There’s a ton of guidance circulating about cell phone and laptop batteries — how to maintain them and extend their lifespan. So how can you tell which tips are accurate and which are myths? And is it really possible to avoid swapping them out for new ones?
If you think you already understand batteries, toss out most of your assumptions. I’m about to change how you see them.
The reality has evolved: it’s generally fine to leave your phone plugged in overnight.
Keep reading to discover why much of what you’ve heard about laptop and phone batteries is misguided. You could also save some cash along the way.
What Kind of Battery Is in My Device?
Remember when your parent would scold you for leaving their laptop charging all night? Those days had a reason behind them.
Back then, batteries were commonly nickel-cadmium or nickel-metal hydride. If you recharged these batteries often while they were still partly charged, they would gradually lose the ability to reach their original full capacity. This “memory effect” meant the battery would effectively forget its full charge.
When that happened, you knew the battery was on its way out. Your charge percentage could plunge from full to nearly empty in minutes, even after a recent charge. After repeatedly hunting for a power outlet, you’d eventually give up and buy a replacement.
Luckily, that scenario is mostly a thing of the past.
Most modern devices now use lithium-ion batteries. From MacBooks to Android phones, these are the standard.
Lithium-ion batteries “charge faster, last longer and have a higher power density for more battery life in a lighter package,” as noted by Apple.
A defining feature of lithium-ion cells is that they operate in cycles.
Instead of waiting for the battery to reach 0% before recharging, you might charge it to 100% tonight, use 75% tomorrow, then recharge to 100% and use 25% the next day. Those two uses add up to one full cycle — so you don’t need to let the battery fully deplete to count as a charge cycle.
Put simply, these aren’t your old AA batteries. They manage charging behavior through cycles so they don’t “forget” their maximum capacity.
Popular Battery Myths
Now that you know the difference between older battery types and lithium-ion, you’re ready to learn why many battery tips you hear are probably incorrect.
Below are some widespread myths about batteries.
Force-Closing Apps Saves Battery
Nope. When apps are open, they live in your device’s RAM. Quitting them forces the system to reload their data the next time you open them, and that reload uses more power than simply leaving the apps in memory.
If an app is truly draining power in the background, use your device’s app settings to manage which apps can refresh when idle and which should stay dormant until you open them.
You Should Let Your Device Hit 0% Before Recharging
Not recommended — at least not routinely (we’ll explain an exception shortly). Remember the cycle concept? If you don’t complete a full cycle each time you charge depending on usage, there’s no reason to let the battery go to zero.
Routinely running a lithium-ion battery down to 0% counts as a full charge cycle. Avoiding frequent full discharges can increase the battery’s overall lifespan by stretching out how often complete cycles occur.
Keeping Your Laptop Plugged In Will Ruin Its Battery
I used to believe this too. But modern batteries and chargers are far more sophisticated. Once a battery hits around 80% charge, charging typically slows into a “trickle” mode.
So contrary to old warnings, leaving your phone or laptop connected for extended periods isn’t inherently harmful. Devices adapt to prolonged charging automatically.
How to Prolong a Lithium-Ion Battery’s Lifespan
Accepting that it isn’t 1999 anymore, let’s get practical: what can you do to maximize a lithium-ion battery’s life and avoid unnecessary replacements?
While no battery lasts forever, you can avoid accelerating its aging by caring for it properly.
Here are several ways to help a lithium-ion battery live longer.
- Top It Up Occasionally. Lithium-ion batteries fare better when you charge them intermittently instead of fully charging and then draining them to zero repeatedly, according to Popular Mechanics.
- Avoid Heat. If you’ve ever taken a phone out in sweltering weather, you’ve seen it shut down to protect itself. Temperatures above 95°F (35°C) can permanently harm lithium-ion batteries, reducing how long they hold a charge. Ideal storage and operating temps are around 62–72°F (16–22°C), per Apple’s guidance.
- Store It Half-Full. If you won’t use a device for a long period, keep it in a cool place at roughly 50% charge. Storing a device fully discharged risks a “deep discharge” state where it won’t hold a charge anymore; keeping it fully charged for storage can also degrade capacity. The midway point is best.
When a Battery Starts to Misbehave
If you’ve followed good battery practices yet the battery still acts oddly, there’s one more tactic to try.
Occasionally letting your phone or laptop fully discharge is actually helpful. If you typically charge overnight but notice the battery percentage frequently drops below 30% by midday, it may be time to recalibrate by letting it reach 0%.
Doing this every one to three months helps the system recalibrate how it estimates remaining charge.
Think of it as a reset for the battery meter. After recalibration, the device should report remaining battery life more accurately instead of jumping from a full charge to much lower percentages after minimal use.
Jordan Miller is a former email content specialist at Savinly.
