Photo by Andreas Haslinger

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Our Smartphones are essential with their many functions for work, play, and communication. Keeping them charged is a crucial duty that comes with their constant use, but there are a lot of myths about this straightforward act. Myths about using your phone while plugged in and alerts about overcharging are just two examples of how false information may cause needless anxiety and even bad charging habits. We’ll dispel ten of the most widespread myths regarding smartphone charging in this post so you may distinguish reality from fiction and choose wisely when it comes to keeping your phone charged. 

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Overcharging will destroy your battery

Due to concerns that “overcharging” may destroy their batteries, many smartphone owners have been cautioned for years not to leave their devices plugged in overnight. Nonetheless, this is among the most enduring misconceptions regarding contemporary cellphones.

Modern battery technology:

Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries, which are made using cutting-edge technology to avoid overcharging, power the majority of smartphones today. When your phone’s battery hits 100%, it automatically cuts down unnecessary power use and enters “trickle charging” mode. By doing this, the battery is shielded from potential harm and kept fully charged without consuming more power than is required.

Integrated security features in devices:

Intelligent battery management systems are a feature of contemporary cellphones. To maintain efficiency and safety, these devices regulate power flow and keep an eye on the battery’s charge levels. Furthermore, a lot of gadgets come with sensors that can identify overheating and stop charging if the temperature becomes too high.

Things to take into account when charging overnight:

There are a few things to keep in mind even if keeping your phone plugged in overnight won’t overload the battery:

• Controlling heat: Heat may be trapped by using thick covers or by setting your phone on soft surfaces like blankets or pillows. Your phone may warm up as a result of this when charging, which over time may weaken the battery.
• Charger quality: Always use high-quality chargers, ideally ones that have been approved by the maker of your phone. It’s possible that low-quality or fake chargers lack the safety safeguards required to stop electrical problems.

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You should let your battery drain completely before charging

Why full discharge cycles are not necessary for Lithium-Ion batteries:

• The memory effect is no longer relevant. Partially charging an older battery without completely draining it might “confuse” it and eventually lower its maximum capacity. However, lithium-ion batteries are not affected by this memory effect and do not require a full discharge in order to preserve their capacity or health.

• Regular deep discharges could be dangerous: Actually, maintaining lithium-ion batteries within a reasonable charge range—typically between 20% and 80%—improves their performance. Regularly letting your battery run at zero might cause stress on it and shorten its longevity. Deep discharges actually increase the likelihood of wear and tear by placing needless strain on the battery’s interior components.

Integrated battery management systems:

Battery management systems that keep an eye on charge levels and guard against negative consequences like over-discharging are standard on modern smartphones. A tiny reserve charge is kept in place even when your phone displays 0% power to prevent the battery from being totally depleted, which might result in irreparable damage.

• How to charge a battery correctly to prevent total discharges: Before your device’s battery falls below 20%, try to recharge it. By doing this, the battery experiences less stress and lasts longer.

• Adopt partial charging: Partial charges are ideal for lithium-ion batteries. It’s okay to quickly charge up your phone while the battery is at 40% or 50%; it won’t damage it.
• Make use of optimized charging capabilities: To lessen battery wear and tear, many smartphones now have capabilities that halt charging at specific thresholds (such as 80%) and restart right before you need the device.

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Third-party chargers will ruin your battery

Users of smartphones frequently worry about if using a third-party charger would damage their device or battery. The notion that any charger that is not produced by the manufacturer of your phone is inherently dangerous is untrue, even while it is true that not all third-party chargers are built equal. The actual situation is more complex and is contingent upon the charger’s certification and quality.

Third-party certified chargers are safe:

• Numerous trustworthy businesses, like Anker, Belkin, and Aukey, manufacture third-party chargers that are both safe and very effective. These chargers frequently adhere to industry standards and come with certifications like MFi (Made for iPhone) for Apple products or USB-IF (USB Implementers Forum) compatibility.
• In order to ensure safe and effective charging without overheating or overloading the battery, certified chargers are made to offer precise voltage and current for your device.

The risk associated with subpar chargers:

• Using unbranded, subpar chargers without the necessary safety measures is the true risk. These chargers could provide erratic power levels, which might cause your smartphone to overheat, bloat its battery, or even sustain irreversible damage.
• The risk of fire or electrical hazards is increased by certain fake chargers’ use of inferior materials and the absence of crucial safety features like overcurrent and overvoltage protection.

Quick charging and interoperability:

• Fast charging technologies like USB Power Delivery (PD) and Qualcomm Quick Charge are supported by a large number of contemporary smartphones. With no negative impact on the battery, certified third-party chargers that adhere to these requirements may charge your smartphone just as efficiently as those supplied by the manufacturer.
• When incompatible chargers try to rapidly charge a device, problems might occur because the power distribution may be incorrect. Always make sure a charger is compatible before buying it.

Advice on selecting the best charger:

• Look for certifications: Select chargers bearing reputable certifications, such as USB-IF, CE, FCC, or MFi, since they signify compliance with performance and safety requirements.
• Investigate the brand: Choose third-party chargers from respectable companies that are well-known for their dependability and excellence.
• Steer clear of counterfeits: Chargers from unreliable suppliers or at abnormally cheap costs should be avoided as they are frequently dangerous and counterfeit.
• Sync charging specifications: Verify the charging specs of your phone to make sure the charger produces the right amount of power (voltage and amperage, for example).

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Using your phone while charging is dangerous

Overheating and electrical risks:

• Due to the absence of sophisticated heat management technologies, early cell phones and chargers occasionally overheated when being used while charging. This gave the sense that such use was dangerous from the start.
• Although they are the exception rather than the rule, some events involving defective chargers or broken cords have added to the anxiety.

Using your phone while charging:

• Heat generation is normal: Your phone may produce extra heat while you use it while charging, particularly for resource-intensive activities like gaming or streaming videos. Modern gadgets, on the other hand, include thermal management features that guard against hazardous overheating.
• Battery management systems: Modern smartphones are equipped with built-in protections against overvoltage, overcurrent, and overheating, as well as to control charging. Even with prolonged use, these mechanisms guarantee the battery’s safety.
• Electrical safety: There is very little chance of electrical problems as long as you use an authorized charger and connection. Usually, issues only occur with damaged or counterfeit accessories.

When It could be an issue:

• If your phone becomes too warm for prolonged periods of time while charging, using it while charging may eventually accelerate battery deterioration. Using an uncertified charger or exposing the phone to outside heat sources increases the likelihood of this happening.
• Electrical risks may also become more likely if the charging cable or port sustains physical damage.

Tips for using your phone safely while charging:

• Make use of superior accessories: To reduce the chance of electrical problems or overheating, only use approved chargers and cords from reliable companies.
• Keep an eye on the temperature: Reduce the amount of time you spend on your phone or disconnect it for a short while if it starts to get uncomfortable hot.
• Avoid damaged accessories: To reduce the chance of short circuits or fires, check charging cables and ports for wear or damage.
• Keep your phone in a ventilated area: Soft surfaces, such as couches or mattresses, can retain heat and lead to overheating, so keep your phone away from them.

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Wireless charging is slower and less efficient

What has changed since the inception of wireless charging:

• Compared to wired chargers, early wireless chargers had substantially slower charging speeds because of their restricted power output, which was usually just about 5 watts.
• Inefficient charging was frequently caused by misalignment between the smartphone and the charging station.
• Less sophisticated heat management occasionally caused the device to warm up when charging, which had an impact on battery health and speed.

Modern wireless charging technology:

• Faster charging rates: The difference between wired and wireless charging rates is greatly reduced by the larger power outputs that modern wireless chargers now provide, frequently ranging between 10 and 15 watts or more.
• Enhanced efficiency: Wireless charging is now more efficient than ever because to developments in coil alignment and charging pad design that have reduced energy loss.
• Smart charging functions: To guarantee safe and effective charging, a lot of wireless chargers now have functions like temperature control and foreign object detection (FOD).

– Performance in the real world

• With fast-charging technologies like Qualcomm Quick Charge and USB Power Delivery (PD), which in some situations can supply power of up to 100 watts, wired charging is still often quicker.
• But for daily use, wireless charging has filled the need. A 15-watt wireless charger, for instance, can charge a contemporary smartphone to 50% capacity in less than an hour, which is adequate for the majority of users.

– Benefits of wireless charging 

• Convenience: Wireless chargers are perfect for workstations, bedside tables, and public charging stations since they do not require cords to be plugged in and unplugged.
• Multi-Device charging: Certain wireless pads have the ability to charge many devices at once, including earphones, a phone, and a wristwatch.
• Durability: Wireless charging can lower long-term maintenance expenses because charging ports and cables don’t deteriorate.

– Limitations of wireless charging

• Position sensitivity: Although modern chargers with numerous coils have lessened this problem, devices still need to be correctly aligned with the charging pad for best results.
• Heat generation: Compared to wired charging, wireless charging has the potential to produce more heat, which, if left unchecked, might eventually shorten battery life.
• Power restrictions: Even with advancements, wireless charging usually falls short of high-wattage wired chargers’ lightning-fast rates.

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Fast charging damages your battery over time

Fast charging, which enables users to recharge their devices fast and effectively, has become a widely desired feature in contemporary smartphones. Concerns are frequently raised, nevertheless, regarding whether the faster charging pace compromises the long-term health of the battery. Although there is some validity to the notion that fast charging produces greater heat, which may have an impact on batteries, fast charging technology has advanced to greatly reduce these concerns.

– How Quick Charging operates

• Fast charging, which frequently makes use of specialized chargers and connections that enable greater
• wattage, speeds up the pace at which electricity is delivered to a device’s battery.
• Phase 1: Rapid Charging: The battery charges rapidly, reaching between 50 and 70 percent of its capacity.
• Phase 2: Tapered Charging: To avoid overcharging and overheating, the charging rate decreases as the battery gets closer to full capacity.

Typical fast-charging guidelines:

• Many Android smartphones have Qualcomm Quick Charge, which provides power levels of up to 100 watts.
• Many contemporary gadgets, such as iPhones and Androids, employ USB Power transmission (USB-PD), a worldwide standard that supports power transmission of up to 100 watts.
• Proprietary technologies: Companies like as Samsung, OnePlus, and Oppo have created their own rapid charging technologies, some of which may reach 120 watts or more.

– Fast charging’s effect on battery health and heat production

• Heat as a byproduct: Because of the increased power flow, fast charging produces more heat than conventional charging. Lithium-ion batteries can gradually lose capacity and lifespan due to degradation caused by excessive heat.
• Thermal management: To maintain temperature levels within acceptable bounds, modern gadgets are outfitted with sophisticated thermal management technologies, such as heat dissipation materials and software optimizations.

Chemistry of batteries:

• Lithium-ion batteries are made to withstand sporadic rapid charging without suffering serious damage.
• The majority of manufacturers advise against using rapid charging as the main charging technique to prolong the battery’s life, particularly in extremely hot or cold conditions.

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Higher mAh chargers are always better

A common misconception is that a charger with a greater wattage or milliampere-hour (mAh) rating would necessarily charge a smartphone more quickly. While it’s true that in certain situations, a higher powerful charger will speed up charging, not all devices will benefit from or even be safe using one. Selecting the highest-power charger is not nearly as crucial as using the appropriate charger for your particular device.

– Does quicker charging come with larger chargers?

It is not entirely accurate to assume that a charger with a larger wattage or mAh would always charge a smartphone more quickly. This is the reason:

• The majority of modern computers, tablets, and smartphones include integrated power management systems that control the amount of electricity they can handle.
• A phone that is only made to draw 18W will restrict its power intake to avoid damage and overheating, even if you plug in a 100W charger.

– There are several elements that affect charging speed.

• Size and battery chemistry: Bigger batteries, like those used in laptops, can manage higher power demands than smaller ones seen in smartphones.
• Accept for charging protocols: Up to a certain point, devices that accept fast-charging protocols (such as Apple’s fast charging, USB Power Delivery, or Qualcomm Quick Charge) can benefit from increased watts.
• Cable quality: The advantages of a high-wattage charger may be limited by a poor cable that cannot transfer high power.

– An excessive amount of electricity might harm your battery.

• Over time, using a charger that is higher than the power level advised for your device may cause overheating, battery deterioration, or even irreversible damage.
• The absence of adequate safety safeguards in certain less expensive third-party chargers raises the possibility of power surges or short circuits.

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Airplane Mode makes charging faster

– Does using airplane mode expedite charging?

GPS, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and cellular connections are all cut off when airplane mode is activated. Disabling these features lowers background energy consumption, enabling the battery to charge with a little less drain because they use power even when the device is not in use.

– Does it genuinely speed up charging?

• Yes, but only somewhat. The battery can fill up a bit quicker than normal by using less power.
• More visible with low-power chargers: Using airplane mode may help your phone charge a few minutes faster if you’re using a sluggish charger.
• Minimal effect on fast charging: Since great power efficiency is already provided by modern fast-charging technologies, airplane mode won’t have a big effect.

– When using airplane mode is most beneficial

• If your battery is really low and you need a rapid boost. 
• If you’re using an outdated or sluggish charger. 
• If you’re in an area with poor signal strength, since looking for a network uses more energy.