One common issue faced by many smartphone users is that their phone battery takes longer to charge. This problem becomes especially frustrating when you wake up in the morning, find your phone is nearly out of charge, and realize you need to leave the house in a hurry or will be out for an extended period.
If you're someone who holds on to their phone for more than two years without upgrading (or upgrading less frequently), you’ve probably noticed that when you first got the phone, it took less time to charge from 0% to 100%. However, after a year or more, that time has increased to over an hour or two, and the time between charges seems to decrease as well.
The first thing to check is whether your charging cable is the right one. Original charging cables that come with your phone are generally of good quality, but over time, they can wear out due to bending, sun exposure, or exposure to extreme temperatures. Replacing your cable can resolve this issue. Be sure to use the original cable because many phones charge most efficiently when using their designated charger and cable.
If you charge your phone through a computer, you may have noticed that it takes forever to charge it from 0% to 100%. Charging through a computer significantly reduces the charging speed. Even when using USB 3.0, you only receive 0.9 amps (for USB 2.0, it's 0.5 amps). When using a power bank, make sure to check the power and amperage of the power bank to ensure it matches your phone’s original charger. Some phones support wireless charging, but keep in mind that wireless charging is often slower than wired charging, and you may need to wait much longer for your phone to charge this way.
One of the most common causes of slow charging is using a non-standard charger adapter. If you’ve used a charger that isn’t the original one, you might notice that your phone doesn’t charge as quickly as before. Sudden voltage changes can damage the adapter and affect its performance. Adapters are designed to protect your device from damage, and using the wrong one can create issues for your phone.
If you're someone who keeps your phone in your pocket or takes it with you to work, the issue might lie with the charging port. Dirt or debris can build up in the charging port, slowing down the charging process. If the previous tips don’t solve the problem, it might be time to clean the charging port. You can use a toothpick, SIM card ejector tool, or a soft tissue to gently clean it out.
Before you proceed with anything else, it’s a good idea to check the condition of your phone's battery. It’s possible your phone has a bad battery. Keep in mind that all batteries degrade over time, and this is completely normal. Lithium-ion batteries used in smartphones have a limited number of charge/discharge cycles. If the battery hasn’t been properly maintained or is too old, it will degrade and not only charge slowly but also drain quickly. In these cases, replacing the battery is the solution. Some phones allow you to replace the battery yourself; in such cases, just buy the original battery and replace it.
Many users don’t realize that one of the biggest causes of rapid battery drain is the display. Keeping the screen on, especially at high brightness levels, depletes the battery faster. When you combine this with the other factors mentioned above, you’re more likely to find the main issue. In fact, the rate at which you use your phone can have a much greater impact on battery consumption than the charging speed. So, it's better to leave your phone plugged in for an hour or two while you focus on something else.
Apps that run in the background are another major culprit for battery drain. Most Android apps begin running in the background as soon as the phone is turned on and continue even after you exit them. To preserve battery life and optimize performance, it’s important to regularly monitor active apps. Thankfully, Android is improving its resource management. The best approach is to install a task manager to check the apps running in the background. Once you identify the problematic apps, you can uninstall them and likely see an improvement in your phone’s charging speed.
