Technology
Is it REALLY safe to leave your iPhone plugged in overnight? Apple reveals the truth
WE’VE all left our iPhones plugged in overnight – but is it safe?
Fears over fires and degraded batteries abound, so you have to be careful
AppleYou need to be careful when charging your iPhone overnight[/caption]
In terms of pure safety, there’s no risk of an iPhone fire overnight – if you’re careful.
But there are several mistakes you need to avoid.
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.
If you usually fall asleep with it in bed, make sure it’s not plugged in.
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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.”
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.
Charging ahead
The other reason to be careful about charging overnight is battery health.
Every iPhone contains a lithium ion battery that degrades over time.
That means over time, the battery will hold less charge than when it was brand new.
Keeping a battery charged and charging at 100% isn’t great for the cell.
That’s not an easy process to manage while you’re asleep.
Thankfully, your iPhone has a built-in feature that can be turned on or off to help boost battery health while you’re in the land of nod.
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.
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