How to Maintain Your iPhone’s Battery Health

Want to learn how to maintain your iPhone battery health?

Most Apple products, including iPhones, incorporate Lithium-ion batteries because of its fast charging ability and its lighter weight. However, the battery health and its charging capacity deplete over time.

That means you’ll need to charge your device more frequently than you used to and get less screen time. If not properly maintained, the battery will eventually stop functioning even when it’s plugged in.

Fortunately, iPhones come with enough features and indicators to let you know the percentage of battery health and ways to maintain it. Let’s take a quick look at some measures you may take to prolong the longevity of your iPhone and use it for many more years.

So without further ado, let’s get started!

1. Update to the Latest iOS.

iOS versions play a crucial role in regulating your iPhone’s battery health. These updates often come with functions to enhance your device’s speed and performance, which affects the life of the battery in the long run.

Some upgrades also release new features that aim to save your battery. For instance, iOS 12 came with a feature called Screen Time which helped users keep a check on what apps they use the most. The data can then be used to adjust your daily schedule and lower the usage of applications that consume the highest battery percentage.

Here’s how to update your iPhone to the latest available iOS:

  1. First, go to the Settings app on your iPhone.
  2. Next, go to General.
  3. Then, tap on Software Updates.
Software Update iPhone
  1. If an update is available, tap on Download and Install.

However, avoid updating to Beta softwares as they are usually full of bugs that may affect your device performance and battery life as it’s not yet perfectly optimized for your iPhone’s hardware.

2. Avoid Extreme Ambient Temperatures. 

Since iPhones use Lithium-ion batteries, it’s essential to keep the device in a regulated temperature environment. Such batteries are sensitive to extreme temperatures and perform optimally in a range between 32°F to 95°F (0°C to 35°C). 

If the device is exposed to temperature below the recommended range, it will temporarily reduce battery life. In situations like these, it’s advisable to keep your iPhone in a thick case to keep it warm. Once the temperature is brought back into the operating range, the device’s performance will also return to normal.

On the other hand, if your iPhone is subjected to extremely high temperatures, the damage to its battery capacity will be permanent. Therefore, avoid placing your iPhone under direct sunlight on hot days and refrain from storing it in enclosed spaces (like your car’s dashboard) as low ventilation causes an increase in the ambient temperature.

Maintain Your iPhone Battery Health

While iPhone’s software restricts charging over 80% when the Fahrenheit limit is exceeded, extremely high temperatures also prevent you from using certain features or the device altogether.

3. Remove Certain Cases When Charging Your iPhone.

Investing in a good quality case is essential for keeping your iPhone’s battery in good condition, especially during charging. When your device is plugged into a charging outlet, it generates excessive heat that needs to be adequately dissipated. 

Certain phone cases, specifically the thicker ones, trap the heat produced during charging, unnecessarily heating up the iPhone. Hence, either remove the case before you put it on charge or buy a case that allows for proper heat distribution.

Maintain Your iPhone Battery Health

Furthermore, it’s also vital to prevent dirt and dust accumulation, especially on the battery contacts. So when buying a case for your iPhone, be sure to get one that can capture the dirt particles before it enters specific components of your device.

4. Enable Optimized Charging.

Optimized Battery Charging is a feature available in iOS 13 or later. The feature uses a machine-learning algorithm to understand your daily charging habits. It helps predict when you need fast charging and when your iPhone can be charged at a slower rate.

This is how you can enable the feature to maintain your iPhone battery health:

  1. Begin by launching the Settings app on your iPhone.
  2. Then, scroll down and tap on Battery.
  3. Next, tap on Battery Health.
Battery Health on iPhone
  1. From there, toggle on the Optimized Battery Charging option.
optimized battery charging iPhone

5. Enable Low Power Mode.

The Low Power mode was released with iOS 9 to help increase battery life when it begins to run low. You get a notification when your iPhone’s battery reaches 20% and again at 10% with the option to turn on Low Power mode with just a single tap.

You can also manually enable the feature by following the steps below:

  1. Start by going to Settings.
  2. Then, scroll down to Battery and tap on it.
  3. Once there, switch the toggle on next to Low Power Mode.
Low Power Mode on iPhone

Note that turning on the Low Power mode even if you have sufficient battery will not harm it in any way.

6. Use the Dark Mode. 

If you own an iPhone featuring an OLED display that operates on iOS 13 or older, then this tip is for you. When Dark Mode is activated, your battery consumption will reduce by almost 30%, along with a decreased stress on its battery.

In OLED displays, each pixel emits light. So when you turn on the Dark Mode, these pixels don’t light up, preserving the battery life. But this is not the case with LED displays, as they will still need some backlight, even for a black color.

Here’s how you can turn the feature on in order to maintain your iPhone battery health:

  1. On your Settings app, go to Display & Brightness.
  2. From the two options at the top, choose Dark.
  3. Also, turn on the toggle for Automatic if you wish to schedule a time.
Maintain Your iPhone Battery Health
  1. Next, go to Options.
Maintain Your iPhone Battery Health
  1. Now, you can either select the default option or tap on Custom Schedule to set the time manually.
Maintain Your iPhone Battery Health

7. Use MFi Certified Charging Accessories.

One of the best ways to maintain your iPhone battery health is by avoiding using accessories that are not certified by Apple. The products with the MFi logo on them indicate that they are tested and approved by the brand.

Since Apple has discontinued including a charger with iPhones, you’ll have to purchase one separately. When doing so, look out for the MFi logo on the cable and adapter, as an uncertified product can significantly damage the iPhone’s battery.

8. Ensure Safe Charging.

For safe charging, never fully charge or drain the battery of your iPhone. If it completely drains out, it will undergo more stress while charging. Conversely, charging to its maximum holding capacity can reduce it, resulting in decreased battery health.

In addition, you should avoid performing heavy tasks while the iPhone is charging. If you do so, the extra load on its hardware will generate more heat, damaging the battery capacity.

9. Use A Smart Plug for Overnight Charging. 

If you prefer charging your iPhone overnight, it’s best to buy yourself a smart plug. That way, your device will not overcharge and affect its battery life. Although Apple includes various features in iPhones for overcharge protection, it’s always a good idea to take an extra step to maintain your iPhone battery health.

A smart plug lets you set a time so that it only remains on for a couple of hours. The plug will automatically discontinue the flow of charge when the specified time has occurred.

10. Ensure You’re Using the Right Settings.

There are certain settings in your iPhone through which you can maintain your iPhone battery health. This includes lowering the brightness settings and using Wi-Fi instead of cellular data.

For longer battery life, either keep your brightness dim or use the Auto-Brightness feature that adjusts the display according to the lighting conditions. This way, you’re not using the extra battery on an unnecessarily bright display.

To dim the screen, simply drag the slider from the Control Center. For enabling Auto-Brightness, follow the steps below:

  1. Firstly, open Settings on your device.
  2. Next, scroll down and tap on Accessibility.
  3. Then, tap on Display & Text Size.
Maintain Your iPhone Battery Health
  1. Finally, scroll to the very bottom and toggle on Auto-Brightness.
Enable Auto-Brightness iPhone

Furthermore, your network connection type determines the amount of power consumed by your device. Generally, a Wi-Fi connection uses less power as compared to using Cellular Data, and it’s even worse when you turn on the Hotspot feature, further reducing your iPhone’s battery life.

That was it! Now you know how to maintain your iPhone battery health and increase its lifespan. If you still have any confusion about the topic, feel free to talk to us about it in the comment section below. We’ll be happy to provide you with more assistance.

If this guide helped you, please share it. 🙂

Author

  • Aimen Choudhry

    Aimen Choudhry is an architecture student who has always been fascinated by science. She now finds her therapy researching and writing about the latest technology and the issues that come alongside. Otherwise, you’ll find her playing video games, listening to music, or watching fantasy/sci-fi movies.

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