Should You Leave Your Phone Charging Overnight?

"Starting in 2010, manufacturers have made it customary to integrate power management chips into their designs that choke the power coming in when the battery reaches 100 percent. The first such chips-called power management integrated circuits, or PMICs-began to peep out from the mid-2000s but became standard in phones somewhat later."

"When integrated into a motherboard, the PMIC manages things like battery charging, the system's sleep, wake, and power cycle events, and the voltage and current used by the display, processor, memory, and other components. It optimizes all of these things to reduce the overall power consumption and extend the device's battery life."

"The best way to keep batteries from incurring too much wear is to keep the cell charged between about 30 percent and 80 percent. Doing this reduces the thermal and chemical stress on the lithium-ion cells."

Overnight smartphone charging is generally safe and not as problematic as previously believed. Since 2010, manufacturers have integrated power management integrated circuits (PMICs) into phones that automatically reduce power flow when batteries reach full charge. These chips manage charging, system power cycles, voltage, and current distribution while preventing overheating and reducing fire risk. However, battery health is best maintained by keeping charge levels between 30-80% to reduce thermal and chemical stress on lithium-ion cells. Users should balance overnight charging with daytime charging practices and avoid charging in environments with excessive heat, such as under blankets or pillows.

Read at WIRED