Experts: Never charge your cell phone like this

Charging your phone feels like one of the most routine parts of daily life. You plug it in, put it on the bedside table, and stop thinking about it.

Yet several experts point out that this habit can significantly shorten battery life because it increases the risk of overheating.

One of the most common mistakes is leaving the phone in its case while it charges. Many people keep the cover on to protect the phone from bumps and scratches.

According to the New York Times, however, that solution creates new problems. The heat from the battery and charger has a harder time escaping when plastic, rubber or leather is wrapped tightly around the back.

The risk increases when charging wirelessly. Models like the Samsung Galaxy S10e have been documented to get very hot when charging wirelessly with the casing on.

Apple has also warned iPhone users about this combination. When the phone gets too hot, charging slows down and the battery wears out faster.

Even with cable charging, a thick or rigid cover can cause problems. If the plug does not grip the port properly, the phone may not charge at all, even though the screen briefly shows the charging symbol.

The result can be a phone with an empty battery just when you think it is ready for a new day.

Drop the habit of charging all night

Several experts recommend avoiding long overnight charging altogether. When your phone is plugged into the charger for many hours, the battery often stays close to 100 percent for a long time. This creates extra heat and can accelerate wear and tear.

Instead, the advice is to let the battery work in a range between approximately 20 and 80 percent. The same advice is echoed by the repair company Back Market.

• – If you leave your phone plugged in all the time or let it die completely, battery life will decrease rapidly. You should aim to keep the battery between 20 and 80 percent, says Kewin Charrion, who runs Back Market’s used phone repair division.

It is also about temperatures when you are not charging. A phone left baking in the sun on a balcony or in a car will be under even more strain when you start charging it. The heat makes the battery less stable and speeds up wear and tear.

Many newer phones now have a feature that stops charging around 80 percent or adapts the charging to when the user typically wakes up. This option is available on both iPhone and several Android models. The feature makes it possible to charge at night without pushing the battery up to 100 percent for many hours.

How to treat the phone you already have

Experts suggest that the most sustainable phone is the one you already own. Instead of switching to the latest model every time there is a new release, you can extend the life of your current one with a combination of better habits and simple equipment.

A solid cover and screen protector will reduce the risk of costly repairs and give you a better second-hand price should you sell your phone one day. They also protect against the small knocks that can make the battery and charging port more vulnerable over time.

A reliable charger and possibly a compact power bank mean you are less likely to let your phone go dead. A good USB charger can fill an almost empty phone well over halfway in half an hour, so you can charge in short bursts instead of relying on long overnight sessions.