How to prevent your smartphone battery from dying prematurely

The trick to prevent the battery that powers your smartphone from falling over and suddenly dying is to prevent the part from charging all the way to 100%. the life of your battery depends on the number of charge cycles it has. Each cycle is counted when you go from 0% to 100%. Once you have charged your battery the maximum number of times, you should replace the battery with a brand new one.

By preventing your phone’s battery from reaching 100%, you can stop a full cycle and extend how long it takes your battery to complete a charge cycle. Slash Gear says that a lithium-ion battery typically goes through 400 to 500 charge cycles before you see it floating with its belly in your tank. To extend the battery life of your handset, there are a number of other things you can do other than not charge it to 100%.

Psychologically, you might feel better seeing 100% appear on your phone’s status bar than 99%, but you’ll end up paying for this when your battery exceeds the number of charge cycles it offers. Some Pixel models and iPhones with iOS 13 or later have features that automatically limit charging to 80% and extend the time it takes to reach 100% so as not to drain the battery.

The Pixel 6 series will automatically limit the battery charge to 80% when powered on to help the component last longer

PCMag says to keep your phone’s battery within a range between 32-95 degrees Fahrenheit (0 to 35 degrees Celsius) when the handset is charging, doing tasks, or just hanging out. Most phones will warn you if the device is too hot and turn the phone off if necessary. Use common sense. Don’t leave the phone on the dashboard of your car in the middle of summer.

Do not charge your phone in bed, where it can become a potential fire hazard by being covered with blankets and pillows; cutting off the handset’s access to air is dangerous. The best place to charge your phone is on a flat hard surface. If your phone does get warm, don’t put it in the freezer next to TV dinners. Moving from one extreme temperature to another can damage the phone as the components can expand in the heat.

Introducing cold temperatures to the phone in this scenario can lead to the addition of unwanted moisture to your device. If you think your phone is overheating, it’s best to unplug it while it’s charging and turn off the handset. Place it in a cool place away from sunlight and remove any cover you have on the device. If you were charging the phone when it got hot then check the cable to make sure it isn’t damaged. If it is damaged, discard the cable and use a brand new one.

Another good rule is to never let your phone hit 0% and then fully charge it. The best range to use your phone’s battery is 20%-80% range.

Take good care of your phone battery and it will take good care of you and your phone.