You probably have been Charging Your Smartphone Wrong

With phone batteries struggling to keep themselves going in an era where we spend days glued to our devices, it's no surprise you find yourself having to charge up your smartphone - sometimes more than once per day.

Charging your device overnight is obviously convenient, because you aren't having to walk around using your apps - from messaging services like WhatsApp and Snapchat, to augmented reality games like Pokemon Go.

Our smartphone batteries barely last a day. But it's partially our fault because we've been charging them wrong this whole time.

Many of us have an made a thought that charging our smartphones in small bursts will cause long-term damage to their batteries, and that it's better to charge them when they're close to dead.

But we couldn't be more wrong. If you want to prolong the life of your smartphone or tablet, take note of these basic battery tips.

Charge a little at a time

The best way to charge your phone is a little at a time, whenever you have a chance. Just plug it in whenever you can, even if it's for a few minutes, and you'll be fine. "Partial charges cause no harm," according to Battery University.

Don't let your phone run out before you plug it in

We're often told that you should fully deplete your battery before you charge it right back up again.
Again, this isn't ideal. According to the experts, a "deep-discharge" where you run it down to a fraction of its power is actually bad for batteries and will wear them out quicker. So avoid the red warning if at all possible.

Keep your phone's battery between 65% and 75%

It turns out there's an optimal point to maintain your phone's power - kind of like the optimal speed limit for burning gas and covering distance in a car.
According to the team at Battery University, the sweet spot is between 65% and 75% of your battery's full charge. Best keep that power pack handy.

Never fully charge your battery

This one might seem a bit counter-intuitive - but it appears that you should never charge your phone up to 100%.
That's because modern lithium-ion batteries do "not need to be fully charged, nor is it desirable to do so." It is better not to fully charge, because a high voltage stresses the battery.

Don't keep it plugged in when it's fully charged

According to Battery University, leaving your phone plugged in when it's fully charged, like you might overnight, is bad for the battery in the long run.
Once your smartphone has reached 100 % charge, it gets "trickle charges" to keep it at 100 % while plugged in. It keeps the battery in a high-stress, high-tension state, which wears down the chemistry within.

Keep it cool

Smartphone batteries are so sensitive to heat that Apple itself suggests you remove certain cases that insulate heat from your iPhone when you charge it.
"If you notice that your device gets hot when you charge it, take it out of its case first."
If you're out in the hot sun, keep your phone covered. It will protect your battery's health.