Is it bad to Use Your Phone While Charging? No! Let’s take a closer look!
Did you know that the average American adult spends 3 hours and 43 minutes per day on their phone?[1] Sounds a lot, right? In fact, most of us can’t imagine living without a phone. Sometimes, we can’t stop using it even when it’s plugged in.
Many people believe that using a phone while charging it can have a negative impact on the battery life. Or can even be dangerous. That’s why we decided to discuss the popular myths about phone batteries and put an end to the rumors once and for all.
Keep reading this article if you want to find out more about your phone battery, how to keep it healthy and whether it is safe to use your phone when it’s plugged in.
Table of Contents
Let’s Start with the Basics
First and foremost, you should know more about your phone battery, or at least some basics.
Let’s get started.
Your phone uses a single lithium-ion which you might know as Li-ion. These batteries have a high energy density, moderate self-discharge rate and zero memory effect. They come in many forms and shapes, but the one inside a phone is a lithium cobalt oxide-based battery.[2] There are various companies that make these batteries and are on a quest to make them as safe as possible.
The battery in your phone has two electrodes, a carbon-based and a lithium oxide-based. When they charge, particles move from one electrode to the other through the conductive electrolyte. In fact, you should consider your phone’s battery as a power cell made to deliver safe power.
What Can Happen If You’re Using Your Phone While It’s Plugged In?
There are various problems that can occur if you are constantly using your device while it’s plugged in. Here are some of the most common negative effects.
Increasing the Size of the Phone’s Battery
If you’re regularly using your phone while it’s charging, it might make your battery swollen. When your battery enlarges, it can lead to other more serious issues. These include bursting, lowering battery quality, and compromising your phone’s ability to function.
Damaging the Charger
Constantly using your phone while it’s plugged in may even damage the charger. In fact, doing so creates pressure on the charger. As a result, the charger can heat up and stop functioning. In these circumstances, the only solution is to buy a new charger, the expense of which we can all do without!
Heating your Phone
You might be thinking that your phone heating up is nothing to worry about. This is unfortunately not always so. In some circumstances, overheating can lead to an explosion or chemical leakage within the battery. This can be terminal for your device.
Is Using a Phone While Charging Dangerous?
First, let’s get one thing straight – you won’t be suffering an explosion if you use the phone while it is charging. Likewise, using a phone while it’s plugged in won’t harm the battery. In fact, the battery will charge the same whether you are using the device or not.
But, bear in mind that you MUST use a manufacturer-approved battery and charger. Using an off-brand cheap replica or knockoff CAN damage the battery in those ways.
So using your phone during charging won’t damage the device unless you’re using an inferior charger.
How to Keep Your Phone’s Battery Healthy
So if you’re still hesitant about using your phone during charging, follow these tips to protect your device.
- Use a surge protector when charging your phone.
- Use only power supplies and batteries that are compatible with your phone.
- As heat can have a negative impact on the battery, never leave your phone in a hot car.
- Some studies show that you might extend your battery life if you keep your phone charged between 40% and 80%.
- Once in a while, turn your phone off as it will preserve battery life.
- If you notice that your phone is getting hotter while charging, take it out of any case.
- You can squeeze more battery life out of your phone if you simply reduce the brightness or use night mode.
- Avoid using a ‘fast charger’ as it can be detrimental to the battery’s health.
- Forget about third-party battery apps as they might do more harm than good.
- If you use a power bank, check that it protects your device against over-charging, voltage surge, and short circuits.
- You don’t have to calibrate the battery of a new phone as that’s only a myth.
If you want to preserve the life of your battery, you should be aware of the four stages of battery charging:
The four stages of charging
Stage 1: As the device is connected to the charger and plugged into a power supply the voltage increases rapidly.
Stage 2: Once the voltage reaches its peak, the current from the charger starts to decrease.
Stage 3: When the battery reaches full charge the charger cuts off the current to the device completely.
Stage 4: This is called standby mode; in this stage, only a top-up charge is supplied to the device when the battery drops below a certain specified voltage limit.
Conclusion – Is it Bad to Use Your Phone While Charging?
You can use your phone while it’s charging all you want. All you have to be careful of is not to use a dodgy third-party charger. Moreover, start incorporating the tips above to extend your battery life. Be careful and always use a manufacturer-approved charger and genuine battery.
Are you surprised by any of these facts and tips? Will you change the way you look at and treat your phone battery after reading this article?
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