Why is it important to keep your iPhone's battery healthy?

While all iPhones are subject to degradation over time, there are specific actions you can undertake to extend your device’s lifespan. The battery is often the first component to show signs of wear, and if not properly maintained, it may cease functioning even when connected to a power source.

It is impossible to ensure a precise lifespan for an iPhone’s battery, given the various factors influencing its health. Nevertheless, if you aspire to use your device for an extended period, consider the following tips to preserve the battery health of your iPhone in the years to come:

1. Avoid maximising your charging cycles

According to Apple, iPhones tend to retain only up to 80% of their original battery capacity after approximately 500 charge cycles. A charge cycle is completed when you consume 100% of your iPhone’s battery, for instance, using up 50% on one day and another 50% the following day.

In essence, the fewer charge cycles your iPhone undergoes, the longer its battery is likely to last. Monitoring the number of battery cycles your iPhone has experienced is possible without using a dedicated app.

It’s important to note that consistently maintaining your device at full charge or letting it completely drain can have adverse effects on your iPhone’s battery health. To preserve the battery, it’s advisable to keep your device’s battery level between 40% and 80% as much as possible. This practice helps in prolonging the overall lifespan of your iPhone’s battery.

2. Disable Any Unused Features

To minimize charge cycles and uphold the battery health of your iPhone, it’s advisable to deactivate any features that are not essential. These may encompass power-intensive functions such as Background App Refresh, Bluetooth, Location Settings, and push notifications, all of which can be adjusted in the Settings app.

This approach represents just one method to conserve battery life on your iPhone, allowing you to maximize the use of a full battery charge. Additional strategies include lowering your iPhone’s brightness, reducing the number of notifications to prevent frequent awakenings of the Lock Screen, and disabling the always-on display if your iPhone supports this feature. Employing these measures collectively can significantly enhance your device’s overall battery performance.

3. Avoid charging and using your phone simultaneously

Casual activities like checking messages or scrolling through social media pose no harm. However, it’s advisable to steer clear of extended gaming sessions while charging your iPhone.

Multiplayer games, in particular, have the tendency to induce overheating in your iPhone. Simultaneously charging your device exacerbates this issue, potentially impacting the long-term health of your iPhone’s battery.

To avoid such complications, it’s recommended to plan and charge your device adequately before engaging in gaming sessions. Additionally, a hot iPhone can be uncomfortable to hold and use, further emphasizing the importance of managing your device’s temperature during charging and usage.

4. Update to the Latest iOS Version

An essential method to preserve your iPhone’s battery health is to keep the device’s operating system up to date. Over time, your iPhone receives software updates that enhance its speed and overall performance, contributing to the longevity of the battery.

Furthermore, these updates often incorporate new features designed to conserve battery life. For example, the introduction of Screen Time in one of the updates assists users in monitoring their device usage, tracking app usage patterns, and enabling adjustments to daily habits for better time management.

To check for available updates, navigate to Settings > General > Software Update on your device. Regularly updating the operating system ensures that your iPhone remains optimized and benefits from the latest enhancements, ultimately supporting the health of its battery over the long term.

5. Use only the official Apple chargers

Numerous untrustworthy companies manufacture substandard iPhone chargers. Although these chargers may serve the purpose of charging your device, they lack certification from Apple, leading to potential issues with quality and compatibility concerning your iPhone’s battery.

For your safety and the optimal health of your iPhone’s battery, it is crucial to exclusively use Apple-certified accessories. These officially approved items, such as the best Lightning cables, offer protection against power surges and short circuits. Using non-certified accessories can pose risks, potentially causing harm to you or damaging the phone’s internal components, including the battery. Therefore, it is prudent to prioritize the use of Apple-certified accessories to ensure both safety and the longevity of your iPhone’s battery.

6. Do not leave your iPhone charged overnight

Charging your phone overnight, while a convenient option for many, can have adverse effects on your iPhone’s battery health. Overcharging an iPhone during prolonged periods can lead to battery damage and a reduction in the overall lifespan of your device.

Frequent overcharging is detrimental because it forces an excess of current into cells that are already at full capacity, exceeding their intended limits. Moreover, maintaining your iPhone at 100% charge for extended periods, as often occurs during overnight charging, is not ideal for the overall health of its battery.

Fortunately, Apple has implemented a built-in feature called Optimized Battery Charging to address this issue and enhance battery health. To activate this feature, navigate to Settings > Battery > Battery Health & Charging, and toggle on Optimized Battery Charging. By consistently removing your phone from charge at approximately the same time each day, your iPhone learns this pattern and adjusts to avoid reaching a full 100% charge until just before you typically need it. This intelligent charging approach helps to mitigate the negative impact of overnight charging on your iPhone’s battery health.

7. Do not leave your iPhone without charging for too long

The battery cells within lithium-ion batteries possess a finite lifespan, underscoring the importance of caring for your iPhone’s battery to continue enjoying the benefits of your device.

Allowing a smartphone’s battery to completely die is a significant contributor to its degradation. When a battery cell depletes and remains in that state for an extended period, it may enter a deep discharge state, risking permanent damage and rendering it unusable.

Fortunately, iPhone batteries retain some reserve charge even when powered off, mitigating this problem. Nonetheless, it’s crucial to recharge your iPhone promptly after it completely runs out of power. To prevent such situations, leverage your iPhone’s Low Power mode when the battery level drops to 20% or lower. Activating this mode can extend your device’s battery life until you have access to a power outlet, helping you avoid deep discharge scenarios and preserving the overall health of your iPhone’s battery.

8. Charge the battery to 50% before storing your iPhone

The final tip is particularly relevant when considering storing an iPhone. Instead of discarding your old iPhone when you purchase a new one, keeping it as a backup is an environmentally conscious approach to prevent it from contributing to electronic waste.

Maintaining the battery health of your stored iPhone is crucial to ensure it remains functional when retrieved from storage. To achieve this, charge the iPhone’s battery to around 50 percent and power it off to prevent unnecessary battery consumption during storage. It’s advisable to set a reminder to charge the iPhone to 50 percent every six months if you anticipate not using or charging it in the interim. This practice helps preserve the battery and ensures the device remains in working condition when needed.

9. Avoid Extreme Temperature changes

Preserving your iPhone from exposure to temperature extremes is essential for ensuring the longevity of your device without causing harm to its core components. Mindfully adhering to this precautionary measure contributes significantly to maintaining the battery health of your iPhone.

Exposure to extremely low temperatures can lead to a reduced battery life, impacting the battery’s capacity to hold charges or potentially causing it to cease functioning altogether. Conversely, extreme high temperatures can permanently disable certain features of the phone, such as causing cracks in the device itself, which can adversely affect overall battery performance. By safeguarding your iPhone from temperature extremes, you enhance its durability and sustain optimal battery functionality throughout its lifespan.

10. Purchase an iPhone case

Dropping our iPhones is a common occurrence, and while the Ceramic Shield adds to the device’s durability, it’s prudent to use a protective case for added safety. The impact of repeated falls on hard surfaces can contribute to internal component damage over time, impacting the overall battery health of your iPhone.

Moreover, to maintain your iPhone’s battery health, it’s advisable to keep it away from dusty or dirty environments. Accumulation of dust and dirt particles on the battery contacts can lead to shorter battery life. Using a protective case serves as a preventative measure by shielding your iPhone’s ports and trapping debris before it enters the device. Additionally, a quality iPhone case offers protection against issues like broken screens and water damage.

However, it’s important to strike a balance – ensure your case doesn’t overly encase your iPhone, as this may lead to overheating and adversely affect battery health. If necessary, consider removing the iPhone case while charging to prevent potential overheating issues. This balance between protection and airflow helps safeguard your device and preserves its battery health over time.

The Best Ways to Keep Your iPhone's Battery Healthy

Indeed, preventing iPhone batteries from naturally degrading with time is not possible, as they still rely on lithium-ion technology. However, you can positively impact overall performance by proactively caring for your iPhone’s battery.

Maintaining a healthy battery not only extends the duration your iPhone remains powered but also helps prevent issues such as slowdowns and app crashes. Implementing the aforementioned tips can contribute to a longer-lasting and more robust battery performance. Furthermore, if the battery does start to show signs of degradation, it’s worth noting that Apple offers battery replacement services, eliminating the need to purchase an entirely new iPhone. This option allows you to refresh your device’s battery and continue using it efficiently.