The vast majority of Brits will use their smartphones throughout the day, whether that’s for work, keeping in contact with friends or family or to scroll social media. This means many of us will charge our phones overnight to have a full battery in the morning.
Choosing to charge your smartphone overnight seems like a harmless act. However, according to tech experts, leaving your mobile on charge throughout the night is “one of the worst things you can do.” The experts say charging your phone overnight can slowly destroy the battery and can also increase your electricity bills.
As reported by the Manchester Evening News, it can cost over £100 to replace smartphone batteries. Most modern devices require professional repairs to replace the battery, meaning DIY methods are nearly impossible.
As well as this, charging your phone overnight could be impacting your electricity bills by far more than a few pennies.
A spokesperson from Outplayed says: “Most people don’t realise that overnight charging is one of the worst things you can do to a lithium-ion battery.”
“It’s convenient, but convenience often comes at a cost.”
Modern smartphones have surprisingly delicate batteries when it comes to heat and prolonged charging cycles. They can quickly overheat, which slowly kills the battery.
Heat build-up is the main culprit for killing your phone. Charging generates heat, and lithium-ion batteries degrade significantly faster when they’re warm.
People are being warned against leaving their phone charging under a pillow or duvet, as you’re causing battery damage, and even charging on your bedside table isn’t ideal.
The spokesperson added: “Think of it like constantly filling up a full glass of water. The battery is working overtime to manage this constant input, which wears out the cells much faster than you’d expect.”
Experts instead recommend keeping your phone charge between 20% and 80%. This puts less strain on the battery and can make it last longer.
Outplayed suggests charging during daytime hours when you can disconnect once the battery reaches full capacity.
