Most people charge their phones overnight. Not only is the time convenient — you don’t need to use your phone while you sleep! — pretty much everyone has a power outlet right by their bed. Unfortunately, leaving your phone charging for hours at a time while you sleep isn’t great for your battery and could cause its performance to decline before you’re ready to trade in your phone. Discover why charging your phone overnight is bad, and how often you should be charging your phone instead.

Is It Bad to Charge Your Phone Overnight?

The answer to this question is slightly more complicated than a simple “yes” or “no.” Pretty much all modern smartphones require only an hour or two to fully charge up, meaning that if you leave your phone on the wireless charger overnight, it will spend most of those hours sitting at full charge or almost full charge — and sitting at 100 percent on a charge is not good for your phone’s battery.

Now, the phone will automatically stop charging when it reaches 100 percent, but it doesn’t stay that way indefinitely. If you leave your phone on the power adapter for long enough, the battery will drain a little bit to 99 percent instead of 100 percent. Then, the charger will kick in to take your phone back up to 100 percent before it shuts off again. Your phone repeats this process over and over again when you leave the phone on the charger overnight, heating the battery and prematurely wearing it down.
This premature wear and tear will be heightened if you leave your phone on the fast charger all night, every night. Charging your phone overnight occasionally probably won’t make a noticeable difference in the battery life for years to come, but if you do it every night consistently, you will probably notice your battery performance degrading over time.
If you want to optimize battery performance, there’s a better way to do it than leaving your phone on the charger overnight. Read on to discover the best way to charge your phone to stop from prematurely hurting your battery.

Alternatives To Charging Your Phone Overnight

Instead, the lithium ion batteries used in modern-day smartphones do better if you keep them within the 30 to 80 percent zone. Thus, it’s better to charge them in short bursts throughout the day than in one long stint at night. If you aren’t near a power outlet during the day, power accessories such as a small battery pack can provide peace of mind and give you a quick charge up when necessary.

In conclusion, charging your phone overnight isn't necessarily bad for the battery, but it can contribute to long-term battery wear. By understanding the charging process and utilizing alternatives like partial charging, fast charging, wireless charging, external battery packs, and scheduling, you can take steps to preserve your phone's battery health while ensuring it's ready for your daily use. It's all about finding a balance between convenience and battery care.