Everyone charges their smartphone differently, but what’s the best way? Charging the battery correctly is safer and reduces wear. In this article we give ten tips to optimally charge the battery via the USB cable and wireless charger.
Tip 01: The right charger
Charging your smartphone optimally starts with using the correct charging adapter. Preferably use the original adapter that comes with your device in the box, because it has been developed for it. Do you have a new one Samsung phone or iPhone that comes without an adapter, please refer to the manufacturer’s website to choose the correct adapter.
This also applies if you want an extra adapter, for example for the office. Avoid dirt cheap adapters from online stores or the local discount store. These are usually of moderate quality and can damage the battery without you noticing it immediately. Or they will overheat, which can create an explosion and fire hazard.
Tip 02: Look at percentages
There is a good chance that you have the battery of your smartphone charges to one hundred percent every time. That sounds logical, but it does have a negative impact on the battery life. Scientific studies have shown that the battery wears faster if it is fully charged each time. A battery that wears out faster will empty faster after a year, because it can store less energy.
According to the studies, the wear is limited if you charge the battery to eighty percent. Which does mean that you have to charge it more often in practice. The studies also make it clear that it is best to charge the battery when it still has twenty percent left. Leaving the battery empty so that your device turns off is less good for the battery.
Avoid dirt cheap adapters from webshops or the local discount store
Tip 03: Fast charging is handy
Smartphones are charging faster and faster, which is partly due to the USB-C charger. Fast charging usually requires the USB cable and adapter that come in the box with the device. Keep this in mind if you want an extra charger and want to charge as quickly as possible.
Most scientific studies make it clear that fast charging accelerates the wear of the battery, but that the effects are still limited after two years of use. Manufacturers also mention this and improve their fast charging techniques every year to lower temperatures and thus indirectly reduce battery wear. Still, it remains clear that charging the battery slower is better, more about that later.
Tip 04: Slower is better
If you want to use your smartphone for as long as possible, it is a good idea to limit the wear of the battery. Because it is clear that charging as quickly as possible accelerates the wear somewhat, it is better to charge the battery more slowly. This is especially useful if you are not in a hurry, for example because you charge your device overnight.
Another advantage of slower charging is that less heat is generated and the charging adapter and your smartphone stay cooler. Sony and Apple, among others, are in favor of slower charging. A charging speed of 10 watts is slow, but fast enough to charge an average smartphone battery within four hours.
Tip 05: The temperature
At the charging the battery heat is released, both via the charging adapter and in the smartphone itself. The latter in particular is a point of attention, because the development of heat can accelerate the wear of the battery and also has practical consequences. A device that charges gets warmer, especially if you’re using it in the meantime. Then it is better not to do this, especially if you use a powerful fast charger.
Also pay close attention to the ambient temperature. Regardless of whether it charges or not, a battery does not like very low or high temperatures. In particular, a high ambient temperature can lead to overheating. That is why it is very unwise to put your smartphone under your pillow or in full sun while charging.
A battery – apart from charging – does not like very low or high temperatures
Tip 06: Software Helpers
Most smartphones help you with tips for optimal charging. For example, a device usually warns you if it threatens to get too hot during use and switches itself off if that happens. And many smartphones also have functions in the settings menu to customize the charging process to your liking. Think of a bedtime schedule, where you set the times between which the battery should charge more slowly, even if you connect the powerful fast charger.
As mentioned, slower charging is more favorable for the battery’s lifespan. The names of these kinds of functions differ per smartphone brand, but can usually be found in the battery settings. In most cases, they work for both wired and wireless charging.
Tip 07: Wireless charging
Can your smartphone charge wirelessly by placing it on a charging mat? Fine, but pay attention to the points of attention. In the vast majority of cases, you have to buy such a charging mat yourself and the technical differences between these chargers are large.
First of all, look at the minimum output – in watts – that your smartphone needs to charge wirelessly. This is often 10 watts. Take a model that certainly supplies enough power. There are also 5 and 7.5 watt wireless chargers, but they are mainly intended for charging accessories, such as wireless earbuds or a smart watch.
There are also charging mats that can charge multiple devices at once. Also check the minimum output in watts per charging coil for such a model.
Tip 08: More than watts
While output in watts is important when choosing the right wireless charger, there are more factors at play. Because although all smartphones that charge wirelessly use the technical Qi standard, the implementation differs. An implementation that is well incorporated in the wireless charger of the respective manufacturer, but usually not in those of third parties.
Proprietary implementations are especially a point of attention if you want to charge your smartphone wirelessly as quickly as possible. A wireless charger from brand A with an output higher than 15 watts, that output can often only supply a specific smartphone from brand A. For devices from other brands, the charger usually delivers a maximum of 15 watts. You can check this by checking with the seller or manufacturer.
The technical differences between wireless chargers are big
Tip 09: Less efficient
A third point of attention with wireless charging is that the charging process is less efficient than wired charging. Some current is simply lost in the magnetic fields between the smartphone and the charging mat; current that does not enter the battery. This does not work with wired charging. If you want to have the battery of your smartphone full (or up to eighty percent) as quickly as possible, then it is better to grab the USB cable.
Tip 10: Reverse charging
Finally, a tip about a relatively new function: using your smartphone to wirelessly charge another device. This only works with smartphones that can charge wirelessly and support this function. Of course you also need a device that can charge itself wirelessly, for example a suitable smartphone or accessory such as a smartwatch or electric toothbrush.
You place one smartphone with the screen down and put the other device on it with the screen up. The disadvantages of this charging function are that it is very slow (usually with 5 watts), it is less efficient than wired charging and that you can hardly use both devices while charging.
