SIMPLE charging mistakes could be shortening the life of your smartphone battery.
So if you value your iPhone or Android, it’s important to charge it sensibly.
UnsplashDon’t make common charging mistakes that put unnecessary stress on your phone’s battery[/caption]
The more stress you put on your battery, the less overall capacity it will hold over time.
And that means you’ll find yourself having to plug in more often than you’d like.
Now phone experts at cybersecurity giant Kaspersky have revealed five common mistakes that you might be making,
“Modern smartphone batteries can have a long life if used properly,” Kaspersky explained.
“The main trick behind extending battery lifespan is to limit how much stress the battery endures.”
Common charging mistakes
Tip #1 – Don’t stress the battery with extremely high or low charge volumes
“Modern batteries have been tested to work best between 20-90 percent in daily use,” Kaspersky said.
The experts recommended unplugging your phone before 100% and charge before it drops to 20%.
If you have an iPhone, you can turn on Optimised Battery Charging that will perform a trick for you.
Tip #2 – Avoid heavy use during charging
Kaspersky warned that this is known as “parasitic load”.
“Using your phone in this way will cause dysfunctional charge cycles and ruin the lifespan,” Kaspersky said.
The experts particularly urged against playing games or watching movies while plugged in.
Tip #3 – Don’t overheat the battery
Heat is very bad for batteries, especially if it’s extreme or extended.
“Heat shortens the lifespan at a much quicker pace,” the experts warned.
“Prolonged periods of heavy use can generate unwanted heat, like gaming or watching videos during charging.”
Tip #4 – Use fast-charging only when necessary
Fast charging is great, but it can put extra strain on your battery.
Kaspersky compared it to using energy drinks in place of sleep.
“This feature puts the battery under stress, so slower charging is a better choice,” Kaspersky said.
“Consider using power sources like smart plugs that throttle charging.”
Tip #5 – Plug in for smaller, more frequent charges
Finally, consider charging in small amounts to reduce overall stress on your phone battery.
“Even for prolonged periods of powered-down storage, top off the battery to 50%,” Kaspersky noted.
“Battery charges fade naturally with time, even when not in use.”