to happen unless your cell phone has some serious manufacturing defect.

Overnight And Prolonged Charging: 

All experts and smartphone companies agree that most modern smartphones have systems in place to protect your phone’s battery from overcharging. They have such a circuit mechanism that cuts off the connection of the main supply with the battery once it reaches 100% and before it can overcharge. 

So far, so good, isn’t it? But that’s not the end of the story. 

As we’ve explained before, that once the internal Lithium-Ion battery hits 100% of its capacity, charging stops. But then it gets back to the power supply when it reaches 99%. This process of frequent and continuous charging and discharging and hopping between 99% and 100% causes your smartphone to heat- up. 

So, if you leave the cell phone plugged in overnight, this constant cycle creates a problem for your cell phone and is eating into its lifespan. 

All the leading cell phone companies such as Apple, Samsung, and Huawei also discourage leaving your phone connected to the charger for long periods or overnight.

How To Keep Your Cell Phone Battery In Good Health?

Overcharging is not the only concern related to battery life and performance. There are many other factors, including extreme temperature fluctuations and your charging habits. 

Here’s how to charge your cell phone the right way and extend the lifespan of your cell phone battery.

• Keep Your Cell Phone Charged – But Not Fully Charged

Cell phone batteries don’t like being at 100% for too long. Experts think that keeping your cell phone fully charged all the time can affect battery health. They suggest that your battery level should stay somewhere between 30% to 90% in order to prolong the battery life. 

If you wake up in the night and your phone is charging, unplug it or plug it into a smart plug that’s on a schedule to turn off.

• Don’t Let Your Battery Drain To Zero

Discharging your cell phone’s battery down to zero can shorten the battery’s life over time. To avoid a complete discharge, modern smartphones include some safety features that power down a phone when it reaches somewhere around 15% battery life.

You should always plug in your phone when its battery level gets down around 30%, well above the stressfully low battery levels.

• Manage Battery Charging With Your Phone’s Built-in Features

The golden rule is to always go for partial charging. You can make it possible by using your cell phone’s built-in battery management features. No matter what kind of phone you are using, you can always find some battery-life features. 

You can search in the “Battery” section in your “Settings” and see what options are available. In case your phone does not come with overcharging protection features, then you can try installing some apps that do the job.

• Don’t Charge A Phone When It’s Too Cold Or Hot

Lithium-ion batteries hate extreme temperatures. Heat is a true enemy to your cell phone battery. Charging your cell phone in high ambient temperatures like in window sills, on the dashboard of your car, or putting it under the pillow, overheats your device. 

It thus hampers the strength of the battery which can make it less efficient over time. To prevent overheating, it’s best to remove any case on your phone when charging overnight. 

You should also leave the phone on a flat, hard surface so the heat can dissipate easily. Performing heavy tasks (such as gaming, or editing) while charging must also be avoided as it heats up your cell phone and eats into the battery’s lifespan.

• Stick With Official Chargers

Never use low-quality, unofficial or unsupported chargers. Official chargers from the big cell phone companies have been tested to perfection to ensure an optimum and steady charge. 

There are some chargers that you can use for a lot of phones. Once you start using such third-party chargers, you may end up damaging your battery without realizing it. It is advisable to always stick with the official chargers manufactured by your cell phone company.

The Bottom Line

Cell phone batteries chemically age and hold less charge over time. We can make the most out of them by following the simple charging habits mentioned above, thereby prolonging the phone’s battery life.

Looking For Professional Help?

Harwin cell phone repair is here to resolve all your electronic device repair-related issues in no time and with high accuracy. We have the right expertise and up-to-the-minute tools required to repair your devices. Give us a call right away!