Should you avoid charging your iPhone to 100%?

Chao-Yang Wang, director of the Electrochemical Engine Center at Penn State University, told HuffPost that regularly charging your phone to 100% can make its battery deteriorate 10% to 15% faster over its lifetime compared to capping the charge at 90%.

However, experts say the difference is not drastic and phone users do not need to be too afraid of charging to 100% or leaving it plugged in while fully charged.

"There are so many different variables that affect battery age and longevity besides just filling it to 100%," Patrick Holland, CNET editor and phone reviewer, explains.

He added that Apple and other brands have software that manages charging and even provides users with tools to take more control.

For iPhone users, Apple offers a few built-in features to help users manage battery health. If you keep your phone plugged in overnight, the Optimized Battery Charging feature can delay charging to 100% until the next morning. This helps reduce the time your battery spends at 100%, which can ease long-term wear.

Offering more control, iPhone 15 and newer models include a feature called Charge Limit, which lets you cap charging at a specific level between 80% and 100% in 5% increments to help reduce battery stress.

You can enable Charge Limit by going to Settings > Battery > Charging. Optimized Battery Charging can only be toggled on if the limit is set at 100%.

Apple notes that this feature can improve battery lifespan and iOS might suggest turning it on based on your usage habits. Enabling a limit, even at 95%, can offer long-term benefits.

Although charging to 100% is not ideal for battery longevity, it is fine when you need the extra power—such as during travel, Wang said. For everyday use, however, keeping the charge between 85% and 90% can help extend your battery’s lifespan.