Modern phones, laptops, smart watches and electric cars today almost exclusively use lithium-ion batteries, but a large number of users are still guided by the rules that applied more than twenty years ago for completely different types of batteries.
Many myths about charging have survived since the days of nickel-cadmium batteries, which had the so-called “memory effect”. This is precisely why there are still numerous tips that no longer make any sense when it comes to modern devices.
Battery charging works differently today
One of the most common misconceptions is that a new phone must be charged to 100% the first time before using it. That rule used to make sense with old Ni-Cd batteries that over time “remembered” partial charge cycles and lost capacity. With modern lithium-ion batteries, this problem practically does not exist, because they use a completely different chemical structure.
A similar situation applies to the claim that the phone should be completely discharged before recharging. In reality, deep discharge today can even put extra stress on the battery because the full cycle counts from 0 to 100 percent. Because of this, most manufacturers advise keeping the battery between approximately 20 and 80 percent to reduce wear and tear over years of use.
At the same time, charging up to 100% in itself is not dangerous for the battery, but the problem arises when the device remains connected to the charger for hours after charging is complete. Then the so-called “trickle charge” mode occurs, where the phone constantly replenishes small energy losses, which increases the temperature and additionally burdens the battery cells.
This is exactly why modern systems like optimized charging functions on iPhone devices try to recharge the last 20% of the battery just before the user gets up.
It is not necessary to use only the original charger
Another widespread myth is that the phone should only be charged with the manufacturer’s original charger. This is not completely true, but it is important to use a quality charger with the correct voltage and support for compatible fast charging standards.
Bad and untested chargers can be a problem because the wrong voltage or low-quality electronics can damage the battery or cause the device to overheat. However, quality chargers from reputable manufacturers generally work without problems even when they are not of the same brand as the phone.
Today, the biggest enemies of batteries are actually not partial charging cycles, but high temperature, constant overheating and keeping the device at maximum charge level for a long time, advises BGR.