What is the 20/80 rule and why is it important for your cell phone battery?

We tend to charge our mobile phones indiscriminately for various reasons: either because it is the electronic device we use the most during the day, or because its battery barely lasts at the end of the day (or even midday). Either way, to take the stress off your wallet while also reducing your climate impact, we highly recommend adopting techniques to extend the life of your device, from preventive maintenance to adopting the 20/80 rule to extend the life of your device. phone battery.

What is the 20/80 rule and why is it important for extending battery life?

In general terms, it consists of limiting the battery charge to a maximum of 80% and not allowing it to drop below 20%. The reason, again in very general terms, is that lithium-ion batteries have “higher voltage” zones ranging from 81% to 100% and 1% to 19%, so transfer of overcharge to these areas accelerates degradation components, which in turn leads to a reduction in service life.

If you want a technical answer, it’s included in this study conducted by Greek researchers. and published in ScienceDirect. And although the study is based on electric vehicle batteries, the findings apply to other types of lithium-ion batteries, such as those used in cell phones or laptop computers.

Experts say that these findings should be used for two main aspects: electric vehicle manufacturers are taking measures at the software level to limit maximum charging in order to extend their service life, and on the other hand, raising awareness among consumers about the need to adopt these methods in order to reduce them environmental impact. After all, part of the appeal of electric vehicles is the elimination of carbon dioxide emissions, the effect of which will be offset one way or another if users have to replace huge lithium-ion batteries after a few years.

And while you can simply remember not to charge your cell phone above 80% and not let the battery drop below 20%, some manufacturers have built in features that limit the maximum charge.

How to limit battery charge on a cell phone?

Although not all manufacturers have included this feature in their mobile phones, some major brands like Samsung, Huawei, Realme, Oppo and Sony are already integrating it into their smartphones. And while each brand has its own process, the way it goes is more or less the same.

For example, if you have a Samsung mobile phone, go to Parameter, Caring for your deviceclick on Battery and swipe until you find the menu More battery optionsthen activate the function Protect your batterywhich limits the maximum load to 85%.

On the other hand, if you use an iPhone, be aware that iOS has a “hidden” feature that analyzes your charging patterns to reduce battery strain. So if you have an iPhone, continue to use it as usual.