What is the Battery Memory Effect for Your Device?

Luckily, cell phone batteries made of lithium-ion do not suffer the battery memory effect that is commonplace among rechargeable nickel batteries. However, phone batteries have their own charging particularities: they don’t function as well if you charge them too much or let their battery power drop to zero. While lithium-ion batteries function the longest if they’re regularly charged from around 40% to 80%, it can seem like a chore to keep track of these very specific charges. That’s where the Total Charge feature can help. Keep your phone’s battery working effectively for longer by running Total Charge:

Total Charge notifies you when it’s time to disconnect your phone from the charger and alerts you about overcharging. Additionally, its Charger Monitor Screen lets you know how long it will take for your phone to reach its peak charge.

Read More: Learn How to Spot a Weak Smartphone Battery

Problems with overcharging or underusing rechargeable batteries is nothing new. Back when we used rechargeable batteries made of nickel, we noticed the battery memory effect, or a battery’s diminishing charge capacity if it was recharged after being only partially discharged. The battery could only “remember” the diminished capacity, hence the name of the phenomenon. This was certainly an issue, but while this doesn’t happen to lithium-ion batteries, there are still a few steps you can take — in addition to using Total Charge — that will keep your phone’s batteries in their best shape.

Recharge Your Battery From Zero to 100% Only Once Per Month

If you’re regularly letting your phone battery die and then recharging it to 100%, stop this practice right away. Experts suggest only letting your phone complete a full charge once per month to recalibrate the battery.

Use The Charger That Came With Your Phone

Never use a replacement charger that isn’t designed for your phone. These cheap alternatives can significantly harm the battery — they have even been known to catch fire. If you lose your original charger, it’s best to replace it with a charger designed specifically for your device.

Don’t Use “Fast Charging” Feature On Your Phone

Many Android devices are equipped with a feature that makes the phone charge more quickly. Use this feature sparingly or not at all. Fast charge features send power at a higher voltage, causing the battery to heat up more quickly.

While rechargeable phone batteries are no longer affected by the battery memory effect, make sure to adopt the above charging methods that can keep your battery working more effectively for longer.