Taking care of your battery: 5 easy tricks for +50% ⚡️
You want your phone's battery to last as long as possible. The key is taking care of it to minimize wear and tear and maintain its health. Here, I share the best practices to achieve this. ⏳🔋
Don't Leave Your Phone Completely Empty or Full for Long Periods
To understand how to care for your phone's battery, it's helpful to understand the basic workings of a lithium battery. Every time you use your device, tiny internal chemical reactions occur that release stored energy. A lithium-ion battery has two terminals: positive (cathode) and negative (anode).
When you use your phone and it discharges, lithium ions move from the anode to the cathode through a gel-like electrolyte, while electrons flow through the external circuit, powering the device.
Once the battery is fully discharged, the power is depleted. useful and the phone turns off. When you plug it into a power outlet, this process is reversed — electricity returns ions and electrons to their original positions, recharging the battery.
Although the internal chemistry is more complex, the bottom line is this: batteries prefer not to be left either fully charged or empty for very long. These extremes increase internal stress, accelerating their long-term degradation.
Set Your Phone to Limit Charging to 80%
In an ideal world, you'd keep your battery around 50% during the day, but realistically, experts advise keeping it between 20% and 80% whenever possible.
It doesn't mean that never You should charge it at 100% when you know you'll need that full charge. The wear and tear increases if you perpetually leave your phone on empty or fully charged for long periods.
Charging overnight is safer these days because modern phones learn your habits and stop charging at 80%, resuming it just before you wake up so you can start the day with a full battery at 100%, avoiding charging it all night. If your phone doesn't have this feature, it's best to avoid charging it overnight to protect the battery.
To maximize battery health, you can manually limit charging on the 80%. This means charging it more frequently, a minor inconvenience in exchange for prolonging its lifespan. The option is found in the battery menu, although each manufacturer may name it differently.
Be Careful with Charging Cycles 📊
A common myth is to worry about the number of times you charge per day, but that doesn't really matter. What matters is the total amount of charge cycles that the battery performs.
One charge cycle is equivalent to using 100% of the battery's capacity, even if it's not in a single charge. For example, if you charge your phone from 0% to 50%, use a little, and then charge it from 40% to 90%, you've performed two charges, but only one full charge cycle (100% in total).
Manufacturers typically consider it normal for a battery to retain 80% of its initial capacity after 800 cycles. Apple indicates that its iPhone 15 models are designed to maintain 80% after 1,000 cycles under ideal conditions. On the other hand, Xiaomi says the 14T Pro can retain 80% after 1,600 cycles.
So don't worry about charging your phone in short sessions. In fact, frequent partial charges are better than letting the battery drain completely and then charging the 100%, as they reduce chemical stress and extend its life.
Avoid Exposing Your Phone to Extreme Temperatures 🌡️
A very simple method to protect the battery is to avoid extreme temperaturesWe know that heat negatively affects internal chemistry, but extreme cold is also harmful. Don't think that cold is better than heat.
If your phone overheats, never put it in the refrigerator! Sudden changes in temperature and humidity can cause permanent damage and condensation problems, which are usually not covered by the warranty.
The safe way to cool your phone is to stop using it, close apps, or temporarily turn it off. Apple recommends ideal temperatures between 16° and 22°C (60° and 72°F), and avoid conditions above 35°C (95°F) to prevent permanent damage.
If you travel to places with extreme climates, consider a specialized insulated cover.
Don't Use Your Phone While It's Charging ⚡
Fast charging isn't as harmful if used with caution, but it's not without risks. The faster the charging speed, the greater the current and the more heat generated, especially when the battery exceeds 70–80 µs.
Heat is unabsorbed energy. At first, the battery absorbs charge easily, like a dry sponge absorbs water. But as it fills, it becomes more difficult, and the excess energy is converted into heat.
If you use your phone while it's charging, you're increasing heat because the device is simultaneously drawing power, which slows charging and wears down the battery faster in the long run.
To prolong battery life, avoid using your phone while charging, especially beyond the 70% battery life.
Avoid Wireless Charging
Wireless charging is very convenient and for many it is indispensable, but if you care about taking care of the battery in the long term, it is better to opt for cable charging traditional.
It is less efficient and generates more heat, as it uses electromagnetic induction, which results in energy losses if the coils are not aligned correctly.
If you use wireless charging occasionally, there's no major problem, but for everyday use, wired charging is healthier for the battery.
Avoid Heavy Games That Your Phone Can't Handle 🎮
If you have a budget phone or an older model, it's probably not designed for high-performance gaming. While some brands offer good performance at a low price, it's best not to push your phone to the max.
An AnTuTu score of 700,000 It is a benchmark for running modern games at medium settings without worrying overheating during short sessions.
Performance isn't just about the processor: thermal management and software optimization are equally important. If you're planning on upgrading your phone, check to see if it heats up quickly after playing. If so, opt for less demanding games.
Don't Miss Software Updates 🔄
If you've had bad experiences with updates, it's understandable to want to avoid them, but you'll miss out on optimizations and fixes that extend battery life.
For example, Android 14 reduced background activity by 50% by limiting persistent apps, which consumes less battery and delays the number of charge cycles.
Android 15 introduced the charging limit for Pixel phones, and Android 16 will add a menu to monitor battery health, similar to the iPhone.
Officially Replace Your Battery When Necessary 🔧
A degraded battery is often a reason to upgrade your phone, but if replacement parts are available, an official replacement can give your device new life and save you money.
Apple and Samsung are the benchmarks in this, as they provide parts for models from several years ago, facilitating reliable repairs.
With the arrival of silicon-carbon batteries, we'll soon see a revolution with models exceeding 8,000mAh. Until then, do your best to take care of your battery so your next upgrade is more conscious and effective. 🚀🔋
