Is It Bad To Charge Your Phone Overnight?

It's time to figure out once and for all if it's bad to charge your phone overnight. No, this isn't an episode of "Mythbusters," but the revelation of these rumors may feel like a big reveal. According to Business Insider, it's a common myth that leaving your phone plugged in overnight could damage the battery if it overcharges, but in the age of smartphones that's no longer the case.

Smartphone batteries contain a lithium ion battery, which is different from the batteries older cell phones used to contain. These batteries have built-in features that let them know when they're full so that they stop charging. 

According to PC Mag, unlike the cell phone batteries of the past, smartphones are built with extra protection chips inside. These chips are able to detect when an internal lithium battery reaches 100% capacity. Once this happens, the chip alerts the device to stop charging, even though it is still plugged in.

However, there are some risks in leaving your smartphone plugged in overnight. Once it's fully charged, your phone will keep dropping down to 99% and since it is connected to a power source, it will automatically try to replenish that lost energy back up to 100% (via PCMag).

According to USA Today, when your battery is full and drops to 99%, it will use up more energy to increase back to 100%. It's important to keep in mind that lithium batteries do chemically age, so this constant energy uses up your battery's lifespan. This means that over time they will hold less charge than when they were first purchased.

Luckily, there are ways to combat this issue. There are auto shut-off timers available for purchase that allow you to set the amount of time you want your phone to charge while you sleep. You can also double check that your phone is set to "Optimized Battery Charging" in your device's settings. This will stop the flow of energy once your device hits that ceiling (via USA Today).

Also, don't be afraid to unplug your phone at night. If you're the type of person who generally wakes up in the middle of the night, check your phone. If it's fully charged, you should unplug it. You may lose a bit of battery before your alarm goes off, but it will certainly help extend your phone battery's lifespan.