Category: Guide

Categories
Guide

Why does my phone get hot and how to fix it

All phones can — and will — get hot on occasion. It becomes a problem when your phone heats up so much that it hurts to hold it, or it begins to exhibit odd behavior. Thankfully, there are easy tips you can use to help stop your phone from overheating.

Why does my phone get hot?

Usually, a phone heats up due to overuse, a strained battery, too much direct heat, or an overworked CPU. You may also need to update your software, because outdated apps can cause performance issues. In extreme cases, your hot phone might be infected with malware.

Here are the 11 most common reasons your phone gets hot:

Direct sunlight

A common cause of phone overheating is leaving it in direct sunlight. Even if you leave your phone in the sun for a short period of time it can drain your battery and cause other performance issues. If you leave your phone in direct sunlight ⁠for a prolonged period, the internal components could be permanently damaged.

Overloaded CPU

If your phone’s CPU is overloaded, it heats your phone up from the inside. The CPU is essentially the brain of your phone, and it’s used to run processes and apps. If your CPU is trying to perform too many tasks (even in the background), your phone can overheat quickly.

icon-03-1Too many open apps

Having lots of apps open at once can contribute to increased phone temperatures. That’s because apps run background processes that consume CPU power and memory resources, even if you’re not actively using them. To help prevent your phone from overheating, review your open apps and close the ones you don’t need right now.

Power-intensive apps

Sometimes, even just one high-intensity app can be enough to overheat your phone if you leave it running for long enough. Apps containing augmented reality (AR) elements like the Metaverse, or other very heavy graphics-loads, are particularly big CPU drains and can swamp your phone’s system through continuous use.

Faulty battery or charger cable

Have you ever wondered, “Why does my phone get hot when charging?” It’s normal for a phone to warm up a bit while charging. However, if your phone gets excessively hot, it could be due to a faulty battery or charger cable. 

Wireless charging

Have you ever wondered, “Why does my phone get hot when charging?” It’s normal for a phone to warm up a bit while charging. However, if your phone gets excessively hot, it could be due to a faulty battery or charger cable. To help prevent battery issues, ensure device compatibility by using only manufacturer-approved charging adapters and cables.

Wireless charging

Wireless charging is much less efficient than wired charging, which means more energy leaks out in the form of heat, making your phone warmer to the touch than usual. Unless there’s a problem with your phone or wireless charger, this alone shouldn’t be the cause of overheating. But it could be problematic when combined with other factors, such as direct sunlight, or background software updates.

Gaming for too long

Much like PCs, gaming on a cell phone strains the CPU and GPU to their limits, causing your phone to generate a lot of heat. While the occasional gaming session won’t kill your phone, several hours of continuous gaming will heat up your device. This is especially true when playing newer, graphically demanding games.

Streaming video content

Streaming videos on Netflix or YouTube or watching TV online for hours is just as detrimental to your cell phone’s health as a marathon gaming session. Anything that keeps your screen lit for long periods of time and uses your phone’s GPU excessively will cause the device to heat up.

Software updates

Mobile phones are prone to heating up while running a software update, or just after. If there’s a bug that needs fixing while the update takes place, it will use even more power temporarily. Once the update is finished and your device restarts, your phone should start to cool down.

Malware or virus

Any of the issues above can damage your phone, but none of them are as potent as malware. If you pick up a malware infection by using a fake app or clicking on an infected link, your phone’s CPU and memory could be hijacked, throttling performance and generating a lot of heat.

My Phone is Overheating—How Do I Cool Down My Phone?

If you find your smartphone starting to overheat, you can try to cool it down by removing the protective case, switching to low-power mode, or putting the phone in a shady area.

Smartphones are built with the dissipating heat in mind, but many protective cases will trap that heat and raise the overall temperature of the phone.

In the same way that you’ll throw off the covers in the middle of the night when your temperature is rising and you’re overheating in bed—ditching the phone case can help your smartphone cool down more easily.

Charge Your Phone on a Cool (Not Cold) Surface

Never charge your phone overnight on a bed, blanket, or pillow! Heat must be able to escape the phone during the charging process and charging on a bed, blanket or pillow ends up trapping more heat. A nightstand is the best area for charging your phone bedside.

Leave Your Screen Brightness on Low

Dimming your screen’s brightness and immediately turning off GPS, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi—even going into airplane mode—helps reduce the energy demands of your iPhone or Android device.

The more energy you use, the hotter your phone gets – it’s as simple as that. Not only do you get the added conserved energy, but you’re doing your eyes a favor by reducing the strain caused by staring at a bright light.

Do Not Put an Overheated Phone in the Refrigerator

If your phone is overheating, NEVER put an overtaxed phone in the refrigerator or freezer. Although both iPhones and Androids are designed to be used at temperatures as low as 32 degrees Fahrenheit, huge swings in temperature and exposure to moisture can damage your phone beyond repair.

How Do I Prevent My Phone from Overheating?

Prevention is the best medicine when it comes to keeping your phone from overheating. These simple tips go a long way toward prolonging the life of your phone and battery and prevent your phone overheating.

Use The Right Charger

Like the phones themselves, chargers are not created equally. You should never buy a used charger or one that’s not manufacturer-approved. Chargers and charging cables have different wattages, and many phone chargers are optimized for a specific brand.

Regularly Give Your Smart Phone a Good “House Cleaning”

Close out apps you’re not using. Delete those you no longer use and, if needed, update those you want to keep. Adjust the settings on your phone to dim the screen.

Invest in Apps that Remove Junk or Malware

Cleaner apps, remove junk files from your phone and identify apps that are hurting your phone and/or its battery’s performance. Consider downloading antivirus software to prevent unwanted malware from infecting your device and draining its power behind your back, which can result in extra power consumption and overheating if not diagnosed and addressed.

Keep Your Phone Out of the Sun/Heat

Keep your phone in the shade and don’t leave it in a hot car or place it on a hot surface, like a radiator or stove top.

Categories
Guide

Is Your iPhone Running Slow?

Do you ever notice your iPhone becoming slow or sluggish while launching an app, browsing the internet, or switching between apps? This is annoying to say the least, because it messes with your workflow, making it take far longer than usual to finish everyday tasks.

Why is my iPhone running so slow?

Ever wonder why your iPhone isn’t running as fast as it used to? Here are a few speed bumps that might be slowing you down.

Storage is full

Photos, apps, downloads—all of these files take up space. When your storage is at max capacity, your phone can start running slowly.  Need help freeing up your slow phone’s storage? Check out our guide.

Poor battery health

Your iPhone’s battery can start to wear out. A tired battery might not just mean more frequent charging; it can also lead to sluggishness, overheating, and crashes. 

Want to learn more? Read our guide to learn how to check your iPhone’s battery health.

Frozen applications

Apps are great—until they’re not. They can freeze, move between pages slowly, and everything in between. 

Poor network conditions

Poor network connections can make even simple tasks like browsing or sending messages feel like a marathon. 

How to speed up an iPhone that’s running slowly

Although iPhones are known for their reliable performance, data accumulation and resource-intensive apps eventually cause them to become sluggish and make them lag. Maintaining your iPhone’s performance is crucial for both speed and longevity. Thus, to help you get things back on track, here are some simple steps to quickly boost your iPhone’s performance and help it run smoothly and efficiently once more.

Simple tips to give your iPhone a quick performance boost
Here are some of the common ways you can get your iPhone’s performance back to the way it was:

Increase storage

It might be time for a digital declutter. Offload unused apps and give your photos a new home in the cloud or on a computer. You’ll notice a little breathing room can go a long way.

Close frozen applications

When an app freezes, double-tap your home button or swipe up from the bottom. Swipe the apps away then try opening them again to see if your iPhone continues moving slowly. 

Improve network signal

Sometimes your phone’s network signal—or lack of one—can be the problem. If that’s the case, sometimes a simple reset can help. 

  1. Open Settings. 
  2. Turn Airplane Mode on and off or disconnect the Wi-Fi. 
  3. Make sure Airplane Mode is off and test your phone speed. If you have internet access, try reconnecting again.   

Still stuck? You might just be in a low-coverage zone.

Replace the battery

The battery inside your iPhone could be to blame—or at least putting a strain on your phone. When your battery starts to fail, your phone starts to feel it in other places, like processing speed. Check your battery health and determine if a battery replacement is just the thing your iPhone needs. 

Poor network connections can make even simple tasks like browsing or sending messages feel like a marathon. 

With these simple tips and tricks, you can ensure you keep your iPhone running smoothly and efficiently as ever, allowing for fast, uninterrupted workflows at all times.

Categories
Guide

How to fix an iPhone that won’t charge

One of the scariest — and most troubling — iPhone problems is when your phone will not charge. But don’t panic. There are some fairly mundane reasons why this might happen, and they’re generally easy to solve.

On the other hand, keep in mind that to do something even as simple as charge your phone, there are a lot of parts that need to work together — so to figure out what is to blame and to get things working properly, you should methodically test everything to eliminate potential problems one at a time.

Quick tip: Should you notice that your iPhone stops charging at 80%, you shouldn’t stress. This is a feature in iOS 13 or later called Optimized Battery Charging.

If your iPhone charges with one cable, but not another, you know it’s the cable. If your cable charges other phones but not your own, you know it’s your phone. When your phone starts to charge again, whatever the last thing you changed was the problem — so you know what fixed your phone.

Turn it off and back on again

Anytime you are troubleshooting a problem, it helps to restart the system and see if that fixes the issue. If your phone still has enough battery life, restart the phone and then try to charge it again. 


Note: If your phone battery is very, very low — under 5% — or already completely dead, this step will not work for you.

Verify that your phone is not charging

Start by making sure your phone is not charging. Connect your phone however you usually do to charge it — wirelessly, plugged into an AC adapter, plugged into a computer’s USB port — and check the phone’s display. If the battery is already dead, leave it to charge for about two hours and then check on it.


You should see a lightning bolt in or beside the battery icon at the top right of the iPhone’s lock screen. If there is no lightning bolt in sight, it’s not charging.

 Don’t charge it wirelessly

If you have an iPhone X or later that supports wireless charging — or you have a wireless charging case for an older model iPhone — let’s simplify our troubleshooting by eliminating that as a possibility right away.


Remove the phone from its wireless charging case, if you’re using one, and plug the phone into a power source with a Lightning cable. Again, check to see if it’s charging. If it is, congratulations — you solved the problem. There’s some sort of problem with the phone’s wireless charging solution.


You might need to take your phone to an Apple store for service (or replace your wireless charging case) but in the meantime, you can keep the phone charged the old-fashioned way, with wires.

 Check your iPhone’s Lightning port

If your phone isn’t charging the way it usually does, your next stop should be to inspect the Lightning port. This is a lot more common than you might think. After all, we spend a lot of time jamming the phone — port-end first — into pockets, bags, and other places filled with dust, debris, and lint.


Your phone’s Lightning port is a veritable magnet for dirt, dust, lint, and other grime that can interfere with charging. 
Look carefully, and if you see anything, carefully remove it — gently — with a toothpick or any other non-metallic, pointed object that will fit in the port. If you have a can of compressed air, briefly blast the port with that as well.
Try to charge the phone again. If it still doesn’t work, move on to the next troubleshooting step.

Inspect your cable

If you’ve had an iPhone long enough, you’ve probably seen a broken or frayed cable — the rubberized outer sheath breaks from repeated bending, and the wires become exposed. If your cable looks like that and it isn’t properly charging your device, throw it away and get a new cable.

But Lightning cables get a lot of abuse, and problems aren’t always apparent to the naked eye. Sometimes wires can break while they’re still inside the sheath. And inexpensive third-party Lightning cables have been known to spontaneously stop working, often because the power regulator chip inside the cable has failed.

There’s no good way to see any of this visually, so the best way to test your Lightning cable is to simply try a different one.

Your Lightning cable should look like this — no fraying, sharp bends, or kinks that can damage the underlying wires. 

 Check where your phone is plugged in

On the long list of potential problems, you should also check your power source. If you’re charging your iPhone from a computer’s USB port, make sure the computer is fully awake (not in sleep or hibernation mode). Also try a different USB port, in case the USB port you were using has failed. Don’t try charging from a USB port built into a keyboard or USB hub — connect it directly to a USB port on the computer itself.

If it still doesn’t work, plug it directly into a wall outlet with an AC adapter like the one that came with your iPhone. If you have been using an AC adapter this entire time, then try a different one — borrow one from a friend who has an iPhone or use the one that comes with an iPad.

Check for software updates

If you’re not running the latest version of iOS, it could be the reason why your phone is not charging. Software updates might not seem important when your phone is functioning properly, but they help prevent a host of problems and even improve performance.

Here’s how to check for an update on your iPhone and install it:

  • Tap Settings and then General.
  • Tap on Software Update. Your iPhone will now start searching for the latest iOS update.
  • If an update is available, tap Install Now.

Try resetting and restoring your iPhone

When experiencing a problem with your iPhone, it sometimes helps to perform a factory reset. 

A reset will return it to its factory default settings and, hopefully, get rid of any problem you might be facing. This is a last-ditch attempt to fix the issue by yourself, and it’s worth a try.

Take your iPhone in for service

If none of these troubleshooting steps gets your phone back up and running, it’s pretty likely that there’s something wrong with the iPhone itself. You should contact Apple or go to an Apple store for service.

Categories
Batteries Guide

5 Signs It’s Time to Replace Your iPhone Battery

Have you acclimated to the sub-par performance of your iPhone and accepted it as part of the drudgery of life? Has restarting your crashed iPhone become routine and ritual? Do you long for the days when your apps loaded swiftly, and you could watch Youtube videos ‘til your battery was at 5 percent?

Everyone knows that there’s nothing worse than a bad iPhone battery. 

There are some signs you can use to tell when your battery has reached the point of no return. Some of these signs are baked into iOS, whereas others could be more physical symptoms you’ll notice when you use the iPhone. Regardless, we’ve listed major pointers for when it’s time to get a new battery.

1. Your battery outgrew your iPhone

Why are you even reading this? If your battery has outgrown its case, it obviously needs to be replaced! Even if it’s not swelling this badly, immediate action should be taken to dispose of the battery safely. But, beware: You do not want to puncture the pack and release its toxic contents. Early signs of a swollen battery include: a hazy white screen, separation between screen and phone body, or “squishiness” of the screen (no visible separation, but your screen moves a bit when you pinch the edges of your phone). 

2. Your iPhone shuts down unexpectedly

If your iPhone suddenly shuts itself down when the battery is half-drained or so, the calibration may be off. To re-calibrate your iPhone, follow these steps:

Use your iPhone until it shuts itself down due to low battery.

Plug your iPhone into a reliable charger using a reliable cable and let it charge uninterrupted until it reaches 100 percent.


Once it’s fully charged, perform a soft reset by holding your sleep/wake button and your home button until the Apple logo shows up. If you have an iPhone with Face ID, quick-press the volume up button followed by the volume down button. Then, press and hold the sleep/wake button until the Apple logo shows up.

If that doesn’t solve your battery woes, then the battery may be the culprit and will require replacement.

3. Your iPhone Frequently Overheats

Although there could be other reasons why your iPhone overheats, once you rule out everything processor or software-related, it only leaves the battery as the culprit.

When batteries age, the chemical components become less fluid, and that causes what we call a high internal resistance. It makes it more difficult for your iPhone to draw energy from the battery, and this high resistance (similar to friction) causes more heat than normal.

It’s not just aged batteries that can cause abnormal heat but damaged batteries, too. If you have a faulty battery damaged by water or a puncture wound, the chemical balance can get disrupted, which can lead to overheating or even health risks.

So, if you notice your iPhone getting extremely hot while doing the most mundane things, it might be time to get its battery checked.

4. Reduced Battery Life

It’s common to hear people say that their phone used to last the whole day, but now it barely makes it to lunchtime at work. And a lot of people might blame it on software rather than hardware. You may have even tried all the iPhone battery-saving tips, only to still experience a woefully subpar battery life.

Typically, this means that your battery has degraded to the point where it can no longer keep an optimum charge. iPhone batteries are lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries, and they generate energy through chemical reactions. With time and use, these chemical reactions lose their potency, and your phone will no longer be able to support peak performance.

While all iPhone batteries degrade with age, there are steps you can take to maintain your iPhone’s battery health so it lasts as long as possible.

5. Battery Health Is Less Than 80%

One of the many advantages of iOS over other mobile operating systems is the synergy between hardware and software. Because Apple makes its own hardware and software, it can tie the two together in a way Android or other operating systems can’t. This synergy extends to managing your iPhone’s battery health.

You can monitor your iPhone’s battery health through the Settings app to judge when it’s time for a new battery. Go to Settings > Battery > Battery Health & Charging and note its Maximum Capacity. If the number there reads below 80%, it might be time to change your battery.

In fact, you will see a notification at the top of the page warning you to take your phone to an Apple Authorized Service Provider. Also, if you have an AppleCare+ warranty, Apple will replace your iPhone battery only if its health is below 80%.

However, sometimes, you should take the figure there with a grain of salt. If the number is suspiciously low (or even high), it might be time to calibrate your iPhone’s battery. Calibrating the battery is essentially resetting it so the percentages are more accurate.

Categories
Batteries Guide

How to Calibrate Your Android Smartphone Battery

Android smartphones and bad battery life is a never-ending love affair. Despite the efforts of smartphone companies to improve battery performance through software optimization, adding features such as optimized charging,users just can’t help but grumble about their Android phone’s battery life.

Users often complain that their Android device discharges very quickly or their phone unexpectedly shutdowns in the middle of the day. The reason behind, quite often, this is the fact that the battery of their Android smartphone isn’t calibrated properly. In such cases, the displayed battery percentage fails to align with the actual charge level.

The batteries of new smartphones, and often those of old ones as well, need to be calibrated. This procedure is usually done in the factory, but it should be repeated many times, and it certainly doesn’t hurt.

This is because in some cases, the operating system indicates a charge level that is DIFFERENT from the actual charge of the battery, and in many cases, this ‘reading’ problem translates into a shorter duration of full charges.

Therefore, in this article, we will learn more about battery calibration on Android—three easy ways to calibrate the battery of your Android device.

Manual Calibration

The best way to calibrate the battery of your Android smartphone is to manually reset the stats. Here’s how you can do it:

  • Use your phone until it powers off on its own.
  • Switch it back on and wait for it to turn off again.
  • Connect your phone to a charger and do not switch it on. Let it charge in the power-off state until 100%.
  • Once the phone reaches 100%, turn it on. It’s likely that the battery indicator will show a percentage below 100%. In this case, reconnect the charger while keeping your phone on, and continue charging until it shows 100%.
  • Once it reaches 100%, disconnect it from the charger and reboot your phone. If the battery indicator still shows a percentage below 100%, repeat the steps above until it shows 100%.
  • Again, use your phone until it reaches 0% and powers off on its own.
  • Finally, charge your phone once again without disconnecting it in between, and now your phone will show the actual battery readings.

Use a Third-Party App

If you don’t want to follow the manual process, you can consider using a third-party app to reset the battery statistics of your smartphone. There are several apps available on the Google Play Store that can help with calibration. However, many users have reported that these apps are less effective than manual calibration.

Reset Your Device

If nothing works, it’s best to factory reset your smartphone. Remember, this should be used as a last resort when all the other methods fail. also, just make sure you back up your device before performing a factory reset.

Lastly, it’s important to note that this process should not be performed frequently, as excessive calibration (full charging and discharging cycles) can be detrimental to the battery of your smartphone. Only rely on the methods mentioned above if the battery is behaving strangely. If calibration is required more often, it likely indicates a more serious issue (you might need to get that battery replaced).

General Tips:

  • Use the original charger and cable that came with your smartphone.
  • Do not fully charge or fully discharge the battery on a regular basis.
  • Avoid using your smartphone in extreme temperatures, as this can damage the battery.
Categories
Batteries Guide

LITHIUM ION BATTERY – THE PROS AND CONS

LITHIUM ION BATTERIES – THE WAVE OF NEW INDUSTRY TECH

Lithium-ion batteries offer some distinct advantages and improvements over other forms of battery technology. Used in many devices today, they provide good performance, charges faster, and lasts longer compared to other types of batteries. 

Lithium-ion is a popular choice for portable devices because they offer distinct advantages and improvements over other battery technologies. Like all technology though, there is a difference in how well each one works with certain applications — it’s important to understand not only what makes them good but also their downside.

THE PROS AND CONS OF LITHIUM ION BATTERIES

But the shininess and newness of a technology doesn’t mean it’s without its downfalls. Before hopping on the Lithium Ion Battery bandwagon, take a look at the pros and cons of the product. While the benefits are hard to dispute, there are still some potential drawbacks to consider. Whether you ultimately utilize Lithium Ion Batteries or not, it’s important to be in the know on the latest industry tech and innovation.

Pros:

  • Lithium-ion batteries are the best type of battery to use in your device since they don’t require any extra maintenance. Unlike other types of batteries that may need periodic discharge or topping off with fluid and priming before you can use them (and who has time for that?), these bad boys will just work every single time without fail!
  • A lithium-ion battery can be really great when it comes to loading characteristics. They provide a fairly constant 3 volts per cell before they start losing their charge as you use up all of your last charges, which is perfect!
  • Lithium-ion batteries come in many different types and sizes, which makes them convenient for use in various applications. The rechargeable battery you find inside your smartphone has very specific power requirements versus something like an electric vehicle – so it’s important that before buying or borrowing certain devices we know what type of lithium-Ion they have.
  • A rechargeable cell may require priming when it first receives a charge. Lithium-ion, on the other hand, has no such requirement, as they are ready to go from the start!
  • Lithium-ion batteries offer twice the energy density of nickel-cadmium, making their charging capabilities much more robust. This means that a single lithium-ion battery can power an electronic device for up to three times as long before needing recharging compared with two identical counterparts using NiCd or lead-acid technology – this is important in devices such as smartphones and laptops where you don’t want your battery dying out just when it becomes essential.

Cons:

  • Lithium-ion batteries can be tricky to handle if you don’t know of their flaws. One problem with these types is that they lose power faster than other battery types, such as nickel-cad or NiMh ones which typically have self-discharge rates of less than 5%.
  • The major disadvantage to lithium-ion batteries is their ageing. The battery can only withstand so many charge-discharge cycles before capacity falls and this could be due in part to the number of times it’s been charged or discharged; typically a li-ion setup will need at least 500 more charges than what you put into them just for safety reasons!
  • The lithium-Ion polymer(LiPoly) cells were created so you don’t need any external circuits but still maintain long life cycle times due t° the high energy density delivered by each cell!
  • The other problem with these types of cells, especially those found within consumer electronics such as cell phones, smartwatches etc., has got to do with time-related factors — namely how quickly they age if left unused over several months without use.
  • Lithium-ion batteries are a type of rechargeable battery that can be used for mobile devices and other portable electronics. The biggest downside to this kind of power source? It needs protection from being overcharged or discharged too much, which usually means including built-in circuitry in both the device itself as well as inside its voltage regulation system (also sometimes called “protection”).

How to Store Lithium-Ion Batteries Safely

Batteries should always be stored in a cool, dry place away from heat and sunlight. If your home does not have adequate ventilation or you’re storing batteries for an extended period of time (more than six months), it’s best to store them at 59℉ with relative humidity below 60%.

Boosting your home security is not just about installing alarms or motion sensors. You need to make sure the batteries in these devices are running at full strength and stored safely and away from children.

Get in touch with us today for all your battery needs.

Categories
Batteries Guide

7 common myths about the batteries in your favorite tech

1. Leaving a device plugged in will overcharge its battery: False

One of the most common lithium-ion battery charging myths is that plugging in your devices for long periods of time will overload the battery, wearing it out faster than usual. Don’t worry, it won’t. Your smart devices know better. Protective measures built into modern phones, tablets, and laptops ensure that lithium batteries stop charging once they reach capacity.

That said, if you leave your fully charged smartphone plugged in overnight, it’ll experience “trickle charge,” which means that as the battery naturally drops down to 99%, it uses a small amount of energy to bump it back up to 100%. This can cause the battery to wear out slightly faster, but not much faster than just regular use.

2. Freezing your phone battery helps keep its charge: False

Sudden, drastic shifts in temperature are never a good thing for your tech. Exposing your phone, tablet, or laptop to freezing temperatures can not only harm its battery, but also put other internal components at risk of malfunctioning. So never, ever put your devices in the freezer.

Tip: Charge your devices in a cool, ventilated place. Lithium-ion batteries don’t work well in freezing or overly hot temperatures, so avoid laying a stack of magazines on top of a charging phone or sticking it between some pillows, and don’t leave them in direct sunlight. Also, wireless and fast-charging devices can be helpful, but they produce lots of heat, so use them sparingly.

3.Closing Battery-Draining Apps Will Prolong Battery Life: False

In iOS devices, there’s a feature that allows you to close battery-draining apps. However, even if it is possible for an iOS user to turn off battery-draining applications at will, turning them back on again does not mean that the battery life has returned to normal. This option was created so users can get rid of unnecessary background processes and free up memory when they need it most.

4. Recharging battery-draining devices when they are at 20% will make them last longer: False

This battery myth is not true either! It has been proven that charging a battery with up to 80% won’t harm its lifespan or shorten battery life. And if you do need to recharge your battery when it’s still at 20%, you can use battery degradation mode, where your battery will be charged to 50% before stopping. This means that 60% of battery power is left unharmed and untouched during the charging process, which makes this option beneficial for battery health.

5. You need to let your battery hit zero before charging: False

Another cell phone battery charging myth is that you need to regularly drain the battery down to 0%, then charge it back up to 100%. This is true for older, nickel-based batteries, but not so for modern lithium batteries; the back-and-forth charging process will only wear down your device.

Tip: Try not to let your batteries drain down to 0%.

6. Your device’s batteries have a short lifespan: Somewhat false

There are several factors that go into how long your device’s lithium-ion battery will work as it should—how often you use your device and how often you charge it being two of the main ones. On average, you can expect your battery to last 2-3 years, or 300 to 500 charge cycles—whichever comes first. One charge cycle is measured from the time a battery is fully charged, completely drained, then charged back up again.

7. If your battery dies, you need a new device: False

If your device can’t last a full day on a single charge, or if it’s unexpectedly shutting down, your battery is probably starting to go. Other signs include lower speaker volume and sluggish apps. But a dead (or dying) battery doesn’t necessarily mean you have to invest in a new device. A battery replacement can be an affordable way to breathe new life into older tech.

A typical smartphone will only work at optimal capacity for 2-3 years before it starts deteriorating and becomes less efficient in performing basic tasks like taking photos or checking email messages without having power disruptions midway through the process.

But there are ways around this issue! You can replace batteries yourself if needed or get them replaced at a service centre. Here at BATTERYONE.CO we offer various batteries for your smartphones and other mobile devices.

Categories
Guide

Should You Charge Your Phone Overnight?

There are a lot of questions about mobile phone batteries. Should you leave your phone plugged in overnight? Is it bad for the phone? Is it even safe?

In fact, how much should you charge your phone? When’s the right time to plug in? Should you let it run down to zero every time? Should you charge it up to 100%? How do you get the longest life out of the battery inside a phone? Does it even matter, if you’re going to keep the handset around for just a couple of years and then upgrade?

Longer update pledges mean that battery health is a big deal for modern smartphones, and manufacturers are starting to take note. We already have features like Adaptive Charging, but Android 15 is expected to introduce an optional 80% charging limit in a bid to prolong battery lifespans. This will match a similar feature that Apple already debuted with the iPhone 15.

But doesn’t that number, 80%, seem rather arbitrary? Is there really any point in capping yourself at less than full capacity?

We present to you the myths and truths of iPhone or Android phone charging, in particular regarding whether you should plug you phone in overnight.

Charging My iPhone Overnight Overloads the Battery: False!

One thing all the experts agree on is that most devices are smart enough these days to avoid overloading themselves. Extra protective chips inside make sure that can’t happen in a tablet, a phone, or even alaptop. Once the internal lithium-ion battery hits 100% of its capacity, charging stops.

With older phones, if you leave you phone plugged in overnight, it is going to use a bit of energy by constantly trickling new juice to the battery every time it falls to 99%. That is;eating into your phone’s lifespan .Newer phones and OSes compensate for this; since iOS 13, Apple has shipped phones withOptimized Battery Charging ;turned on, so iPhones will usually not charge past 80% when connected to a charger for an extended period (like, say, overnight). With the latest iPhone 15, you can specifically tell the phone in settings to never go above 80% charge; if it’s on a charger, it won’t even try to recharge until it goes at least to 75%.

The Best Thing to Do

Don’t worry about this too much. Plug the phone in or place it on the wireless charger when you go to sleep. If you wake up in the night, unplug it or move it to prevent constant trickle-charging. You could also plug your phone into asmart plug;that’s on a schedule to turn off.And make sure that the Optimized Battery Charging option is turned on.

Potential Problems With Charging Phones Overnight

Trickle charges can generate some heat. Many experts recommend taking a phone out of the case to charge it overnight. But that’s not always feasible with a complicated protective case.

Battery health has two major arch nemesis: heat and voltage. The former can mostly be controlled by keeping your phone off a hot dashboard, not charging it under your pillow, and using slower charging when you don’t need a quick top-up. Voltage wear, however, can’t be controlled so easily by the user; voltage stress is simply a result of charging a battery.

At the very least, do not stack anything—books or other devices, for instance—on top of a charging device. And for the love of Jobs, do not put your phone under your pillow. Do any of the above, and you can expect the phone to get hot—not necessarily hot enough for spontaneous combustion but enough to damage the battery.

If you’re afraid of fire, some recommend leaving the charging device on a dish or saucer while it’s plugged in or placing it on something metal that is more likely to dissipate heat, the way a heatsink does on the chips inside a PC. That’s not much of an option if you use a wireless charging pad, so don’t sweat it.

I Should Freeze My Phone to Prevent Battery Problems: False!

Lithium-ion batteries hate two things: extreme cold and extreme heat. Repeatedly charging a phone in sub-freezing temps can create a permanent plating of metallic lithium on the battery anode, according to BatteryUniversity. You can’t fix that problem; it’s simply going to kill the battery faster.

Your phone battery is not alone in hating heat; all the internal components of a phone feel the same. Your phone is a computer, and computers and hot air are mortal enemies going back decades. Leave your black-screened phone sitting in the sun as you laze by the pool, but don’t be surprised when it throws a warning that it needs to cool off. Instead, give it some shade. In the summer, keep it off the car dashboard.

Apple specifically says charging iPhones in an environment that’s hotter than 95 degrees F (35 degrees C) does permanent damage to the battery. Expect the same with any modern phone.

The Best Thing(s) Never to Do

Don’t charge a phone when it’s too cold or hot. And don’t put your phone in the freezer.

My Battery Should Always Drop to Zero Power Before I Charge It: False!

Running a phone until it’s dead—a full discharge—is not the way to go with modern lithium-ion batteries. Try not to let it get close to 0%. That wears out a lithium-ion battery faster than normal. Partial discharge is the way to go.

Batteries are on borrowed time from the get-go. The insides are in a constant state of decay that can’t be helped. Over time, the materials inside are simply going to hold less and less power. If you’ve got an older iPhone still in use and wonder why it’s only got a charge for a few hours compared to the almost full day (or two) you got when it was new, that’s why. Capacity diminishes over time.

Drain a phone battery to zero only when you want to recalibrate the internal sensor that displays your phone’s battery level. Success here is hardly guaranteed—in fact, many people don’t think it works at all—but it’s recommended by some, especially with a phone that goes down to 10% (or even 20% or 30%), then abruptly dies.

Note that even when you do use the phone all the way to auto-shutdown, that may not mean the battery is actually at 0%. Leave the phone alone for a few hours, if you want to try recalibrating. Then give it a reset for good measure.

The Best Thing to Do:

Plug the phone in before it asks you to enter a low-power mode; iOS will ask you to turn that on when you hit 20% power. Plug the phone in when it’s between 30% and 40%. If you can’t turn on the Optimized Battery Charging, pull the plug at 80% to 90%; going to full 100% when using a high-voltage charger can put some strain on the battery.

Keep the phone’s battery charged between 30% and 80% to increase its lifespan. Eighty always seems to be the magic number when it comes to lithium-ion batteries.

Apple claims that with fast charging, iPhone batteries can increase 50% in only 30 minutes. That requires a USB-C power adapter, which on older phones in turn means using a special USB-C-to-Lightning cable or a higher-voltage charger such as the one from an iPad or even a MacBook.

Don’t fast-charge your phone if it doesn’t support it. That’s just another thing that’ll strain the battery. But it’s hard to find a phone these days that doesn’t support fast charging. 

But,if you plan to swap out your phone every year or two, charge it any way you want for as often as you want, and don’t worry about diminished capacity. But if you want to stretch out your phone’s useful life, pay attention to best practices for lithium-ion batteries, as described above. Or you could just get a new battery installed every couple of years, which is much cheaper than a brand-new phone. Then hold out for 2028!

Categories
Guide

When should you replace your smartphone battery?

If your cell phone can barely make it to lunchtime without a recharge, you may be tempted to buy a new one. But consider springing for a new battery instead.As long as the phone is in good shape—no cracked screen, for instance—replacing the battery can make the device work like brand-new.

Most smartphones come with non-removable batteries, so replacing one has gotten a lot more time-consuming and, in some cases, more expensive. It’s not something you should do on your own unless you have experience repairing phones, as you could make the problem worse. It can be a day-long project where you must disassemble your phone — in newer models, you even have to detach the screen from all of its sensors and wires. Now begs the question, when do you need to replace a phone battery?

How long does an Android phone battery last?

Much like the battery in your car, your Google Pixel or Samsung Galaxy phone battery will degrade over time. Typically, your phone battery is good for 2 to 3 years, or even longer if you take good care of your device.

Signs your phone battery needs to be replaced

If you’re worried your phone’s battery is damaged or not working at its best, we’ve got you covered. Here are the signs to look out for.

Your phone is slow to respond

Does your phone respond more slowly than it used to? Do apps take longer to launch? If your phone is sluggish—even when it’s mostly or fully charged—you may need a new battery.

Your battery doesn’t hold a charge

If your phone won’t charge to 100%, drains quickly after you’ve charged it, or shuts down unexpectedly on a full charge, it’s probably time to replace the battery.

Likewise, if you have to charge your Android more than once a day or if it only works when it’s plugged in, it’s may be time for a new battery.

Your phone heats up while charging

Are you wondering how to tell if your phone battery is damaged? Check to see whether your phone gets hot while it’s charging. You can also take a look at your phone screen or case to see whether it’s warped: If it is, you may have a swollen battery, which could be dangerous. The safest option is to take your device to a tech repair pro and replace it right away.

How to check your Android phone battery health

Most Android phone models have a battery usage setting where you can check battery health.
Go toSettings > Batteryto check your current battery level.
From there the steps vary by device, but look for an option like Battery Usage to get more information, like which apps are using the most power.

If you’ve tried these steps and still need a little help,get the best batteries for your business and professional needs here atBatteryone.co. Get in touch with us today for all your battery needs. 

Categories
Guide

How to Revive Your Old Computer

Getting the latest and greatest computers doesn’t always make sense today. Unless you’re heavily into software engineering, 4K video editing, or gaming, a 4-5-year-old computers is usually powerful enough to be your daily driver.

Often, people abandon failing computers that could otherwise be revived with a little extra investment in replaceable parts. Old computers, especially when given strategic upgrades, can be effective for low-intensity activities such as web browsing, word processing, presentations, email, etc. A backup machine can also be handy if your primary computer fails. Refurbished or revived computers may also be highly beneficial for families with older or younger members that need a system for email or schoolwork.

 Cleaning Your Old Computer

A good place to start when reviving an older computer is to simply clean it up. Build-up of dust and grime can impede the smooth operation of internal components, such as fans or heatsinks. If you decide to clean your system, you should first turn it off and unplug it. Clean the case, external components, and peripherals with a microfiber cloth, using 70% isopropyl alcohol to 30% distilled water in a spray bottle.

Start cleaning your old keyboard by turning it upside down and shaking out any debris that has accumulated, before proceeding with the alcohol spray. Avoid using a regular cleaning cloth on any exposed components, or anything that might be near one, no matter how dusty, as static can cause irreparable damage to electronic components and if a fiber from the cloth were to snag a component, it could tear it off rendering the system unusable. Use compressed air to clean the interior of your computer’s case, especially PC or laptop fans. Make sure to keep the can upright while cleaning so that you don’t blast the system with refrigerant liquid. While this liquid might not ruin the system, you’ll want to wait for any liquid that came out to evaporate from the system components. Even newly installed components can struggle to perform at their best when their fans are clogged and failing to keep them cool. After you’ve thoroughly cleaned your system and you’ve let any errant liquid spray evaporate, you can plug it back in and attempt to power on. You should also boot it and test that all the existing components are still in working order: fans, memory, storage, motherboard, and peripherals such as speakers, USB ports, optical drives etc.

How to upgrade your computer

Moving parts in any computer are failure prone. Fans and hard disk drives (HDDs) are often the first to fail.Batteries(such as in laptops) are another hazard, as they can chemically or physically break down with age.

Replacing an entire motherboard can be prohibitively complex and pricey, akin to buying a whole new PC as it will probably need all new components. Processors typically aren’t the bottlenecks for basic computing needs and, depending on the age of your PC, it may also not be practical to change the processor for a more contemporary one, as motherboard chipsets are only compatible with certain CPUs generations, which may no longer be available. However, RAM is an easy, relatively inexpensive, and proven upgrade that will boost an old PC or laptop’s performance. Legacy RAM technology tends to remain available longer than components like processors.

Reformatting or replacing storage

As hard drives are often the first component to fail in older computers, the inclination to replace your system’s HDD with an SSD can be a smart option for those seeking to improve an old computer’s performance. However, if you have essential files you would like to preserve, back them up and/or migrate them over to a USB drive or external drive before you reformat or replace the storage.

If you choose not to upgrade or expand your computer’s storage options, it’s a good idea to free up around 20GB of storage space, to facilitate the smooth running of the system. You should also get rid of unwanted apps that might appear during startup but are unnecessary for general system use. These startup apps can significantly slow down your machine, especially if it is old and lacking capable hardware. Any apps that are never or infrequently used can be safely deleted from the system. It is always a good idea to empty the Recycle Bin (or Trash) when you have finished deleting unwanted files.

Reinstall Your Operating System

For security and efficiency, it is wise to update your old computer’s operating system as a stage in its revival. Download patches for Windows and macOS from the Microsoft and Apple websites. macOS upgrades are free, while updating to Windows 10 or 11 from 8 usually costs $139. However, the OS can still be used without paying, it will just have fewer features available.

Systems already running Windows 10 are easy to contemporize, so long as there are no major hardware problems. The best way to update a mothballed computer is to reinstall Windows entirely, which will mean the new installation will be entirely up to date on security and application updates. Microsoft has a guide on how to do this on its website. If you opt not to reinstall your OS, you will need to update your drivers. There is driver update software that can auto scan and update your drivers, which may run into fewer problems than manual attempts to bridge the gap.

Microsoft has a PC Health Check app that can identify if your revived PC is able to run Windows 11. Computers sold after 2017 should have the necessary hardware. Other computers might still have Windows 8 or even 7, both of which are no longer supported by Microsoft and therefore not secure against malware that newer versions of Windows are protected against.

Mac users can easily reinstall macOS by holding Command + R during bootup to enter recovery mode. Here, the newest version of macOS compatible with your Mac will install, including security patches.

If the computer is for a student, installing ChromeOS might be a good option. Chromebooks are commonly used in schools and the ChromeOS Flex has advantages over Windows and macOS for older computers. It’s more intuitive for students who are primarily Chromebook users.

Final thought

This covers the basics.Even with these upgrades a system might struggle with high-intensity tasks such as video and image editing, gaming, and CAD design.But we hope we’ve saved you a few money by letting you keep your old PC around a bit longer.