Here are three common mistakes people often make when charging their phones—and why you should avoid them:
1. Using cheap or uncertified chargers
- Many people use knock-off cables or chargers that aren’t certified for their phone.
- Why it’s bad: Can overheat the battery, reduce its lifespan, or even damage your phone.
- Tip: Always use the charger and cable recommended by the manufacturer, or certified alternatives (like MFi for Apple).
2. Charging overnight or leaving it at 100% all the time
- People often plug in their phone and forget it until morning.
- Why it’s bad: Keeping lithium-ion batteries at 100% for long periods stresses the battery and slowly reduces capacity.
- Tip: Charge between 20% and 80% for longer battery health. Modern phones often have “optimized charging” modes that help with this.
3. Using the phone heavily while charging
- Browsing, gaming, or streaming while charging seems harmless.
- Why it’s bad: Generates extra heat, which is the #1 factor in degrading batteries over time.
- Tip: Avoid heavy usage during charging, or at least remove the case to allow better heat dissipation.
💡 Extra bonus tip: Avoid exposing your phone to high temperatures while charging (like under a pillow or in direct sunlight)—heat damages batteries faster than almost anything else.
If you want, I can also make a list of 3 “myths” about charging phones that people still believe but are actually false. It’s surprisingly eye-opening.
