Don’t leave it plugged in all day: the reasons why you should only charge your phone for a few hours

Nowadays, the mobile phone is used for practically everything. From chatting with friends, to checking the weather forecast or the latest news of the day, the electronic device has become an indispensable tool throughout the day. So much so, that it is even possible to feel the need to return home for it if it has been forgotten inside.

The smartphones have evolved significantly after each decade of innovation since their first sketches more than 30 years ago, in the 90s. Thus, functionalities such as the camera, the screen, the storage or the battery have been improved during all this time with models and unique ideas to enhance each of these functions.

However, knowing the limits of your mobile device is not only important when purchasing it – to know how far its characteristics go and if it is suitable for the use that is going to be given to it – but it is also relevant to carry out correct maintenance, which allows it to extend its useful life for as long as possible.

One of the main issues that arise from this is the doubt about whether it is advisable to leave them charging overnight (customary for many), or if, on the contrary, they should be removed from the power supply once the battery reaches 100% capacity. .

How dangerous is it to leave your cell phone charging overnight?

One of the popular beliefs surrounding its use is that leaving mobile devices charging overnight is dangerous for your health, as it could cause overheating. However, today modern mobile phones are fully prepared for charging habits like this.

The most recent devices have functionalities to interrupt the electrical charge input once the battery has been fully charged, avoiding overloads. Once the device reaches 100% of its capacity, it will detect that it is fully charged and will stop allowing current to pass through.


This myth had some basis long ago, when batteries were composed mainly of nickel-cadmium, which were quite durable, although toxic and polluting the environment. This compound had a peculiarity, and that is that they had memory, which means that if they were not completely emptied before the next charge, the total capacity would be significantly reduced. In addition, they overheated more easily, which could lead to accidents such as those previously mentioned.

As time went by, nickel-cadmium batteries were replaced by current lithium-ion batteries, which have greater durability and a smaller size. In this way, not only was a more ecological alternative found, but the problems of overheating were also solved.

How to charge your mobile phone to extend battery life

Although it may seem counterproductive, to prolong the life of your mobile phone for as long as possible, it should not be charged or completely emptied. In contrast, it is advisable to keep the battery percentage between 20% and 80% to take advantage of its benefits.

When the charge exceeds 80%, the device is more stressed and slowly degrades the ion cells present in the battery, slowly weakening its functionality and reducing autonomy. In the same way, when the load drops below 20%, the process is similar, limiting the useful life. The effect is not very striking in a short period of time, but it can lead to notable reductions in the autonomy offered by the device in the medium-long term.


Therefore, it is advisable to keep the charge of the mobile device between 20% and 80% whenever possible, which over the years will allow the health of the battery to remain as stable as possible. Some of these devices even have functionalities or apps that allow you to check its status in real time, to know what percentage of useful life it has.

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