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Charging Myths That Won't Die

Almost everything people repeat about phone batteries was true of a different battery chemistry. Nine myths, and the one thing that really does the damage.

Photo: OnionBulb, CC BY-SA 4.0

Myth 1: Overnight Kills It

Your phone stops drawing current at 100%. It won't overcharge. The mild cost is the hours parked at full, not the act of leaving it plugged in.

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Myth 2: Run It Down First

That was the memory effect in old nickel-cadmium cells. Lithium-ion hates deep discharge. Top up whenever you like; short partial charges are ideal.

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Myth 3: Fast Charging Ruins It

Phones negotiate the speed and throttle it as they fill. A high-wattage charge that stays cool is gentler than a slow one that leaves the phone warm for hours.

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Myth 4: Swipe Away Every App

Backgrounded apps are frozen, not running. Force-quitting them means the system pays the full cost of launching them again. It usually costs you battery.

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Myth 5: Only the Original Charger

Any certified USB Power Delivery charger is fine, and the phone controls how much it takes. The real risk is uncertified no-brand gear with no safety circuitry.

Photo: Huwanglaimtangms, CC BY-SA 3.0

Myth 6: You Get 500 Charges

That figure is a decade out of date. Recent iPhones are rated to keep 80% of capacity after 1,000 full cycles, and EU rules now require at least 800.

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Myth 7: Never Use It Plugged In

Taking a call while charging is harmless. What isn't ideal is heavy gaming on charge under a blanket, because two heat sources stack up with nowhere to vent.

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Myth 8: Wireless Wrecks Batteries

The coil isn't the problem. Induction wastes more energy as heat, so a badly ventilated pad runs the pack warmer. A cool pad is no worse than a cable.

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Myth 9: Cool It in the Fridge

Never. Rapid cooling pulls condensation inside the case, and lithium cells are damaged by extreme cold as well as heat. Shade and airflow, nothing more.

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It Was Heat All Along

Strip the nine myths away and one villain is left: temperature, plus long spells sitting at 100%. Keep it cool and roughly mid-charge, and stop worrying.

Photo: Shixart1985, CC BY 2.0
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