How To Turn Off Optimized Battery Charging on iPhone With 4 Easy Steps
Optimized Battery Charging is a feature on the iPhone that helps prolong the life of your battery by reversing the depletion process. When you charge your iPhone overnight, iOS will check the current battery level and begin charging at a faster rate when there’s enough available power to do so.
This reduces the strain on the battery while it’s charging and extends its life in the long term by ceasing this faster charging after it has reached peak capacity. This is great for new iPhone users who don’t know about this yet, but if you own an older model or have read about this before and know what it does, you might want to turn off Optimized Battery Charging on your iPhone. Read ahead to discover how!
What Is Optimized Battery Charging?
Apple introduced this feature along with iOS 11.3. It’s a way for the system to monitor the charging process and determine the best moment to cease applying a faster rate to the battery so as to prolong its life. When charging at a faster rate, the current is flowing in the opposite direction, the battery has to work harder to accept it and charge.
The iOS system monitors the battery’s voltage and current to determine when it’s reached a state where it can safely stop charging faster. You’ll usually see this feature if you have an iPhone 8 or later model, or an iPhone X. These devices use a more advanced charging method that’s designed to throttle down the current and voltage when the battery is charged to avoid overcharging and over-reducing.
How does Optimized Battery Charging work?
As mentioned above, when charging your iPhone at a faster rate, the current applied to the battery is flowing in the opposite direction. This is the reason the battery doesn’t charge as quickly as it would when plugged into a wall outlet. When you first plug your iPhone in, iOS will begin charging it at a slower rate, where the battery is able to accept the current flowing in the correct direction.
When the battery reaches a certain charge level, it will trigger a faster rate, regardless of what percentage your iPhone is at. This is where the optimized charging kicks in. iOS will monitor the current and voltage, and once it determines it can safely cease the faster charging, it will do so.
How To Turn Off Optimized Battery Charging on iPhone
If you want to retain control over when your iPhone charges and slows down, you can turn off optimized battery charging by following these steps:
Step1: Open the Settings app.
Step 2: Scroll down and select the Battery option.
Step 3: Here you’ll find a toggle labeled “Battery Health”.
Step 4: Slide the toggle to the off position to disable optimized battery charging.
Once you’ve done this, the iPhone will charge at a slower rate when plugged into a wall outlet and will cease charging at whatever percentage it reaches.
Does Charging Your Phone Overnight Ruin The Battery?
No, this isn’t a myth, but it’s a commonly held misconception. The myth is that charging your phone overnight will “overcharge” the battery and ruin it. Instead, charging it overnight is actually better for the battery than plugging it in for a couple of hours or unplugging it before it’s reached full capacity. The battery has a finite lifespan, and it’s better to charge it to a point where it will last a shorter time than it would if you let it fully deplete and then charge it again. You can charge your iPhone when it has a low charge, but don’t let it reach 0% before plugging it back into the wall.
At What Percentage Should I Replace My iPhone Battery?
When the time comes to replace your iPhone battery, you should be able to find out when it was manufactured. This information is displayed on the “Battery Health” screen. You can find this by following the steps listed above. When Apple released iOS 11.3, it included a new battery health stats feature that tells you the maximum capacity of your battery compared with when it was new.
This info is displayed in two ways; a simple Maximum Capacity percentage and a more detailed graph that shows how the health of your battery has changed over time. Now, when the time comes to replace your iPhone battery, you’ll know when it was manufactured. You can check the Maximum Capacity percentage and compare it to the values shown when it was new. If it’s less than 80%, you should replace the battery with a new one.
Why You Shouldn’t Turn Off Optimized Battery Charging
If you choose to turn off optimized battery charging, you should be aware that while it might not charge as fast, it will last significantly less time. The phone will take longer to charge, and it will discharge at a faster rate as well. If you have an older iPhone model, this could cause the battery to die quicker than expected. With the newer iPhone models, the battery will last longer than it would with optimized charging on. That’s because the battery will keep charging until it reaches a certain capacity and then stops. It will charge at a slower rate until it’s completely charged.
Bottom line
With a few quick steps, you can turn off optimized battery charging. This will cause the iPhone to charge at a slower rate, and it will discharge at a slower rate as well. If you have an older model, this could cause the battery to die quicker. With the newer models, the battery will last longer than it would with optimized charging on. That said, if you’re experiencing charging issues on your newer model iPhone, you might want to look into getting your battery replaced.
Check out my article on How to Detect and Remove Spyware from your iPhone
About The Author
Williams Alfred Onen
Williams Alfred Onen is a degree-holding computer science software engineer with a passion for technology and extensive knowledge in the tech field. With a history of providing innovative solutions to complex tech problems, Williams stays ahead of the curve by continuously seeking new knowledge and skills. He shares his insights on technology through his blog and is dedicated to helping others bring their tech visions to life.
