4 Tips to Keep Your Smartphone Battery Healthy

A smartphone has become more then a time saver; it is a daily companion in business and life. The growing use makes us more and more dependent on the information at our fingertips, but the evolution of the smartphone is so much more than the ways we use it. The technology within has changed, and so should the way we handle maintaining the battery life.

1. Less equals more; in terms of battery life. Older battery technology advised us to frequently “train” the battery by draining completely, then recharging overnight.  But newer smartphones operate best when the battery maintains a charge around 50%. Perhaps once a month the battery can be drained below the optimal level for calibration. However, done more frequently can actually shorten the battery life. This also means no more overnight charging. Once the charge is reached, the phone should be disconnected. Some chargers are designed to curb charging, but not all. The optimal charge for better battery life is just until the device reaches 100%. Strive to maintain a charge on the smartphone at 40-80%.
2. Fully drained batteries are not good. A smartphone should not be drained to zero percent. Lithium-ion batteries tend to get volatile at the low levels. But fortunately, the phones are programmed to shut down after they reach a certain percentage. Your battery care habit should be to charge the phone as soon as, or just before the battery reaches 20%.
3. Like most electronics, batteries like the cool best. Avoid leaving your smartphone in a warm car or on the dash. Heat can be hard on the phone, and over time it can cause decreased performance to the batteries. Even when the device is turned off the heat can have a lasting effect on your device, warmer temperatures can lead to capacity loss over time.
4. Plug the smartphone directly to the wall. Docking stations tend to create heat, waste energy, and offer a continual charge. And the same is true for wireless charging. For a faster, safer, and more efficient charge skip the accessories and plug into an outlet. When the phone is off, the battery can charge even faster.

If you feel the battery is draining too fast, turn off GPS and background data. To increase the smartphone standby time try removing all unnecessary apps, adjust the brightness settings, and change the sync settings.