Is Charging Your Phone to 100% Safe? Experts Explain the Ideal Charging Limit

Tech experts reveal why stopping at 80% can extend battery life.

Charging a smartphone to 100% might seem like the best way to maximize battery life, but experts warn that doing so regularly can actually shorten the battery’s lifespan. With most modern smartphones having non-removable batteries, users are looking for ways to maintain battery health over the years.

Why Charging to 100% Can Be Harmful

Battery degradation occurs naturally over time, but excessive charging stress speeds up the process. There are two primary reasons why stopping at 80% is beneficial:

1. Heat Generation: Charging generates heat, and excessive heat can damage battery cells. Avoiding a full charge helps keep the temperature lower, preserving battery health.
2. Voltage Stress: Batteries charge quickly up to 60%, then slow down as they approach full capacity. The final charge from 80% to 100% puts additional strain on the battery, leading to faster wear.

Who Should Consider the 80% Charging Rule?

• Casual Users: If your phone usage is moderate and you have easy access to charging, stopping at 80% can prolong battery life.
• Heavy Users: Those who rely on their phones throughout the day can still benefit from this method, as long as they have a charger available when needed.
• Gamers & Travelers: For power-intensive tasks, a full charge may be necessary, but users should be mindful that frequent 100% charges can reduce battery longevity.

How to Set a Charging Limit

Many smartphone brands now offer features to limit charging:

• Samsung: Navigate to Settings > Battery > Battery Protection to enable charging limits.
• OnePlus: Go to Battery Health settings to adjust the charging cap.
• iPhone: Apple’s Optimized Battery Charging feature, enabled by default, learns charging habits and limits charging until the device is needed. Users can also manually adjust this in Settings > Battery > Charging.

Conclusion

While occasionally charging to 100% is fine, regularly stopping at 80% can help extend your battery’s lifespan. With built-in charging limit options available on many devices, users can easily adopt this practice for better long-term battery health.

Reference:
Esakal – Should You Stop Charging Your Smartphone to 100%?