If you have the habit of leaving your phone charged overnight, you may have noticed that your phone is heating up… Is this dangerous? Will the battery be damaged? 
Mauricio Saldivar hit Argentina with meteors October 21, 2023 1:00 p.m. 8 min
A 2022 survey by cell phone company OnePlus (tenth in the global cell phone market) revealed some interesting details about how Americans charge their cell phones. 69% of the 1,000 users surveyed said they charge their phone at least twice a day. More than a third of respondents admitted that they fear frequent charging or overnight charging could damage their smartphone battery.
64% of respondents say they charge their phone throughout the night while they sleep.
According to bank mycell, the current (2023) number of smartphone users worldwide is 6.92 billion, which means 85.8% of the world’s population owns a smartphone. And if we include simple cell phones, The current number of mobile phone users is 7.33 billion, which represents 90.90% of the world’s population own a cell phone.
Some say that charging your cell phone at night is safe, others outright advise against it. Let’s see what the main brands recommend.
Apple
With over 1.5 billion users worldwide Apple is the company with the largest share of the world’s mobile phone market in the last 12 months: 29.6%.
Apple has 1.5 billion users worldwide.
Last August, Apple released a service note warning people about this Sleeping on a charger can result in fire, electric shock, injury, or damage to your phone or property. Taking surveys into account, this means that about a billion people are at risk of starting a fire every night, although statistically small.
Apple says its phone and USB power adapters can get hot when chargingThis may cause inconvenience that could result in injury or damage.
“Use common sense to avoid situations in which your skin comes into contact with the phone, its power adapter or a wireless charger while it is in use or connected to a power source for an extended period of time.”
For example, Do not sleep on the device, power adapter, or wireless charger, or place it under a blanket, pillow, or your body while it is connected to a power source. Store iPhone, power adapter, and all wireless chargers in a well-ventilated area while using or charging.
Samsung
There are about 1.033 billion users of mobile phones from the Korean giant in the global market, their share is 24.2%.
After the problems with “explosive” lithium-ion batteries, Samsung was able to recover and gain ground by handling the device more safely during charging time.
Leaving the phone plugged in overnight is unlikely to overcharge a Samsung battery, as charging stops once the battery is fully charged and is only reactivated at regular intervals to keep the battery at full capacity. These occasional charges are simply “trickle charges” that ensure the battery is fully charged when you unplug the phone.
Samsung recommends unplugging the phone after fully charging the battery to extend its lifespan. However, the positive effects of this measure are minimal.
Leaving the device with the charger connected after it is fully charged will not damage itHowever, due to the risk of overheating, it is recommended not to leave it on a pillow, blanket, sofa, etc.
In addition, Samsung advises against using the device for games or demanding applications while charging, otherwise overheating may occur.
Xiaomi
Founded in 2010, the Chinese technology company quickly rose to the top global ranks in consumer electronics. Its share of the global mobile phone market will be 10.8% by 2023 with around 600 million users.
Xiaomi stands out for its models that can be almost fully charged in less than an hour, so charging at night is not recommended.
Xiaomi stands out for its ultra-fast chargers… and because its mobile phones typically don’t charge to 100%.. When the mobile phone is more than 90% charged, it enters the intelligent charging adjustment mode. This prevents damage to the phone itself and the battery due to overcharging. When the phone is fully charged, it stops charging and starts using power.
When power consumption reaches a certain level, it intelligently adjusts to the load and so on. When the cell phone is fully charged, it is normal for the battery to be more than 95% charged.
Tips for charging your cell phone
As we’ve seen, the risks of charging phones are minimal. The biggest risk is overheating, which can be avoided with simple precautions.
Although it is safe to charge your cell phone at night while you sleep, it is advisable to do so in short bursts throughout the day.
In addition to prevention, we can introduce some of these practices that will extend the life of your phone’s battery:
- Keep your phone up to date with the latest software updates.
- Use original or manufacturer-certified chargers.
- Do not expose your phone to extreme temperatures (phones function optimally at ambient temperatures between 0°C and 35°C).
- Carry out charging on a firm and preferably ventilated surface. Do not leave the phone charging on the pillow, blanket, mattress or on your body.
- New generation smartphones typically charge almost fully in 30 minutes to two hours. Avoid leaving them charged overnight.
- Limiting charging to 80% of total capacity and preventing it from falling below 20% maximizes battery life.