Most of us have charged our phones incorrectly, according to a phone repair expert who specializes in refurbishing old phones.
The way many of us charge our phones – including leaving it on charge overnight or plugged in while we work – can actually damage the battery, permanently reducing the amount of charge the device can hold
Letting phones run out of battery completely is also harmful, warns Kewin Charron, Senior Lead Refurbishment Operations Manager at Back Market, speaking to DailyMail.com.
Kewin Charron, Senior Lead Refurbishment Operations Manager at Back Market (picture included)
Are you charging your phone all wrong?
Charron said: ‘If you leave your phone plugged in or let it die, battery life decreases rapidly.
“Instead, you should aim to keep your charge level between 20-80 percent.”
That might sound like a pain to achieve, Charron said, but many new phones offer the ability to optimize charging (so the phone doesn’t strain the battery).
Doing so is easy on newer Apple phones, Charron said.
He said: ‘For iPhones running iOS 13 and later, go into your iPhone Settings > Battery > Battery Health & Charging and select Optimized Battery Charging.
“This setting will automatically reduce the wear and tear on your battery, improving its life.”
Apple says the feature delays iPhone charging by over 80 percent, using machine learning to learn your daily routine so that Optimized Battery Charging activates at the right time.
You should enable Optimized Charging if it is not already on
It’s a little trickier on Android, as settings can vary between manufacturers, Charron said.
He said: ‘By going into your settings and then selecting Battery > Battery usage you can see your battery health.
“Then tap Optimized under Manage battery usage to automatically extend battery life.”
On Pixel phones, it can still be found under Battery, but it looks slightly different (as in the screenshot below).
Another issue that can damage 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 collects in the charging ports of your phone, causing the device to overheat or stop charging. Cleaning your phone safely can ensure your battery doesn’t overheat, which can cause long-term damage.’
Charron recommends using a toothpick and a damp cloth to clean out your charging port to get rid of 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 area. To remove the debris in the port, use a toothpick, moving it from side to side, making sure you are careful because this area is very sensitive to damage.
“When debris comes out, wipe it off with your cloth 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 that the battery is suffering long-term damage, 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 your battery life. So keeping your phone out of direct sunlight for long periods and limiting use in hot cars or trains is really important.
‘If the internal temperature of the device exceeds the normal operating range, you will likely notice that the screen dims, goes completely black, or the camera flash is turned off. You may also get a message that says ‘Charging Pending’ or get a temperature warning.’
If you see a warning like this, it’s best to charge your phone in a cool place — and avoid charging it wirelessly, Charron said.
He said: ‘While charging your phone, find a cool, moisture-free environment that is less than 32°C (90°F). Wired charging is also better and preferred over wireless charging to avoid overheating.’
If you’re somewhere warm, there are a couple of steps you can take to keep your phone from overheating, Charron said.
Charron said: ‘When your phone is not charged, you can avoid overheating by lowering the brightness. If your phone is low on battery and searching for a signal, this can cause the device to overheat. So if you’re somewhere with a weak signal, turn on airplane mode, then turn it off again when you’re in an area with better connectivity!’
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