Your phone's battery lifespan vs the norm
Does your phone’s battery last as long as it should?
Typically, a modern phone battery’s (lithium-ion) lifespan is 2 – 3 years, which is about 300 – 500 charge cycles as rated by manufacturers. After that, the battery capacity will drop by roughly 20%.
But does yours seem to get shorter way earlier? If yes, then perhaps your charging habit all through the years has been silently wrecking your phone’s battery health
How often you charge will affect the battery life, for better or worse. In short, the more often you top up your battery, the better. To REALLY minimize battery degradation, top up for every 10% drop in battery level. And keep your battery level as close to the middle (50%) as possible. Impractical and unrealistic, yes they are. But these are only for maximizing battery health. There are much room for tweaking to add more convenience into the mix.
Why are these recommended? Because unlike the old Nickel, lithium-ion batteries get stressed by:
- Depth of discharge a.k.a how much battery is used before recharging.
- Extreme battery levels, both low and high.
Side note: If you want an easy way to prolong battery life, an auto cutoff charging cable might be handy for you.
The widespread, outdated beliefs about battery
Surely, you must had also heard the opposite, which are:
- Batteries need to be drained completely and recharged to 100%
- Batteries lose capacity if they are repeatedly recharged after only being partially drained.
And these two suggest that frequent charging will degrade battery capacity instead, which WAS true—for the Nickel-based batteries; for they are cursed with memory effect. Simply put, they will “forget” their full capacity if they aren’t discharged and charged from 1% to 100%.
Now, cycling your lithium-ion battery from 1% to 100% habitually will take a chunk of its battery life away.
How deeper discharge & low battery level degrade battery capacity
To clarify, battery by itself, regardless of your habit, will deteriorate. Even when just sitting on a shelf. As you cycle the battery, irreversible internal structure changes happen. The lithium count gradually drops as more and more get lodged onto the anode during normal usage; they form a restrictive layer (named solid electrolyte interface) that grows and increases battery’s internal resistance, which ultimately lowers the battery capacity.
Tying this to your charging habit, the restrictive layer grows faster with the following factors:
- High discharge rate (how fast the battery is consumed)
- Deeper discharge
- Low battery level (as is high battery level, but with different structural change)
Worse is, the degradation of deep discharge escalates the further the battery is in its life cycle. The older your phone is, the more your unhealthy charging habit damages your battery.
How much discharge is considered deep?
There is no boundary: the deeper you discharge it, the more stress it inflicts on the battery. Meaning that topping up frequently extends battery life for lithium batteries. In this regard, doing a full discharge, which is to run your battery down to 0%, is the most stressful. The table below detailed the number of usable cycle depending on the habitual depth of discharge.
(Source: Battery University – How to Prolong Lithium-based Batteries)
What battery level is considered low?
Again, the same concept applies: the closer it is to 0%, the more harmful it is to the battery. (And same goes to battery levels closer to 100%.) The least stressful battery level is around the middle (50%). Also a reason why Apple suggests storing batteries at half-charged.
Except this time, there is a boundary set by phone manufacturers.
Something we’re all too familiar with …
Definitely a standard you can fall back on. Plus it’s convenient: your phone will never fail to remind you when it gets this low. Though if you’re feeling particularly protective of your battery, you can recharge before it gets to 20% battery.
The exception to the rule
That you should, on certain occasion, run your battery down to 0% (full discharge).
What occasion?
- Your battery percentage drops suddenly, say, it stays unusually long at 50% then jumps to 35% in the blink of an eye.
- Your battery shuts down when there’s battery left.
If these happen, do a full discharge followed by a full charge for recalibration.
To calibrate your phone’s battery:
- Run your battery down until the phone turns itself off (without charging in between)
- Charge your phone to 100% while the phone is off
- At 100%, unplug from charger and power on your phone
- If after powering on the battery isn’t 100%, charge it to 100% and unplug
- Done! The full discharge and recharge cycle has recalibrated the battery’s reading
Note: this does nothing to save battery life; in fact, it achieves the opposite …
Why does this happen?
Battery readings are thrown off because unlike the actual electrochemical battery, the digital battery (the smart chip on the battery) that shows us the reading doesn’t age. The graph below visualizes the inconsistency between the two created over time.
(Source: Battery University – How to Calibrate a “Smart” Battery)
Note: the values are for demonstration only.
How often should you calibrate your battery?
- Whenever your battery starts showing inaccurate reading; otherwise, refrain from full discharge as it degrades battery capacity.
- When the phone isn’t used for a long time.
Now, putting everything together.
How often should I charge to prolong battery life?
It’s a matter of balancing convenience with battery longevity. To recap …
The best but unrealistic way:
- Recharge once the battery drops 10%; deeper discharge degrades battery more.
- Keep the battery as close to the middle range as possible. Extreme battery levels, which are levels closer to 0% and 100%, reduce battery capacity.
But that defeats the purpose of using a smartphone, which is CONVENIENCE. That said, what you can do instead are:
- Recharge whenever convenient. Don’t let it fall below 20% (or higher) and avoid fully discharging the battery unless calibration is needed.
- Unplug at battery level between 80% (or lower) and 100%. Don’t let your phone stay at 100% level for too long, i.e., plugging to charger after fully charged.
There’s no absolute rules to follow. Most suggest the 20 – 80 rule, which you can definitely follow. You can even do 45 – 75 or others.
As long as you understand what’s harmful to your battery, you can tailor your charging habit according to your needs and daily routine. Because while you can definitely improve battery life significantly, it’s pointless if it demands sacrificing your enjoyment and convenience, which is what your smartphone is supposed to bring you.
P.S. If you prefer charging to 100% for maximum runtime, check out the cable that auto disconnects the battery at full charge for you.
Editor’s note: This post has been completely revamped and updated to improve comprehensiveness and accuracy.
179 thoughts on “How Often Should I Charge My Phone To Prolong The Battery Life?”
I have a 4 year old laptop. (same lithium-ion technology) It is almost always plugged in for at least 12 hours a day and almost always 100% charged. It shows 0% wear level and the very few times I have “forgotten” to plug-in I get perfect usage just as you would get with a new battery. How does this fit in with it supposedly being very harmful to leave a battery at 100% ?
Hello. I have a galaxy a73. My usage from the phone is not much, I only charge it every 3 or 4 days. Most places are suggested to charge my phone when it is 30%, but I have a question, if I my charge my phone when its 45% or 50% up to 80%, is it good for my battery or bad? If I do this, the amount of time my phone needs to stay in plug will reduce and as result my phone will stay in short periods at the heat, but I don’t want to damage my battery. 20%-80% =more time to charge, 50%-80%, less time to charge. please tell me what is the best for my battery?
Hi. It is healthier if you charge more frequently (say, at 45% instead of 20%). The only downside is you may need to calibrate your battery once in a while, so the battery % displayed stays accurate.
I just got a new phone for Xmas what % should I charge it at? And what should I unplug it at
Hi Sean. As a general rule of thumb, charging it before it drops to 20% and unplugging at 80% is healthy.
I have a question how many times charging my samsung galaxy F42 5g please give me solution
my tablet battery literally completely drains overnight every single night that I always have to recharge it…unless I remember to put apps to sleep but even then by morning it’s completely dead!
that’s why I try to constantly check the battery during the night and yet it still drains if it was at like 85% when I went to bed,it would literally be at like 10% or LESS by 8 or 9 am…WHY?!
I thought I read that if your not”USING”it,it won’t”DRAIN”as fast!
what am I doing wrong?!
My phone blacks out whenever I turn on my data connection and takes approximately 1 to 2 minutes to power on again when I long press the power button, I has been in use for a period of 4years, Ive been experiencing this challenge for not less 5months to date, I calms down when I leave it for not less than an hour un touched but does it again continously after turning on my data. What do u encourage me to do? (huawei y7 prime 2019) thank you.
Hi I have a phone, Techno canon x pro. whenever i charge my phone to 90%, i usually live it for an hour before using it. But if it reaches 45% the percent drains quickly.
Hi Baraka. There might be apps that are always draining your battery in the background. You can check battery usage in Settings to see which apps are causing the issue.
Well I have a question, previously without the knowledge about the battery health and other things I was really into overcharging my phone and you made my battery health to decrease, is there any way that I can replenish it?
From what we’ve known, there’s no way to reverse your battery’s condition. That said, you can still adopt a healthier charging habit to slow down your battery’s degradation.
Hi, I usually charge from 20 up to 80-90. But this one time I left it on charge to about 100 percent for around 30 mins? Is that fine for my phone as its a brand new iphone
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Hi, admin.
Is this applicable for all phones? My phone’s battery is made of Lithium-polymer (Li-po). I mean, I am not familiar between Lithium-ion and Lithium-polymer.
I have had my moto e phone for 6 years. I have always kept my phone between 20-100% charge. Always charge to 100%. Maybe some batteries are different than others. Never had a problem with the battery yet.
I too have had several Motos and their battery life is excellent.
Mike Irwin
When it comes to the battery life of your mobile, a lot of things comes out! This guide is definitely useful for newbies people. After reading this, I can say that not only proper charging is essential for preserving the health of the battery but taking care of the battery does a lot to save it much longer than we thought. A lot of mobile users used to find about how to increase battery life, I think this blog gives us all the details about it.
Step by step well explained! Also, the writer takes care about what to say or what not to say in this article. I mean people believe some random battery facts like overcharging and leaving the phone connected to the charger is bad. But this guide is all focused on major facts only and that will much benificial for all the readers. Smartphone batteries nowadays are equipped with special built-in protection. Anyways, I am sure applying these methods, tips and tricks, I definitely going to save and extend my mobile battery and you will too. Thank you so much for sharing such a mind-blowing and quality guide with us.
Is it ok to charge my phone at 70% Li-po battery
Infinix hot 10s
Hi Kram. It’s okay to charge your phone at 70%. As a general rule of thumb, just avoid prolonged charging at 100% or letting it drop below 20%. If you prefer a healthier routine, keep the battery between 20% – 80% (unless for calibration when needed).
Good Morning Admin,
It’s a great article about the battery. But I’m still confused about my new phone’s battery and charging method. I’ve brought the “Realme GT neo 2” in January. It’s almost 3 months. I’ve been using the (20-85)% charging routine almost most of the times.
Basically I charge my phone once a day. In between 2 months I just charged my phone twice a day for 2 days only.
I charge it with the 65 watt SuperDarT charger which is provided with the phone. As a fast charger it heats as usual.
This is a short brief about my phone;s battery usage and charging method. I’ve three questions to you.
1. Is is the right charging method(20-80)%? Though my phone is Lithiam Polymer..
2. Is it normal to charge my phone with the 65 watt charger which is provided by the Manufacturer??
3. If I use a less watt charger (18w) then would the battery life of battery health increases????
Morning Shovon,
To answer your questions:
1. The 20 – 80 charging method is also beneficial for Lithium Polymer phones.
2. It is okay to charge your phone with chargers provided by the manufacturers. That being said …
3. It’s better for the longevity of the battery to charge slower. Because fast charging generates more heat, which is harmful to the battery. So you may opt for an 18W charger when not in a rush.
Hello there, Charby Admin!
First of all, thanks for the great article! I really enjoyed reading it and busting some common battery myths! Keep up the good work! 🙂
Secondly, I would like to clarify some doubts…
1. Does fast charging (Qualcomm’s flash charging/BBK’s VOOC & SuperVOOC) damage battery life? I read this article and it seemed pretty worrying… (https://androidcommunity.com/oppo-admits-fast-charging-degrades-battery-life-considerably-20200511/) If so, how frequently should I use the 30W/65W/120W charging feature?
2. What charging routine would you suggest for someone who commutes to work daily and spends 1 ++ hours watching videos (downloaded, so does not need cellular connection)? Is the 20 – 80 routine recommended?
3. Would you still recommend charging at night, given that major phone companies have generally implemented “Optimised Night Charging/Battery Guard”, which automatically slows down the phone’s charging speed once it hits 80%, so that it only completes the 100% charge by around 7 am in the morning?
Thank you once again for the interesting article! =)
Hello James,
Happy to hear you find our article useful.
To answer your questions:
1. Yes, fast charging will reduce battery’s life span. It’s recommended to only use it when you’re in a rush.
2. Yes, the 20 – 80 routine is always recommended. You can always charge to 90% or higher if you know you might need to use your smartphone for a while without having access to a charger.
3. Yes, however, do make sure you turn on the battery protection features. And if possible, use a slower charger.
Hi Charby!
Although it’s safe, and much better if you charge your phone frequently. My question is will it not damage your charging/USB port early? By removing and inserting the cable frequently due to frequent charging?
Hi. That is true. However, standard USB ports are rated for 10,000 mating cycles. It’s very likely to outlast the longevity of a phone (or its battery). Though in practicality, there are many factors that also affect the ports’ longevity.
Hi. I follow the 20%-80% rule.. But i discover some recharges discharge faster than some please what type of recharge discharge in long period?? (infinix Hot8)
Do you mean that your battery discharges faster sometimes?
You could check if any intensive background apps are running. Also, uninstall unnecessary apps and update your apps frequently; some updates might fix issues of app draining unnecessary processing power. If it persists, consider calibrating your phone battery. And if it remains so, you may consider backing up your data and formatting your phone (try at your own risk).
Should all the above fails, the battery might need replacing. Hope these info helps, and let us know your result.
A great article, thank you. I learnt a lot of interesting things, and busted a few myths.
It’s good that you explain the reasoning, don’t just tell people to do it.
Keep it up!!!!
Hi David. Thanks for the words of encouragement! We’re happy to know this article is helpful to you.
Sir ,can i charge 20 to 80% twice in a day
Hi there. Yes, you can. Charging frequently will not harm the Li-ion battery’s health.
Good that it can be recharged twice in a day since charging the battery is recommendable only of up to 80%.
my name is gayashan. I have samsung m21 at what percentage i should charge my phone
Hi. You can top up your battery whenever convenient. However, it’s best not to let it drop below 20% too often (unless for the occasional battery calibration).
how often does the battery need to be replaced and how can you ever tell your charging too much???
Greetings!
I am an Android fanboy but have thought this same argument to myself.. and I would say Apple’s [Crapple] 50% SOC is a good safe-point to try and achieve*, if you can. Considering I have done a lot of merchandise handling on both sides and Apple is really good about replacing Authentic devices if they have not been tampered with in the past. If they say under 50% constitutes as a ‘cycle’, then I would say there is a reason why…
*– I also know most Li-On batteries (especially those with QC) charge quickly from 20-90% the fastest. But I try to not let mine get below 40% (if I can, but we are all human).
— But I also don’t buy the new shinest phone, as I know they will be worth the same as my current one in 2 years but allow for more hacks to be known :))
My $0.02, take care!
Hey there, I have a Realme 7 pro and it comes with a 65 watt fast charger. Is it true that fast charging damages the battery( it has two cell probably)? Should I follow the 40-80 rule even if I have to charge twice a day?
Hey. It’s not so much as damaging your battery as it is stressful for it. However, fast charging also generates more heat, which is detrimental to battery (take note if you’re gaming or using a thick phone case while charging). On the other hand, charging frequently won’t harm your battery. But if 40 – 80 is too inconvenient for you, you may consider a less stringent routine.
Hi. Is it safe to turn on power saving mode at all times? Im using samsung a12. Thank you.
Hi Zez. It’s safe. However, take note that in power saving mode, your smartphone might not run at optimal performance; some tasks and features may take longer to complete or update.
hey i have a s9+ how often should i charge it . will charging it from 15% to 70% everyday 3 times reduce my battery health
Hey. Charging frequently won’t harm your battery. Rather, it is the high or low state of charge that is stressful for the battery. We recommend not letting your battery go below 20% as a habit (unless when calibrating).
“2 – 3 years, which is about 300 – 500 charge cycles ”
I don’t get this, 365 days in a year but you state that?
Hello. One full cycle (from 100% to 0%, not necessarily in one go) isn’t usually completed in a day.
Hello Admin
I always charge my phone when it’s battery reaches somewhere between 40% to 50% and never charge it above 85%, and whenever possible I turn the phone off while charging to reduce heat.
recently when I turn my phone on after recharging it, the % is on 84 most probably because turning on uses 1 %, I leave it alone for a while and as soon as I turn on the screen the battery % jumps down from 84% to 77%
what could be the problem?
should I let it drain to 0% and charge it to 100% , after that should I let it charge for another 20 minutes to trickle charge ?
is the extra 20 min trickle charge unhealthy once every 2 months?
can I do this routine once every 2 months?
please share with me Your suggestions
Hello Amoochi. You may try calibrating your battery with the steps below instead:
1. Charge it to 100% then unplug & let it rest for 1 hour.
2. Then, use your phone normally until it drops to 10% or 0%.
3. Rest the phone again for 1 hour.
4. Finally, charge it back to 100% again.
The routine can be done once per month. Though you may hold off the calibration until the battery reading starts getting inaccurate again.
Hi i bought samsung m32 week ago so is it ok to charge it around 20 – 80% And how often should charge 0% to 100%
hi sir! I have a realme 6i phone with 5000mAh Li-Po battery. what percent should i plug it in and what percent should i unplug it? how can i take care of it sir? I usually plug it when it hits 20% and I always unplug it at 90%. is it safe to do that? and can i charge my phone frequently?
Hi Clloyd. The most recommended routine is 20% – 80%. Unplugging at 90% is fine too, though not as healthy as 80%. But as smartphones are meant to convenience us, you could find a balance between convenience and battery health. And for your last question: charging your phone frequently is perfectly healthy. If anything, deeper discharge stresses the battery.
I always charge my phone once everyday when it going 40% then i charge to 100% is that okay ? One more question can i use powerbank to charge when i sleep overnight ?
I have a Samsung galaxy a01 smartphone, at what percentage should the battery drop to before i charge it. Thanks.
Hi there! You can top up at any % as frequent charging will not harm your battery. Just don’t let it go below 20% often.
Hi admin, my new phone came up with a fast charger 30W Flash Charge 4300mAh Battery, you said that fast charger is not good for the battery’s health how would I maximize my battery’s life span?
Hi Darwin. When you don’t need to charge fast, you can use a different charger/cable so Flash Charge won’t be activated.
Is it okay if I let my battery drop to about 45% and then charge till almost 100%? I have a Samsung Galaxy m21 with a 6000 mAh battery.
Hi Ninad. It’s okay to top up at 45%. Although charging to 100% isn’t as healthy (as say, around 80%), you should at least not let it charge at 100% for long hours.
Hey there good sir, I’m planning on getting a new phone, and that is the Umidigi F2 (5,150 mAh). I was planning on having my own way of at least using 75% of it, but then I read about your good article. I had changed my mind and decided to use 65% like 20%-85% or even70%! But I’m quite anxious and worried about damaging my phone’s battery more than the 20%-80% rule. Does it really affect the battery more significant than the 20-80 rule? And should I do one discharge/charge cycle when I get the phone? And finally, is it good or ok to do a calibration every 6 months, once a year, or so???
Please respond, and thank you so much if you will respond in time!!!
Hey there. In terms of Depth of Discharge (DoD), the 20 – 80 routine with a 60% DoD does grant a little more discharge cycles than a 65/70% DoD routine. However, considering that smartphone is a tool to provide us convenience, you could find a balance between battery health and convenience in your daily life. Other ways to prolong battery are to limit the exposure to high heat and fast charging.
For calibration, there isn’t any recommended interval. You can do it whenever you feel the battery reading is inaccurate OR when the phone isn’t used for a long time.
Hi, if i am going to leave my phone for a few hours, lets say i am sleeping, should i keep it at 50% or 80%, Samsung says if i am not going to use it, best leave it at 80% or at least 80% and if my battery is at 45 %, is it okay to charge to at least 50% before storing it?
Hi there. For your situation, it may be better to leave it at 80%. Because certain instances might drain your battery down to an undesirably low level before you wake up. For example, sudden dip in network signal that leaves your phone actively searching for signal, or getting a phone call that vibrates your phone for too long (vibration motor drains battery). If you are storing the phone for an unusually long time (days, weeks, or months), it’s alright to charge it from 45% to 50%. Frequent charging will not harm your battery.
I have new phone realme 5i which has 5000mA battery and 10watt charger. Realme website says “Charge your phone when your battery level goes down to 10%”.But I find in internet that I should star charging my phone when it is 30-40 % . Which % should I really star to change my phone for battery long life?
Hi there! Charging frequently doesn’t stress the battery, but a deeper discharge does. Topping up at 30 – 40 is healthier.
Is it safe to charge 100% once in a month???
Hi Tushar, it is important to differentiate between overcharging and prolong charging at high battery level (e.g. 100%). Overcharging is charging your phone battery until it reaches a level that something dangerous can happen (e.g. battery explosion). No worry on overcharging as most smartphones nowadays can prevent overcharging (however there is no guarantee as we don’t represent any one of so many phone manufacturers out there). Prolong charging at high battery level (e.g. 100%) on the other hand, in simple is charging for too long, where you are constantly exposing your phone battery at extreme battery level, which is not dangerous, but can cause stress and reduce your battery lifespan. Hence, to improve your battery lifespan, you can practice the 20 – 80 rule, however not everyone can do that, due to different phone usage scenarios we are in, so charging to 100% once in a month is fine too as your phone might need calibration (refer to our article for more detailed information). Hope this help, cheers!
Hey, I’m gonna let a phone of mine run 24/7, always plugged in, but turning off the power supply with automation when necessary. I was thinking to let it attached to a Raspberry Pi USB port. My first idea: When the battery is more than 80%, turn off the power supply (USB port). Wait for discharge. When the battery is below 20%, turn on the power supply again. Then I read your article and came up with a second idea: Turn off the power supply when the battery is more than or equal to 50%, turn on otherwise. What idea do you consider to be the best in this very specific situation? Maybe something in between?
Hi Ragnister, your first idea, following the 20 – 80 rule might be a better choice. Turning off at >= 50% and turn on otherwise, might result in too frequent on and off, which could potentially generate some heat from the phone due to certain processes (such as charging protocol detection and selection) are need for the phone to start charging and stop charging, at the same time, the electronic circuit of the phone might potentially wear off due to excessive on and off within a very short period of time.
p.s. Having a Raspberry Pi, and being able to control it, good effort and keep it up! And if you want, you could update us your progress too, someone else in the community might be interested to know too.
Hello admin. I’m always charging my phone from 30-100 all the time? Was it really bad for my battery?
I just bought my phone 1 month ago
I charged it once a day. Please notice this!
Hi Karla, your charging behavior is fine, as it avoids low battery level which can harm your battery. Remember to also avoid your phone stay charged for too long at 100%.
Hallo there admin,just wanted to say is it recommended to do charging when in off mode?I usually charge my phone once in a day by turning it off.Also,I noticed one thing is when I charge upto 90% it automatically gets down to 85% in 2 hrs after charging.Is it normal?Please help,thanks in advance!
Hi Aryan, the advantage of charging when your phone is off, is that you can charge your phone faster and less heat is generated from your phone running certain applications and processes. However, you can obverse whether does your phone actually generate less heat when you charge with your phone off versus just screen off, as varying from phone to phone, most phone nowadays are intelligent enough to reduce processing when your phone screen is off, thus reducing heat generation. So if you notice there is no difference in heat generation, you could just charge your phone with screen off, without needing to turn it off entirely.
Hi, is it okay to charge my phone from 30 – 40% to 80 – 85% ? and is it okay to charge my phone at around 50-60% to 85%?
Hi xgall, 30 – 40% to 80 – 85% and 50-60% to 85%, both are fine, as both methods avoid your phone battery from exposing to extreme battery levels.
I use Battery Charge Limit app on my rooted OnePlus5T and I keep the charging limit to 80% and now 3 years with good battery health. Thanks for God.
Hi Mousa, glad to hear that!
Hello. May I ask some question? I have used my phone for 3 years, and I also have removed the broken battery. Now it’s been 5 month. I think my phone isn’t as health as before. When the battery percentage shows 70%, it’s drop. But the problem is when I charge my phone, sometimes I forgot if the battery reach 100% because I’m sleep. Is it okay for my phone?
Hi Robert, we do not recommend leaving your phone stay charged for too long at 100%, as it can reduce your battery lifespan.
p.s. You could consider getting our Charby Sense auto cutoff cable, to help stop your charging automatically when your phone is fully charging, so you can have a healthier battery.
I have a practical question. I use my phone a lot for navigation (Waze). What do you recommend the most. Running Waze without charging the battery. But knowing that Waze just eats your battery alive and seeing the % drop every minute. Or charging the phone in the meantime with a car charger. The second option isn’t recommended ether because of the heat that’s generating by charging the battery and the CPU because of running an heavy app.
I know that neather of these are healty for the battery’s life expectation but wich is the least destructive?
I use a standard car charger without fast charging technology (max charging current 1500mA) to prevent excessive heating. And is enough to run Waze and charge the phone a little bit. I also use a phone holder that’s placed in front of a ventilation vent so that cool air is blown over the phone.
Hi Tom, exposing your phone battery to extensive heat and also fast charging can reduce your battery lifespan. If you have no choice to charge your phone while using the navigation app, try to avoid your phone from exposing to direct sunlight, placing your phone in front of the air vent could help bringing down the phone temperature and using your non-fast charging charger is a good choice too. The other thing you could is to follow the 20 – 80 rule.
Hi sir can I top up my phone’s battery from ,70-90%
Hi Michael. Yes, you can. It’s healthier than charging all the way to 100%.
Can i charge 2 times a day from 30 – 80% regularly? Does it affects my battery life. Please tell me
Hello there. Charging frequently will not harm your battery. If anything, allowing your battery to drop extremely low is bad for battery life.
I have a new phone and I charge once a day from 60% – 80%. Is it good or not?
Hi Jack. That’s good for your battery.
Can I charge my device twice a day (20%-90%)? Will it reduce the battery life?
My device usage is quite heavy…
Hey Ankur. You can find a balance between convenience and longevity. It is better than charging all the way to 100%.
Hi I have new phone OnePlus 8 model my question is can I charge my phone at 30% to 90% ?
Hi Jayson, yes you can, as it avoids your battery from exposing to extreme battery levels.
Hello I am Shrikritee Singh. I bought a Vivo Y 91 around 2.5 months ago . It has a battery of 4030mah . It was working just fine with the need to be charged just once a day. But from just 15 days it’s battery is getting discharged way too fast . I have been following all the necessary protocols . I have alow screen timeout and I always have my phone’s brightness set on Auto . I tried to calibrate it but couldn’t muster up the courage to discharge it to 0 so instead I just recharged it to 100 . That too didn’t work so I rebooted it it please help me.
Hi Shrikritee, does rebooting your phone help mitigate the issue already?
I had the iphone 11 for a month now & i charge it when it gets to 15% & discharge it @ 95%, but i don’t charge my phone everynight, i only charge it & take it off the charger, does any of this ruin my battery?
Hi Henry, your charging behavior is fine, good effort, keep it up!
Hi, I just bought oppo A5S & I charge it from 20%-80% .Is it good for battery?
Hi Ajay. Yes, that’s healthy for your battery.
Hi sir I am using nokia 6.1 plus, it has 3060 mah . Many times i had unplucked after 100% and it switched off automatically after 0 %. Is it effect my battery?
Hi Arun. Yes, it’s best not to let your phone drop to 0%. Consider recharging it before it drops below 20% for optimal health. On the other hand, if you really need it at 100%, make sure you do not leave it charging at max battery for too long (e.g., overnight charging).
Hey! I’m always charging my phone between 30 to 80 and it hadn’t reached 100 for a quite long time. Is this bad for the device!?
Hey Shylee. That’s fine. Though you may need to calibrate the battery once in a blue moon (when you feel the displayed % isn’t reflecting the actual %).
Hey I had the same question . I mean should I once a week do a 40-100 recharge .I usually do a 30-85recharge but I wanted to ask that should I once a week charge my device upto 100 from 30 and does it improves my battery health or degrades it
Hey there. Though that shouldn’t harm your battery significantly, there is no reason you should do so. Unless you feel that the displayed % isn’t accurate anymore, then you can recalibrate your battery.
Hi! I just bought realme 6i , and my charging routine is 20-95 does it counts as a healthy charging?
Hi Carlo. Yes, it’s still considered healthy. Better than 0-100, and any variants that are closer to 0 and 100.
Hi , can l ask you that my oppo r9 charge 20 percent to 75 percent is it considered as healthy ?
Hey JunHung. Yes, 20% to 75% is healthy.
Hey, I just got a new phone, and I have been practicing charging up to 100% and you said it’s not good for battery life. What should i do with it? i charge around 60-70 is it all that bad? I don’t use my phone as often. Am I doing good at that? I’m afraid I will do it further damage. how do i minimize this :)?
Also, is charging techniques still the same these days? Have they not improved or what?
Hey Myca. It has more to do with the property of lithium-based batteries: that it gets stressed when close to 0% and 100%, and the least when near 50%. With that in mind, you can find a range that is most convenient for you. On the other hand, topping up your battery frequently isn’t harmful. If anything, charging when your battery gets too low is harmful.
Hello! Good day! If charging 20%-80% is healthy? Is 20% to 99% healthy too?
Hello Benjamin. 20 – 99 is healthy too, though not as healthy as 20 – 80. The closer the % is to either extremes, the more stressed it (lithium-based battery) is.
Greetings Charbyte. I’m currently using this app called Accu Battery. In your opinion how is the accuracy of the app l? I practice 30-80 most of the time but sometimes I am doing something else and never notice that it’s more than 80% but I rarely charge it to 100 and below 30.
Greetings Travis. Most phones have in-built sensors to provide data on battery. It is a matter of whether the app developer can utilize those data wisely. That said though, we could not comment on the app itself. Instead, you can test whether or not your battery will drain faster with the app, as it’s frequently running in the background.
hello, i just bought my iphone xr and i charge it from 25% to 95%. is that bad for my battery?
Hello Queen. That is better than charging it from say, below 20% to 100% all the time. Though battery level near 100% is relatively more stressful for the battery, you shouldn’t experience drastic degradation so long as you don’t keep it at 100% for long hours.
How can I know whether my battery is lithium or nickel, pls help me
Hello JayJay. May we know which device(s) you are referring to?
Hey Admin, I decided today to discharge my battery to 0% since I felt that the readings had turned inaccurate and my device probably wasn’t giving me as much juice. The article I just read above was kinda unnerving and I’m a bit worried.
However, do note that this is only my second or third full discharge during the entire lifetime of the phone (Asus ZF Max Pro M1 5000mAh), which has lasted me for a good 2.5 yrs now. Will this discharge severely affect my battery life or is it okay?
Thanks in advance!
Hello John. Though fully discharging is harmful, it shouldn’t affect the battery health significantly since it’s not done frequently. So it is okay for calibration once in a while.
Hiii, i bought Redmi note 8 does 20-80 Rule apply? :>
Hi Mark. Yes, it applies to lithium-based batteries.
hi i bought a realme c3 is it good to charge 20% up to 100% ??
Hi Jacob. Not letting the battery fall below 20% sounds great. On the other hand, although charging all the way up to 100% isn’t as healthy as the lower %, you shouldn’t experience drastic degradation if you don’t consistently charge overnight.
Hi bro! I have bought new OPPO A1k 2weeks ago.I don’t let it’s battery down below 25%.But I often charge it 100% or 92_95%.After Reading above information,I am a bit worried.Kindly Give me piece of advise.Can I charge my mob to 90% or 85%. 80% is not possible for me to charge.This phone has 4000mah LI_ION Battery.
Hi Shehroz. Your battery shouldn’t experience drastic degradation unless you often charge it overnight / 100% for extended period. Stopping the charging earlier as you did is helpful too.
Ok thanks, I have read about charge cycles, If I charge my phone to 90% and then again charge it when it reaches 50%.In other words if I charge my mobile two times a day in this way, how long will my battery lasts, wil lasts for 2years? Is battery timing degrade roughly 20% after 300 charging cycles?
Hi Shehroz. To clarify, charging from 0% to 100% counts as 1 cycle. 50% to 100% is only half a cycle. Practicing healthy charging habit can help your battery last more than 2 years, which charging from 50% to 90% is. Other factors, however, such as high heat and fast charging will degrade the battery.
About your final question: that would be the case in a typical scenario. Though we should emphasize that consistent healthy practice can minimize the rate of degradation.
Hi i got my new phone oppo a5 2020 my charging cycle is 30-100 is it good for my battery? Sometimes i charged my phone Up to 95%. Is it true that 20-80 is healthy? Why is it healthy than 30-100?
Hi Mico, charging your phone battery to a higher battery level, can cause more stress to the battery, which can deteriorate the battery lifespan. Hence, charging up to 80% is better than 100%. However, not everyone can follow the 20 – 80 rule to have a healthier battery but shorter battery capacity for daily usage. If you are to use the charging cycle of 30 – 100 is fine too, as it avoids low battery level which can harm your battery. Remember to also avoid your phone stay charged for too long at 100%.
If I charge my phone higher than 80 e.g 95-99 is it okay? or there still a damage on the battery? what is the specific percent close to 100 that is okay to charge?is 95 okay or 99?
Hello Kimberly. It boils down to personal preference (and convenience) because battery degradation is inevitable. What we can do is to minimize the deterioration; the healthiest battery level is around 50%, which is highly impractical. The only time you would leave your battery at 50% is if you’re storing it unused for a long period.
The closer the % is to 0% and 100%, the higher the stress. That said though, you’d still benefit from better battery life if you avoid the extremes: i) leaving it charging at 100% for too long and ii) letting battery drop too low frequently (worst is letting battery die).
Is It okay if I set my own rule let say 20-99? cause 80 isn’t enough for me especially my phone have only 3300 mAh of battery
hope to notice 🙂
Hello Aye. Sure you can. If you need a longer runtime, you can still protect your battery by not letting the battery drop too low (or plugged to a charger for too long after 100%)
MY huawei mate 30 pro uses lithium-po and it is not lithuim-ion, can i still do thesame thing to prolong its life?
Hey Ian. Yes, you can do the same for your Huawei Mate 30 Pro.
1 question when it say 20%-80% charge idea do I only have to charge my phone when it reach 20%-29% or can I charge my phone between 20%to 80% but stop in 80% please help me.
Hello. You can definitely charge in between the percentage. Charging frequently is more beneficial for lithium-ion batteries. Just minimize the times your battery goes near to 0% and 100%.
Hi there, and thank you for this wonderful piece of info. I just wanted to know that i read somewhere smart phone manufacturers recalibrate the battery in such a way that if you charge it to 100% its actually charges to 80% of the total capacity. Meaning companies already set the 80% limit and your screen shows it as 100% to prolong battery life. Is it true? Please guide me.
And is it good that you use your phone while its plugged in? Like gaming watching videos while its charging?
Hi Zain! It’s true that the displayed 100% isn’t the battery’s true max limit (to protect the battery from extreme stress); but it’s unlikely to have such large difference (like 80%) since phone battery has a small capacity. This practice (setting the max limit to 80%), however, is applied to Electric Vehicle’s battery. Which is to say your phone battery will still benefit from avoiding full charge.
In terms of battery health, it’s not advisable to use battery-heavy apps while charging as it generates heat that will degrade the battery more.
I used to charge my Samsung Galaxy A10 at 0-100%. Can I change to the 20-80% rule for the better battery performance and life time?
Hello Abwao. Sure you can. There’s no problem with that.
Okay Charby noted. I will try and keep charge at 85 but not exceed 90(if I really need more juice).
Now my next question is on regualrity of the top up during the day. Considering what you said earlier about Depth of Discharge. I want to balance DOD with battery health and longevity. If for instance my battery drops to 60 from 85…Do I need to charge it back to 85 or allow it to drop further to say 40 or 30 % before I plug back in. How many TIMES can I top up back to 85 in a day without battery being damaged or weakened? If I don’t allow my DOD to go a bit lower, will it destroy the battery considering I don’t go lower? Thanks.
Hello Charby, Good day. I intend to use my smartphone Xiaomi (4,000mah battery) for four years at least. I appreciate the 80/20 rule but a lot times I feel like charging to 100 lasts me more during the day than 80. If I charge fully to 100% and recharge when it drops to 20% DAILY without in-between top ups(I also heard charging frequently weakens the battery) , will I still have a capable battery lasting a day at that time(in 4 years) or the only way to have a strong battery is 80/20 charging rule? Will the difference be significant? Will charging to 100 make the battery unusable then or it will still be in good condition considering the charging pattern I mentioned? Thanks
Good day, Ekemini. We can’t predict your battery’s longevity as there are many factors in play. But generally:
1) It’s the extreme battery levels that are harmful for lithium-ion batteries. Say, levels closer to 0% and 100%. So topping it back up at 20% still helps with battery health. Charging to 100% does stress the battery. But if you want more runtime in a day, you can at least unplug when it reaches 100% to prevent greater stress on it.
2) On the contrary, charging frequently is less stressful for Li-ion batteries. A deeper discharge/charge is instead stressful for them. So top up whenever convenient.
Thank you.
Happy to be of help to you =D
Just curious if manufacturers already use the 80-20 rule in their charging strategy to prolong life and prevent catestrophic failures. I.E. when your phone reads 100% it is actually at 80% of actual battery capacity. Conversely, if your phone shuts off at 0%, your actually at 20% of actual battery capacity. I’m specifically curious about Samsung as I have an S10+. Thanks.
Hello Eric. Smartphone batteries do not limit the charge and discharge threshold like EV batteries (25% – 85%). However, the 100% and 0% of a phone battery are not its absolute limits; going to true 0 and 100 will be extremely stressful for lithium-ion batteries. Though the difference isn’t significant.
Hello Sir I usually do 50℅ to 85 percentage, is it not bad for phone battery,s health?
Hello Sanjit. 50% to 85% is healthy for your battery.
How about 90-30 rule?
That’s fine too, if that’s more convenient to you. It will still be beneficial (to the battery) compared with more extreme battery ranges (e.g., 10% – 100%, etc)
hi there…….I have new A30 Samsung phone and does affect my battery when I play pubg on my phone?? alot….Is there any recommendation for my battery use…it been 1 month know since I have bought it..
Hello there! Playing resource-intensive games definitely affect the battery, in that they heat it up. Our recommendations:
1) Avoid charging while playing as it will generate more heat that degrades the battery.
2) If charging/playing does heat up your phone significantly, you can remove the casing (if any) to help with heat dissipation.
3) Avoid from letting the battery level drop too low (say, below 20%).
Hi i bought a HUAWEI Y7 PRO IS IT GOOD TO FOLLW THE 20-80 RULE TO CHARGE A PHONE TO HELP YO PROLONG BATTERY LIFE
Hey there! Yes, the rule applies to the type of battery now used in smartphones rather than the phones themselves.
hi i bought a new vivo phone the battery type is lithium polymer does the rule 20%-80% applies to lipo as well? and for 1st charge do i need to discharge it to 0% then fully charge it? Thank you
Hi there! Yes, the same rule applies. And for 1st charge, we recommend that you discharge to 1%/2% battery level instead of a full discharge.
i bought an iphone xs max how long should i want to recharge the battery as per 1st charging
Hey Richu. It isn’t a must to charge 8 hours for the first time; instead, do these:
1. Charge it to 100% then continue for another 2 hours; (Total of 4 hours)
2. unplug, and rest your phone for 1 hour;
3. use it normally until battery drops to 10% or lower;
4. rest it again for another 1 hour;
5. finally, recharge to 100%.
**Can repeat this routine once a month for battery calibration
For daily battery care, avoid going past 80% and below 20% battery levels, which stress the lithium battery more. (Tighter range is less stressful.)
hi, step 2, rest your phone for 1 hour is it on or off?
Hello! It can be either on or off. The difference isn’t significant.
Hi. Hope u r good. I am forever charging my mobile n when.it doesn’t need it. Is this nad for the phone? Do master phone cleaners really work?
Hello Ellen. Charging frequently doesn’t harm lithium-ion batteries. Partial discharge/charge is actually less stressful for batteries now, which do not suffer from memory effect. What’s harmful, however, is leaving it on charger after full charge: maintaining a high battery level for prolonged duration degrades battery capacity.
About phone cleaners: yes it does help; however, features such as clearing cache/junk and RAM are already present in modern Android devices. That said, it’s not necessary to have an extra app for the purpose, which occupies extra space and consumes more battery.
Hey there. Is’t safe (for the battery and me) to continue using my phone when it’s charging?
Hello Piet. We don’t recommend doing so as there have already been numerous reports of related incidents. However, it’s important to note that the causes of explosions are not conclusive (in that charging while using may not be the direct cause). Still, safety above all.
Hi,
I can confirm this rule 20/80 was really powerful and I can keep my old Meizu pro 5 during 3 and an half years without any pb, just starting now to have problem.
I’ve switched to S9+ and start with the same rule, but I have an overall feeling that It can’t make the day in that condition.
So I’m wondering if my new device has a problem (completely new out of the box, accubattery apps rates the battery capacity 85% of manufacturer’s value (3500)).
or if because of modern device, samsung consider already the 80% rule builtin and when charging 100% you are at 80%, and I should now decide to charge until the 100% ?
Any advice are welcome
thanks
Hello hervé. It may be due to that S9+ has a higher consumption rate. It’s not as harmful to fully charge it, as long as you don’t consistently leave it on 100% for too long. Regarding the inaccuracy in capacity rating, you could try doing a full discharge once to recalibrate the battery. Hope this helps!
Will charging my phone at 80% make last longer
Hello Patrick. Keeping your phone’s battery in 20% to 80% (or narrower) range will help slow down battery degradation. But if you prefer charging to 100% for longer runtime, avoid leaving it at full battery for too long (i.e., keeping it plugged to the charger after 100%).
I typically plugged my phone before going to bed and let it charge overnight so that when I wake up, it’s showing 100% and ready to tackle a new day. I’m pretty sure I am not the only one doing this, but obviously we don’t wake up at intervals during the night to check if the phone is now fully charge to disconnect it.
So I assume leaving your phone to charge overnight may be convenient, but not a good idea to prolong battery life?
Hello Hugo. Yes, it does lower battery capacity in the long run. Lithium-ion batteries are degraded more the longer they stay at extreme battery levels.
You can look for auto cut-off cables or plugs, whichever is more convenient for you.
How many times we can charge phone daily
Hello there! Frequent charging does not harm lithium-ion batteries. They suffer stress on deeper/full discharge and when they are in extreme battery levels (above 80% and below 20%). So it’s safe to recharge whenever convenient, just unplug when the battery is full or when it’s at least 80%.
Hi. Is it okay to keep it between 0-95%?
Hi Kushank, try to avoid your battery level from falling below 20%, as it can reduce your battery lifespan. Charging up to 95% is fine.
Does a Samsung Galaxy S4 need to be turned off when re-charging the phone?
Hello William. It is not necessary. What turning off the phone does, as with flight mode and turning off the screen, is reducing the battery usage to lower the time it’ll take to charge.
No reason to turn it off.
how many times do i charge my phone in a day in any time of battery %???
Hello there! You can charge your phone whenever you need. But for maximizing its battery lifespan, try to maintain it in the 20% – 80% battery level range. If not, just make sure you don’t leave your phone charging for too long after it’s fully charged.