From the fear of overnight charging to the dangers of fast charging and wireless charging docks, misconceptions about iPhone charging are everywhere. Let's separate facts from technological “myths”, so you can charge smarter without worrying about battery health.
1. Using iPhone while charging is not good
Besides being a good reason why your mother told you not to use your phone, this myth is no longer true. At least not anymore – any iPhone made in the last decade is fine if you use it while it's plugged in.
Doing so will slow down the charging process a bit because some of the power will be used for what you're doing, but not significantly.
However, what you should pay attention to is the temperature. Sometimes, your iPhone can get quite hot while charging, and the temperature can be enough to make you uncomfortable. Heat is also not good for your phone. Using your phone while it's charging can contribute to it – but generally not enough to be a problem, as any modern Apple device has a thermal management system to prevent the condition. overheat.
2. Do not leave your iPhone plugged in overnight
The lithium-ion battery in an iPhone has a limited lifespan, and overcharging or undercharging puts stress on the battery, causing it to deteriorate more quickly. That's why this notion exists – and it used to be true. Now, iPhone has advanced smart charging technology that helps prevent overcharging.
When the iPhone reaches 100%, it stops charging and only uses enough power to fully charge. Additionally, any iPhone running iOS 13 (iPhone 6S) or later has Optimized Charging by default.
This feature learns from your schedule and delays charging past 80%, so your phone takes less time to reach 100%. iPhone 15 and later go a step further, allowing you to set a charge limit below 100%. This way, your phone never even reaches 100%.
3. You can charge your iPhone in bed
Now that we've established that it's okay to charge your iPhone overnight, we should definitely add that you definitely shouldn't leave your iPhone charging in bed. In addition to the risk of fire and explosion (especially when using poor quality cables and chargers), heat buildup from the mattress will cause the battery to deteriorate faster.
iPhone needs airflow to cool properly. Even with Apple's advanced thermal regulation system, heat can still build up if the phone can't cool. If you need your phone close to you while you sleep, place it on a bedside table instead of on the mattress, pillow, or under your body.
4. Fast charging has a negative impact on the battery
Theoretically, it's true that fast charging generates more heat, but the negative effects pale in comparison to the benefits that fast charging brings. However, you can comfortably fast charge any iPhone from iPhone 8 onwards. They can be handled.
Apple has conducted rigorous testing (explained on the Apple website) to ensure that fast charging is completely safe. The company even added a barrier to protect the phone in extreme temperatures. However, different iPhones can handle different watts depending on the generation.
5. Charging your iPhone in low power mode will damage the battery
This is unfounded; Low power mode has virtually no effect on charging, as demonstrated in tests. Of course, it also has no negative effects on your battery. In fact, Low Power mode can help improve battery life because it forces iPhone to use less power.
6. Non-Apple chargers or power banks may cause problems
Wrong. There are many trusted retailers that are MFi (Made for iPhone) certified, such as Anker, Spigen, Mophie, Belkin, and UGREEN. Using any of these on an iPhone is completely fine. You don't need to worry about anything happening to your phone. You should only avoid cheap and poor quality fake chargers.
7. Any charger is fine as long as it works
Just because a cheap charger you randomly found on Amazon or at a street vendor works doesn't mean it's good for your phone.
Poor quality chargers not only harm the battery, but can also pose physical safety risks due to short circuits and fires. Some can even damage the iPhone charging port (this happens a lot more often than people think).
You could end up putting your data at risk as some bad actors sneak malware onto your phone by hiding it inside the end of the cable. Luckily, there are ways to check if a smartphone charger is safe to use.
8. Turn off the iPhone to help charge faster
The idea behind this myth is probably because the iPhone uses less power when it's turned off. However, charging speed depends on so many other factors that turning off the phone is basically meaningless.
According to tests with the iPhone 14 Pro, the phone charges much slower when powered off, likely because it can no longer communicate with the fast charger via the iPhone's USB Power Delivery (PD) protocol. That's one reason why the iPhone is programmed to power on when you plug it in.
9. Wireless charging is worse for the battery
Not necessarily. It's true that wireless charging generates more heat and charges the phone longer. Heat may not be good for the battery, but any standard wireless charger will dissipate heat properly – this, combined with Apple's superior MagSafe connectivity and temperature regulation, should make wireless charging safe. All for battery. Just make sure you charge your phone in a well-ventilated room and place it on a surface that doesn't retain heat.
10. The battery should be completely depleted before charging
This is one of the worst things you can do to your battery life. iPhone batteries typically have a lifespan of about 500 cycles. This means they can charge from 0 to 100 % 500 times before the battery reaches the end of its life. If you let the battery drain before charging, you will quickly go through those cycles.
You should keep your phone between 40 and 80% charged and charge it several times a day. Of course it will be inconvenient, but that's the price you have to pay to keep your battery healthy longer.
Hope the article is useful to you!
