Worst iPhone charging mistakes you’re probably making – as Apple warns of FIRE and ruined battery life

YOU could be putting yourself or your iPhone at risk by charging it wrongly.

There are loads of common mistakes people make – so don’t fall foul of these charging nightmares.

AppleMake sure you’re charging your iPhone safely and in the most efficient way[/caption]

For the most part, your iPhone is extremely sturdy, resilient, and not prone to breaking.

But certain mistakes when handling an iPhone can cause real problems – and sometimes dangerous ones.

Avoid using third-party chargers

Apple supplies your iPhone with a charger, and sells replacements through its store.

But be very wary of using third-party cables or adapters.

These might be manufactured cheaply and without proper safety standards.

“Charging with such adapters could pose a risk of death or injury,” Apple says.

Don’t sleep on a device

Be careful when charging your iPhone overnight.

If you usually fall asleep with it in bed, make sure it’s not plugged in.

And certainly don’t make a habit of keeping it under your pillow while plugged in.

In fact, never leave your iPhone under or inside anything while plugged in.

“Don’t sleep on a device, power adapter, or wireless charger, or place them under a blanket, pillow, or your body, when it’s connected to a power source,” warns Apple.

“Keep your iPhone, the power adapter, and any wireless charger in a well-ventilated area when in use or charging.”

Be wary of water and damaged cables

This might sound obvious, but be very wary of water when charging your iPhone.

If you’ve recently had a drink on the side and the surface is wet, or you’re charging in the kitchen near a splash zone, you could be at risk.

Similarly, be careful if you’re using a cable that is damaged, broken, frayed and so on.

“Using damaged cables or chargers, or charging when moisture is present, can cause fire, electric shock, injury, or damage to iPhone or other property,” Apple warns.

If you’ve got a damaged cable or adapter, simply replace it.

Don’t be tempted to keep using a worn down cable, or it could be very dangerous.

Use optimised charging

Your iPhone battery will hold less charge as it ages, but you can help to limit this degradation.

“A battery’s lifespan is related to its chemical age, which is more than just the length of time since the battery was assembled,” said Apple.

“A battery’s chemical age results from a complex combination of several factors, including temperature history and charging pattern.

“All rechargeable batteries are consumable components that become less effective as they chemically age.

“As lithium-ion batteries chemically age, the amount of charge they can hold diminishes, resulting in reduced battery life and reduced peak performance.”

That’s where Optimised Battery Charging comes in, in a bid to extend the lifespan of your iPhone.

You can limit the wear on your battery by reducing the time your iPhone spends fully charged.

That ultimately means your battery will last longer.

So when Optimised Battery Charging is active, your iPhone will delay charging past 80% – but only in specific situations.

Your iPhone will learn about your day-to-day charging routine to do this.

Go into Settings > Battery > Battery Health > Optimised Battery Charging.

Make sure it’s toggled on to activate the feature.

Get your battery replaced

Ultimately, your iPhone battery will degrade over time.

And you’d expect it to reduce to about 80% of its original capacity after two years.

That might make you want to ditch your iPhone and get a new model – but don’t rush out just yet.

Apple will actually replace your iPhone battery for £79, which is far cheaper than buying a new model.

And it could mean you get a good four years of usage out of an iPhone versus two.

After all, Apple supports older models for years with iOS updates, so you won’t miss out on most software features anyway.

Consider getting an official battery replacement to keep your iPhone running strong – but be very wary of unofficial alternatives.

Like unofficial charging cables, an unofficial battery replacement could be very risky.

AppleYour iPhone may be ageing faster than it needs to[/caption]

AppleUse Optimised Battery Charging to keep your battery capacity higher for longer[/caption]

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