Why You Should Never Let Your Android Battery Hit Zero

For Android users, charging your phone throughout the day may feel inconvenient, but it could be a habit that gives your battery a better life. To let your battery completely die before recharging can ruin your phone's battery over time, according to experts.

There are other tactics you can try such as activating battery saver mode on your phone to extend battery life. However, not letting your phone drop to zero is an easy, practical option if you want your battery capacity to last longer. Why is this the case? The answer to this lies in how batteries are made.

Phone batteries are mostly made from lithium-ion and are not built to last. Their limited lifespan means they degrade from the moment you use them. The longer they are in use, the more quickly they will lose power and take longer to recharge. Obviously, there's more to understand about this science, so let's unravel why it's always a good idea to keep your battery partially charged and not let it fall to zero.

Your battery's life span directly depends on the number of charge cycles it has. In a nutshell, a charge cycle refers to the number of times the lithium-ion battery in your device charges from zero to full. Due to the chemical makeup inside these batteries, they don't last forever. This means that the more full charges it experiences will cause it to degrade exponentially faster. On average, you'll get around 400 to 500 charge cycles before your battery kicks the bucket and you need to find a replacement.

In light of these numbers, you may ask yourself what's the right way to preserve your phone's battery life? First, you should avoid charging your battery to maximum capacity. Android manufacturers like Google already help users with this and have built-in features on Pixel phones that cap charging at 80% in situations that heavily tax the battery such as playing games, and if users have left their phones on charge for a long time.

Another way that you can extend battery life is to keep your phone away from extreme temperatures. When it comes to battery longevity, PC Mag reports that 32 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit or 0 to 35 degrees Celsius is the optimal temperature range for your smartphone.