Do you want to take care of the battery of your mobile and that it does not deteriorate over time? One of the keys may be not to charge the battery beyond 80%. With this you can double the useful life of your smartphone's battery from the start, even do this later.
Among the tips is being able to do the different charges at a percentage of less than one hundred percent, something that some manufacturers see as positive, at least in half of the things. It is always recommended to use the original charger the one that the device itself comes with, another is not.
Getting the battery not to deteriorate
Before, when we had mobiles in which we could remove the case and change the battery We knew that after a couple of years the battery might deteriorate and we'd have to replace it. Buying an original battery was relatively expensive, but it was quite affordable compared to the price of the phone, how long we'd had it, and the fact that we'd have a new battery. Even so, if we could avoid it, all the better.
Nowadays, almost no smartphone gives us the possibility to change the battery. Buying an original is more expensive, because they are not designed to sell battery units, and disassembling a mobile is not something simple. So with all this, the ideal is to do everything possible so that the battery does not deteriorate. But what is really useful and what is not? Well, not charging the battery beyond 80% is something that can be useful.
It is important to understand that Modern mobile phone batteries are lithium-ion or lithium-polymer batteries.These new technologies offer many advantages over older nickel batteries. Faster charging, less self-discharge, and a longer lifespanBut they are also more sensitive to voltage spikes and heat. Therefore, the way we charge them directly affects how long they last over time.
Furthermore, today almost all phones include a battery management system (BMS) which controls how much energy enters and leaves, monitors the temperature, and manages the charging speed. This system decides, among other things, when to reduce the loading speed or limit the maximum percentage to protect the battery, even if the user is unaware of it.
Do not charge the battery more than 80%
Batteries are composed of cores or cells that store energy. The charging speed of the battery varies if it is already charged to 20%, or if we are exceeding 80%In other words, the battery's optimal performance is between 20% and 80%. Outside of this range, we'll be contributing to faster battery degradation. Ideally, the battery should always be within this intermediate capacity range.
When the battery exceeds 80%, we are subjecting the cells to a higher voltage and greater chemical stressBattery life is generally measured in charge cycles. If our battery has, for example, 2.000 cycles, constantly charging it to 100% will cause those cycles to be used up faster than if we stay at 80%. And if we leave the phone plugged in at 100% for many hours, the deterioration will be greater because it's at a high voltage level for a longer period.
The charging process of a lithium-ion battery is usually divided into three main phases, which explain why it's not always a good idea to charge it to the maximum:
- Bulk LoadIt goes approximately from 0% to 70-80%. At this stage, the battery receives a lot of current and charges quickly, which is why we see the percentage rise very rapidly at the beginning.
- Absorption loadFrom that 70-80% point, the system reduces the intensity to fill the cells more carefully. Here The loading speed decreases, precisely to prevent overheating and protect the internal chemistry.
- Slow or ātop-offā chargingIn the final stretch, up to 100%, the charging becomes very slow or even stops in small pulses. This phase is the most... stress puts on the batterybecause it keeps it at the highest possible voltage.
That's why many modern phones, when they reach 80%, seem to "get stuck" for quite some time. It's not actually a malfunction, but a protection and intelligent management function to reduce premature aging.
So the ideal is to prevent the battery from passing 80%. And if possible, also prevent it from falling below 20%. If this is possible for you, and it does not involve a great effort, it is ideal. A good way to keep your battery perfect.
According to studies, it is more than advisable
Various studies have shown that the useful life of a battery is better as long as is between the percentages of 20 to 80 in terms of percentageCharging above 80% will strain the cells, impacting performance, which is something you definitely want to avoid affecting the phone.
To make the loads, you have to be aware that it does not exceed that number, for this you will always have to use logic, if it is fast loading, you have to be looking a lot. Certain applications usually notify by means of a sound so that it does not exceed 80 and do not go above 81 and up.
Another study has seen as 40 to 80% It is another of the benefits for the battery of your terminal, which is still not a bad number and always easy to control. Going below 20% is not recommended and it has been said that this does not happen so that it does not suffer wear and tear in the short and especially long term.
In parallel, some manufacturers have implemented āoptimized chargingā modes that learn when you usually charge your phone to keep it within that healthy range for longer. In these cases, the system can automatically pause charging at 80% and wait until it calculates that you will use the device to complete the charge to 100% only when strictly necessary.
In other models, especially in high-end ranges, it is already possible manually set a maximum load limit (for example, 80% or 90%), which prevents the battery from exceeding that value even if you leave it plugged in all night. This feature, when available, is one of the best ways to apply the 20/80 rule without having to constantly monitor the percentage.
Use a ringer for Android
On Android you have several apps with which you can know the percentage at all times, especially if you prefer to be notified if it reaches 80% and starts at 20%. Limiters exist, although it is suggested that you use a tool such as Battery Charge Notifier, a free app from the Play Store.
You have the notification in several sounds, you can also decide when you want it to do it, in case it is close to that percentage expected by you. It becomes one of the utilities that have been gaining followers Over time, one will help more than the others, since it is advisable to use the same one as the system.
The use is simple, you need to install the application first to then start configuring, the good thing is that it is in Spanish, as well as in other languages. It is recommended to take an initial look at it, since this is what we must do before starting to configure the notifications, which must be between 20 and 80, although between 40 and 80% is another one that you can study in another case and it works well.
In addition to these types of warning devices, some manufacturers include standard features for āsmart chargingā or āprotected chargingā which you can activate from the battery settings. These options usually allow you to:
- Define a maximum load limit for everyday use.
- Schedule nightly charging times so that your phone only reaches 100% shortly before you wake up.
- Show alerts when the The battery overheats during charging.
If your phone doesn't include anything similar, third-party apps are a good way to achieve something similar, reminding you when to unplug the charger to keep you within the healthiest range.
Calibrate the battery
This is a point that has been seen to improve the quality and the life of the battery, that of calibrating it with the internal application of the phone or an external app. On the other hand, it is recommended that this sole go through the different exercises so that it does not suffer in daily use.
Calibration takes a few minutes, so it is recommended not to do anything while doing this, as this will affect overall performance. Calibrating the device will earn you a significant improvement, especially in terminals with less memory and a medium CPU.
To calibrate the battery, you have to download the same completely and reload, for this it can be useful to play titles of any kind. You also have tools in the Play Store that will help you in this case, to calibrate the battery in general.
It's important to understand that calibration doesn't "repair" the battery, but rather It improves the accuracy with which the system calculates the remaining percentageOver time, if you never complete a full cycle from 0% to 100%, the software's estimates may become inaccurate, causing:
- That the mobile phone turns off while it is still displaying a relatively high percentage.
- That the indicator jumps abruptly from one value to another.
- That the phone seems "stuck" on a certain value for a long time.
Therefore, some systems like GrapheneOS and other Android-based implementations recommend performing some full charge cycle up to 100% Every so often, the internal sensors and the algorithm that estimates capacity are recalibrated. This has been further refined in recent versions of Android, where the recalibration process has been improved to make battery measurement more reliable in the long run.
Additionally, occasional full charging helps the internal battery cells remain balancedWith use, each cell may discharge slightly at different rates; when the phone reaches 100%, the system has room to redistribute energy and align the level of all cells as much as possible, optimizing the actual use of capacity.
How smart charging management works on your mobile phone
The mobile phone is currently the most important tool we have for staying informed and connected with our friends. Its evolution has meant that, in addition to making calls, we can check our social networks, take high-definition photos and videos, read the news, play games, and use it for many other purposes. All of this makes it battery health is critical for our daily lives.
Given the wide range of uses we can give it, maintaining the battery in proper working order has become a primary task for us. To avoid running out of power at the worst possible moment, Manufacturers have developed very advanced battery management systems who work in the background.
These systems include, among other things:
- Temperature controlIf the phone gets too hot, the system reduces the charging speed or stops it.
- Load cycle managementThe BMS monitors how many complete cycles have been consumed and can limit the maximum load when it detects an aging battery to prevent further damage.
- Optimized charging functionsThey learn your daily charging routines and adjust the pace so that the battery spends less time at 100%.
In some models, especially certain iPhone ranges and recent Android phones, these features can cause the phone seems to get "stuck" at 80%. for quite a while. Far from being a problem, it's a sign that the system is trying to protect the battery in the long term reducing the time spent at maximum voltage.
Why do some phones stop charging at 80%?
You may have plugged in your phone expecting to see it at 100%, only to find it's stuck at around 80% when you turn it off. Beyond the 20/80 rule as a good practice, there are There are several technical reasons why a mobile phone might stop or slow down charging at that point.:
- Slow charging phaseUpon reaching that percentage, the device enters a stage where the charging speed is drastically reduced to prevent overheating and overloading. During this phase, the progress is so slow that it may appear as if it has "stopped."
- Optimized loadingIf your phone has the optimized charging function activated, the system may decide to keep the charge at 80% for hours and complete the rest just before the time you usually disconnect it.
- Load limit configuredSome phones allow you to set a cap (80% or 90%) that the device will never exceed to protect the battery. If you've enabled something like this in the settings, the phone will always stay at that value.
- Protection from temperature or aging: when the BMS detects very high temperatures or a very worn battery, may impose a load limit of 80% to minimize the risk of damage or safety issues.
In addition to these internal factors, there are other simpler reasons why the phone may not charge properly or appear to be below 80%:
- Dirty charging portDust or lint residue can prevent good contact between the cable and the connector, causing cuts or very low intensity.
- Faulty cables or adaptersA poor quality or damaged charger can supply power irregularly, causing charging to stop before reaching its maximum capacity.
- software problemsApplication or operating system failures can interfere with load measurement or management; these are often resolved by restarting or updating the system.
If your phone battery is always around 80% and you need it to reach 100%, you should check:
- If you have activated the optimized load or a load limit in the battery settings.
- The state of cable, charger and USB portCleaning it carefully if necessary.
- If there are pending system updates or if the problem is resolved after a restart.
The 20/80 rule and other good practices for everyday use
Read alsoAlex Frutos
The main recommendation to ensure your battery doesn't lose its quality is to keep it between 20% and 80% charge. Exceeding these levels, either above or below, puts extra strain on the battery and may shorten its lifespan. Maintaining the charge within the recommended range prevents degradation of the battery's lithium-ion cells, thus avoiding a decrease in battery life.
Percentages: To ensure that the battery does not lose its qualities, you should try to keep it between 20% and 80% charge.
It's also important to know that the lithium-ion batteries in today's mobile phones don't have the memory effect that older batteries did. These days, our phones can be fully charged to 100% even if the battery isn't completely discharged, without affecting their short- or long-term lifespan.
On the other hand, and contrary to what many of us thought, there's no longer a problem with leaving your phone charging overnight, since the newer generations of lithium-ion and lithium-polymer batteries aren't affected by it. In most cases, the batteries simply cut off the current once they detect that the charge has reached 100%.
An important tip we want to share with you is to avoid using your phone while it's plugged in, as this can cause battery imbalances. This is because, on the one hand, you're using the battery while the phone is charging, and on the other hand, you're also charging it. Therefore, it's always best not to use your phone until it's fully charged, thus preventing damage to the battery.
Heat, fast charging, and other factors that damage the battery
Mobile phone battery life is one of users' main concerns and one of the most common reasons why we decide to change phones. It's no wonder we do everything we can to take care of our phone's battery and try to extend its useful life as much as possible.
For some time now, many mobile phones have offered the option to limit battery charging to prevent it from reaching 100%.Fully charging the battery significantly contributes to its wear and tear, thus reducing its lifespan. While this might seem like a good idea on paper, it's worth considering whether it's truly beneficial.
By limiting the charging of our mobile phone to a percentage around 80% (this depends on the manufacturer), the battery It will retain its original load capacity for longer.This prevents us from having to change our mobile phone or replace the battery due to a malfunction before the expected time.
It is true that this allows us to enjoy a better-performing battery after several years of using the same mobile phone, but we cannot ignore that From day one we will be limiting the phone's battery life. considerably: 20% less charge can translate into several fewer hours of battery life, depending on the device.
In practice, this means that a balance must be struck: on the one hand, Always charging to 100% and using up all the capacity accelerates degradation.On the other hand, limiting charging to 80% reduces the available daily battery life. The choice depends on your habits: if you usually have plenty of battery left at the end of the day, you can prioritize long-term battery health by limiting charging; if you struggle to make it to the end of the day, you might prefer to take advantage of 100% when you need it.
While the load limit may be appealing to some users, it's always worth remembering that The main enemy of batteries is heat Therefore, it might be more advisable to pay attention to other things, such as not overusing fast charging. While fully charging the battery in a few minutes is certainly useful, the heat the battery has to withstand during the charging process has a clear impact on its long-term health.
Whenever possible, it is recommended to:
- Avoid charging your phone at low altitude. direct sunlight or near heat sources.
- remove the thick cover during long or fast loads to improve ventilation.
- Use official or certified chargerswhich manage temperature and current better.
When is it a good idea to charge to 100%?
The 20/80 rule, popularized as an option to maximize the lifespan of lithium batteries, may not be as infallible as it has always been thought to be.This recommendation, which consists of maintaining a minimum charge of 20% and a maximum of 80%, has shown that avoiding full charges (up to 100%) and deep discharges helps reduce chemical wear on the battery, extending its lifespan. But it's not all perfect.
Although it is a good practice to preserve battery health, There are times when charging the device to 100% is necessary, a feature that Google is implementing in its phones..
It is important to understand the logic behind the recommendation to keep the load between 20% and 80%. Lithium-ion batteries, which are used in most electronic devices such as mobile phones and laptops, are sensitive to charging extremes.
Fully charging the battery or letting it drain to 0% can stress the battery's internal chemistry, accelerating its degradation. By keeping the charge within an intermediate range, away from those extremes, wear and tear is minimized and battery life is maximized.
This concept has been adopted by many device manufacturers. Their phones have implemented charging optimization features that limit the maximum charge to 80% to protect the battery. The idea is to prevent the battery from being constantly charged to its full capacity, which reduces heat and pressure on the battery, two factors that contribute to its accelerated wear.
Although the 80/20 rule has become a popular guideline, it's not foolproof. In fact, there are times when fully charging your phone to 100% is necessary. This is related to the need to recalibrate the battery from time to time.
Battery recalibration is a process that helps restore the accuracy of the remaining charge estimate. Throughout the use of the device, the phone's operating system estimates how much charge remains in the battery.However, over time, this estimate may become inaccurate if the battery never reaches 100%.
Insufficient charging cycles can lead to an inaccurate battery reading, which could cause the phone to display an incorrect percentage of remaining charge, with the risk of it unexpectedly shutting down.
To solve this, some operating systems, such as GrapheneOS, which is based on Android, and other devices, occasionally require charging the battery to 100%. According to the developers of GrapheneOS, this process is essential to recalibrate the battery capacity estimate.
This recalibration has been refined in recent versions of Android, guaranteeing a more accurate long-term battery measurement and reducing the abrupt jumps in the percentage indicator.
The battery recalibration process, while technical, is easy to understand. When the phone charges to 100%, the operating system has the opportunity to compare the actual battery charge with its estimate. This complete cycle ensures that the system can adjust battery predictions more accurately.
Without this cycle, the phone might display a charge percentage that does not reflect reality, which could result in inefficient battery usage.
In addition, recalibration helps keep the battery cells balanced. Lithium-ion batteries are made up of multiple individual cells that, over time, can discharge at different rates. Charging to 100% allows energy to be redistributed across the cells, balancing their charge and ensuring that they all function efficiently.
Choosing the right chargers, cables, and usage habits
Developing good charging habits can prevent problems and extend your phone's battery life. Beyond the percentage, it's key to pay attention to:
- Suitable chargersUsing adapters with the power recommended by the manufacturer avoids voltage spikes and unnecessary overheating.
- Cables in good conditionA bent, frayed, or low-quality cable can cause power outages and affect the charging process.
- Cool charging environmentCharging your mobile phone on hard, ventilated surfaces helps dissipate heat.
In general, it is recommended that:
- On iPhones and other phones with moderate fast charging, a charger around 20W is usually enough for a good balance between speed and temperature.
- On many Android devices, the chargers between 18W and 30W They work fine, unless the manufacturer specifies otherwise.
Try not to constantly use chargers with a much higher wattage than your phone is designed to handle, because even if the phone limits the charging, the generated heat can be higher than necessary. And, whenever possible, Avoid using your phone intensively while it is chargingespecially when playing games or recording video, as you add the heat from charging and the heat from use itself.
By applying the 20/80 rule when it suits you, avoiding extreme charging, using quality chargers, and monitoring the heat, you will ensure that your mobile phone's battery retains its capacity better over time without sacrificing autonomy when you really need it.
