How to Improve Smartphone Battery Health

Your smartphone’s battery is a consumable — it will degrade over time — but how fast it degrades is largely under your control. Modern lithium-ion batteries in iPhones, Samsung Galaxy, Pixel, Xiaomi, OnePlus, and other flagship phones can retain ~80–90 % of their original capacity after 500–1000 full charge cycles if you treat them right. Treat them poorly and you’ll be down to 70 % in 18 months.

Here’s the definitive, no-nonsense guide that actually works in 2025.

1. Stop Charging to 100 % (All the Time)

• The single biggest thing you can do is keep your battery between 20–80 % most of the time.
• Apple (iOS 13+), Samsung (One UI 3+), Google Pixel (Android 12+), OnePlus, Xiaomi, Oppo, Vivo, and most brands now have built-in “Optimized Battery Charging” or “80 % limit” features.
  • iPhone: Settings → Battery → Charging → Optimized Battery Charging (or 80 % Limit on iPhone 15/16/17 series)
  • Samsung: Settings → Battery → More battery settings → Protect battery (limits to 85 %)
  • Pixel: Settings → Battery → Charging optimization → Limit to 80 %
  • OnePlus/Oppo: Settings → Battery → Optimized charging → Smart charging / 80 % limit
• Turn these ON and leave them on. Your phone learns your routine and only hits 100 % right before you usually unplug.

2. Avoid Extreme Heat (The Battery Killer #1)

• Lithium-ion batteries hate heat more than anything else.
• Never leave your phone in a hot car, on a dashboard in sunlight, or charging under a pillow.
• Stop gaming or filming 4K/8K video while fast charging — that combo can push battery temps above 45 °C (113 °F) and accelerate calendar aging dramatically.
• Use “Light Performance Mode” or lower refresh rates (90 Hz instead of 120/144 Hz) when you don’t need them.

3. Use the Right Charger and Cable

• Always use chargers that support USB-PD PPS (Programmable Power Supply) or the manufacturer’s proprietary fast-charging standard.
• Cheap 10 W chargers actually stress the battery less than mismatched 65 W chargers that throttle and heat-cycle.
• Wireless charging generates more heat → use it sparingly for daily top-ups.

4. Turn On Adaptive Charging Features

• Google’s “Adaptive Charging” (Pixel), Apple’s “Optimized Battery Charging,” Samsung’s “Adaptive” mode all do the same smart thing: slow-charge from 80 % to 100 % over several hours overnight so the phone isn’t sitting at 100 % for long.

5. Update Your Software

• Every modern Android and iOS update contains battery management improvements.
• Manufacturers push new charging algorithms even to 2–3 year-old devices (e.g., Samsung promises 4+ years of updates, Google 7 years).

6. Reduce Background Drain When Possible

• Location “While Using” instead of “Always”
• Turn off Always-On Display (or use the minimal version)
• Disable 5G when you have strong 4G — 5G modems can be power hungry in weak signal areas
• Lower screen brightness or use auto-brightness aggressively

7. Calibrate Once in a While (Myths vs Reality)

• Modern phones don’t need manual calibration anymore, but if you suspect the percentage is lying:
  1. Drain to 0 % and let it shut off
  2. Charge uninterrupted to 100 %
  3. Leave plugged in for another 2 hours
  4. Unplug and use normally

8. Long-Term Storage Rule (if you have spare phones)

• Store at 50–60 % charge in a cool place (15–25 °C / 59–77 °F).
• Every 6 months top up to 50 % again.

9. Know When It’s Time to Replace

• iPhone: Settings → Battery → Battery Health
• Android: Dial ##4636## (works on many devices) or use apps like AccuBattery
• 80 % or below and you notice real-world range issues → consider replacement.
• 2025 flagships (iPhone 17, Galaxy S25, Pixel 10, etc.) have even easier user-replaceable batteries thanks to new EU regulations and Google/Samsung following suit.

The 3 Rules That Give 90 % of the Benefit

1. Enable the built-in 80–85 % charging limit.
2. Never let your phone get burning hot.
3. Keep iOS/Android updated.

Do just those three things and your battery will easily outlast your upgrade cycle. I’ve personally kept an iPhone 13 Pro and a Galaxy S22 Ultra above 90 % capacity after 3+ years using exactly these habits.

Your phone is smart enough in 2025 — let it protect its own battery, and stop fighting the software. You’ll thank yourself in two years when everyone else is complaining about 68 % health and you’re still at 92 %.