Are you killing your smartphone?

There’s a fine line between being battery savvy and silly, so are you killing your smartphone by committing these battery-charging mistakes?

You don’t have to charge to 100 per cent
Believe it or not, maintaining full charge is not the best way to keep your battery strong. Tech experts say you should keep your phone hovering between 30 and 80 per cent, as that’s where it runs most efficiently.

Stop charging overnight
Experts also say it’s best to charge your phone in short bursts rather than having it connected to power overnight.

Don’t let it get too low
Every time your phone discharges completely, it degrades your battery ever so slightly. Even so, there is a prevalent opinion that you should let it run out of battery once every month or two, because it recalibrates your battery meter.

Stop overheating your battery
You may have noticed that your phone is a bit slow after leaving it on the dashboard of your car or out in the sun for too long. Smartphone batteries don’t like the heat. In fact, optimal operating conditions for an iPhone are between 0°C and 35°C, so keep your battery cool and it will live longer.

Remove your phone cover when you charge
Your phone cover may cause your smartphone to overheat, so help out your battery by taking off the cover when your phone is on charge.

Ensure that you use the correct charger
Your genuine phone charger is designed to cut off the power when your battery hits 100 per cent, whereas less-expensive, third-party chargers don’t usually have this feature. Some third-party chargers are death traps, not just for your phone but for you too. So, do yourself and your phone a favour and stick to the genuine article.

Do you panic when your battery runs out of juice? Do you have any phone-charging tips for our members?

Related articles:
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Double your battery life
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Written by Leon Della Bosca

Publisher of YourLifeChoices – Australia's most-trusted and longest-running retirement website. A trusted voice on Australia's retirement landscape, including retirement income and planning, government entitlements, lifestyle and news and information relevant to Australians over 50. Leon has worked in publishing for more than 25 years and is also a travel writer and editor, graphic designer and photographer.

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