Smartphone lithium ion battery

[MidnightDistortions]

Typically you'll go through a cycle or two when charging a cellphone battery from 0-100% so ideally charging it at 40-80% keeps the battery from wearing out quicker.

My question is should you ever drain the battery dead and then recharge it (if the battery or percentage indicators need to be recalibrated)? It seems to discharge quicker than usual though it's a 4 year old battery. Would charging it at 30% increments be ideal so it's not to heat up the battery?

I havent gone beyond the 30% level, though it was at 11% before when I had gotten a new phone due to my service provider having to switch from sprint to T mobile, I had left it on.

I also use AccuBattery which shows around 88-90% battery life. Not sure if its accurate I also cleared the data about a couple of months ago to see if it dropped anymore. Used to be stable at 91% but dropped to 90%. Since I did refresh it, it was at 88% but back to 90%.

 

[Monocrom]

When a smartphone battery is that old, it's time to get a new phone.
Honestly, the one in my old phone lasted a good while because I'd recharge it as close to 80% as often as I could. Five years. But that last year, I had to keep it switched off as the battery would drain down at an alarming rate. This wasn't an issue for me. But obviously would be unacceptable to most folks.

After four years, it's time for a new phone. Fortunately, there are plenty of companies that offer a "Free" replacement phone if you switch. (Real price, right around $50 with Activation fee, taxes, enchantments, unicorn tears, and other fees factored in.)

 

[scalpel_ninja]

My wife has a chronic habit of not charging her iPhone and letting it die at least a few times per week. Then I stick it on the charger up to 100%. Her phone is 2 years old with no noticeable drop in capacity under normal use.

Batteries are also managed at the software level and varies across manufacturers (like Tesla). I don't know if anyone has ever tested the battery indicator on screen versus the actual voltage and capacity of the battery itself. For example, software can limit charging up to 90% of the physical capacity, but show 100% on screen. It may allow physical discharge down to 25% but show 1% on screen and then shut off. This would already be a "soft" protection and increase longevity with use from the "full" spectrum of 0-100% charge. Deliberate charging by the user to only 80% on screen and discharge no lower than 30% might further extend the battery life, but at the cost of overall usage time during the day.

Fast wireless charging tends to heat the battery up (to the point where the screen dims as overheating protection), so I only do so in the car with AC blowing directly on the phone/charger.

 

[idleprocess]

My question is should you ever drain the battery dead and then recharge it

I wouldn't.

Would charging it at 30% increments be ideal so it's not to heat up the battery?

If you're worried about charge rate, I'd look at a lower-amperage USB charger - either a 1A or even a 500mA - to limit power delivery and thus heat.

 

[Poppy]

@MidnightDistortions
My phone was 3 1/2 years old and using AccuBattery it determined that my battery had 88-90% capacity.

Rarely did I charge it fully, also rarely was it drained below 50% Most times I kept it between 60-80%.

AT&T went to 5G so I had to upgrade my phone. My daughter convinced me to change to an iPhone, the transition was a little challenging.

All this to say that your battery may still be good. Perhaps over the last four years, your phone usage may have insidiously increased.

 

[MidnightDistortions]

Sorry I never checked back in, I didn't get any response yet but anyway I tested with another phone I had, a full discharge-recharge and according to Accubattery it showed 85%. After regular discharge/recharge at 60-80% it went up to 90%. Battery ended up being strong.

But that TracFone isnt the one I mentioned. The phone in question is an older Samsung Galaxy J3 achieve from 2018, bought on Ebay. I do actually have a newer Samsung A03s which is on the Boost network. The J3 I got Mint Mobile for.
I got 2 other phones that the networks won't unlock because they haven't had service for a year.

Anyway its showing a solid 90% life after I accidentally let it discharge to 30%.

Charged it to 60% and hunted around for draining apps which I deleted or disabled the ones I don't use. Then later charged to 90%. Seems to hold a charge longer when its brought around to 85% when I'm at work and when I'm at home I let it get to 40%, charge it to 80% before bed and shut it off overnight and use my A03 as an alarm. Doesn't use much battery, shut that off for the work day.