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Optimized Battery Charging is an exciting feature that’s a default setting on many Apple products. It’s designed to protect the integrity and lifespan of your battery, but it’s not a requirement.
Below, learn how this setting works and whether turning this feature on is good for you and your device. Plus, know exactly how to turn it off when the feature does not serve you.
What Is Optimized Battery Charging?
Optimized Battery Charging is a smart feature on newer Apple iPhone and Watch models that uses machine learning to learn your charging habits and prevent your battery from sitting at 100% for too long while plugged in. You can use the feature regardless of whether your phone charger is Qi-certified.
Utilizing this feature can help your phone last longer each charge and maintain its capacity in the long term.
How Does Optimized Battery Charging Work?
Apple iO3 13 and up can learn your daily charging habits to optimize the time your device spends fully charged and improve its lifespan. It’s a default setting that will be turned on when setting up your new iPhone or Apple Watch.
Rather than allowing your device to quickly reach 100% and remain there for an extended time, your device will pause charging around the 80% mark, allowing the charge cycle to complete close to the time it anticipates you’ll take the phone off its charger. Keeping your phone plugged in past the 100% point contributes to battery wear and is one of the main reasons older phone batteries seem to die much quicker than newer phones.
Optimized Battery Charging uses a branch of artificial intelligence called machine learning to study and record your unique charging habits. Based on the pattern it observes, it adjusts to halt at a particular threshold. Overall, this process can lessen the stress placed on the battery and ensure it lasts longer at its full capacity.
Is It Good To Turn On Optimized Battery Charging?
Keeping your phone at 100% while it remains on the charger strains it unnecessarily. Apple relies on Lithium-ion batteries, which can charge fast if convenience is prioritized, or charge slowly to preserve its longevity. Neither option is right or wrong, but using Optimized Battery Charging when possible can contribute to a longer battery life and improved performance in the long term.
It’s a great feature to use on a typical night of sleep when you have regular sleeping habits. If you’re not going to touch your phone for eight hours after going to bed, you might as well take care of your hardware in the process. By learning your charging patterns, the feature will ensure the battery reaches its total capacity just before you wake up and remove it from the charger.
However, this feature might not be ideal for settings where you’re charging using an alternative power source like the EcoFlow RIVER 2 on its own or as the EcoFlow RIVER 2 + 110W Solar Panel (a solar generator) and need to reach full power as soon as possible, such as when charging your phone or laptop while camping.
Another example of when you might not want optimized battery charging turned on is if you’re traveling and using the EcoFlow RAPID Power Bank. The power bank’s biggest draw is its fast-charging capabilities, but if you have this setting turned on, it might only charge your phone to 80% capacity.
Benefits of Optimized Battery Charging
Using Apple’s Optimized Battery Charging feature, introduced with the iOS 13 update, will benefit you in several ways.
Extended Battery Lifespan
First and foremost, you’ll extend your battery’s lifespan. Optimized charging will help your Apple battery last longer, optimize its performance, and maintain its capacity and discharge rates over time. It pays attention to your regular charging patterns and slows down or halts the charge when it assumes the phone will remain connected to the charger for an extended time.
Reduced Battery Wear
This feature reduces wear and stress on the battery by limiting the length of time your phone remains at 100% while on a charger. While wear and tear is natural and inevitable, this feature can slow down the process and ensure it functions properly for as long as possible.
Smart Technology
Since Optimized Battery Charging uses machine learning, it can adjust if you change your lifestyle and routine. If your sleeping habits shift, your phone will pick up on that and change its charging protocols to ensure it’s still fully charged and ready to go when you wake up.
How Do I Turn Optimized Battery Charging On or Off?
This Apple setting is set to “On” by default, but it’s also simple to turn off if needed.
Go to the Settings app from your phone’s home screen, then scroll down until you see Battery. Tap it, and look for Battery Health and Charging near the top of the screen. Tap that button, and scroll down the page a bit until you see the toggle for Optimized Battery Charging. You can then turn it on or off.
As we mentioned, it’s good to keep this feature turned on when possible and convenient, as it protects your capacity and lifespan. But certain situations may call for you to turn it off. For example, it’s a good idea to turn this setting off if you’re attempting to charge your phone without electricity to maximize any power you get.
But, if you’re plugging your phone in to charge overnight from a robust power source like the EcoFlow RIVER 3 Series Portable Power Stations, it’s easy to turn the optimized battery charging setting back on.
Final Thoughts
One of the most common complaints about the iPhone is a quickly drained battery, especially after the phone has been used for a few years. Apple recognized that part of this battery damage was from overcharging the device, leaving it connected to a charger long after it reached 100% capacity.
By introducing the Optimized Battery Charging feature, Apple now allows you to protect your delicate lithium-ion battery cell to ensure it only reaches 100% soon before it predicts you’ll take the phone off the charger.
While this feature is helpful, there are certain times when you may want to charge your phone as quickly as possible, such as when using the EcoFlow RAPID Power Bank while traveling. In these cases, it’s easy to toggle the setting off and allow your phone to revert to its quick and convenient charging speed.