Why is it bad to leave your phone charging overnight?

How is battery life determined?

Getting the most out of the battery is becoming an increasingly important requirement for owners of modern phones. More and more high-end devices today come with non-removable batteries. Therefore, most of us do not have the necessary skills to replace it. Moreover, if you try to disassemble the phone yourself, you lose the possibility of subsequent warranty service.

All batteries without exception slowly lose their capacity over time, even when not in use. This mostly happens after one year of regular use. And speaking of two or more years, it already becomes impossible to run the phone on a single charge for a day.

"Charge cycle" is what manufacturers list as a lifetime. It is defined by a charge from 0 to 100% and a reverse subsequent discharge to 0%. The number of expected charge cycles indicates how long a battery can last before it begins to lose capacity.

Most rechargeable equipment uses lithium-ion batteries. Their largest capacity, by far, is 18,650 mAh. It can withstand between three hundred and five hundred full charge cycles. After that, the capacity remains at 75%. Various mishaps occur just after that.

Why is the battery life depleted overtime?

Phones and tablets are equipped with one type of lithium-ion battery, the lithium-ion polymer. This version is safer, smaller and charges faster. But the lifetime rules are no different.

Now most importantly, the battery depletes the fastest if you regularly bring the capacity above 80% and drop it below 20%. And it works best at 50% charge. Extremes should be avoided to prolong battery life. Full discharge and maximum charge count as one cycle. And using 20% to 80%, you can get about a thousand full cycles before you feel a noticeable decrease. That's about three years of daily charging

How to handle the battery?

You may have already picked up the bad habit of plugging your phone in at night, while you sleep. It won't take much effort to correct. If conditions allow, unplug your phone before you go to sleep, and charge it right after you wake up.

After all, it takes about an hour to charge the device, and much longer if it's during sleep. Do not worry, the battery itself can not overcharge, the developers have provided precautions for this. However, when you charge the battery to one hundred percent, it adds enough energy to make up for what the device is using at rest. This is called overcharging, where the phone uses up energy when it is not needed.

It's also worth realizing that keeping your phone plugged in for long periods of time can cause heat to build up, which worsens the condition of the battery. In extreme cases, a fire may occur. Therefore, do not leave the device without free access to air, such as under a pillow. In the summertime, do not put the phone next to you at the beach or leave it closed in the car.

Using apps and games while charging

Just so you understand, this should also be avoided. Regular use under such conditions will cause irreparable damage. You may be tempted to watch a video or play a game, which will have a negative effect on your battery.

However, if you check a few messages or emails, it won't hurt. Just don't do anything that takes a lot of energy.

What is the right thing to do?

The easiest way is to keep track of the charge to the recommended 80%. You do not need to do it manually, because special apps are developed for this purpose. They allow you to set an alert to notify you of the percentage of capacity.

What other ways can save me money?

Most smartphones have a battery saving mode. The following also have a big impact: reducing screen blanking time, setting a dark theme, reducing brightness. Bluetooth and Wi-Fi do not consume much power, unlike GPS and mobile data.

A range of 40-60 percent is ideal for battery "health." Try to stick to the "20-80 percent" level. Keep the phone at room temperature if possible. Turn off unnecessary services.

Adhering to these recommendations, but in the short term, you may not notice much difference. But when in a year your phone will still work a whole day on 1 charge - you'll be especially happy. Thanks for listening!