Every smartphone battery gradually loses capacity. You cannot stop that entirely, but you can avoid the conditions that speed it up. Most of them come down to heat and how you charge.

Avoid heat whenever possible

Heat is the biggest enemy of battery health. Don’t leave your phone in a hot car or direct sun, and remove thick cases if the phone gets warm while charging or gaming.

Use built-in battery protection features

Many phones now offer optimised or adaptive charging, or an option to cap charging below 100%. These features reduce the time the battery spends fully charged, which helps long-term health.

Everyday habits that help

  • Use reputable chargers and cables from the manufacturer or certified brands.
  • Top up in short bursts rather than regularly running down to zero.
  • Update your software — updates often include power management improvements.
  • Check which apps use the most battery in settings and restrict background activity for the worst offenders.

Swelling is a warning sign

If your phone’s case begins to separate or the screen lifts, stop using and charging it and contact an authorised repair service.

When to replace the battery

If your phone struggles to last a day even after these changes, a professional battery replacement is often far cheaper than a new phone and can extend its useful life considerably.