UK households urged not to leave mobile phones charging overnight

Brits are being urged not to leave their mobile phone charging overnight. According to tech experts, leaving your mobile on charge throughout the night is "one of the worst things you can do".

Most people habitually put their devices on charge before going to sleep but it can actually cause more harm than good. The experts say charging your phone overnight can slowly destroy the battery, and can also add more to your electricity bills.

As reported by the Manchester Evening News, it can cost over £100 to replace smartphone batteries. Most modern devices require professional repairs to replace the battery, meaning DIY methods are nearly impossible.

A spokesperson from Outplayed said: "Most people don't realise that overnight charging is one of the worst things you can do to a lithium-ion battery. It's convenient, but convenience often comes at a cost."

Modern smartphones have surprisingly delicate batteries when it comes to heat and prolonged charging cycles. They can quickly overheat, which slowly kills the battery.

After hitting 100%, a phone battery continues "trickle charging" rather than just switching off. This means the battery is constantly being topped up throughout the night to maintain that charge.

The spokesperson added: "Think of it like constantly filling up a full glass of water. The battery is working overtime to manage this constant input, which wears out the cells much faster than you'd expect."

Experts instead recommend keeping your phone charge between 20% and 80%. This puts less strain on the battery and can make it last longer.

The experts also advise people charging their devices during the day. This allows you to unplug your phone once the battery reaches 100%.

Modern phones are getting smarter about this too. Apple's Optimised Battery Charging and Samsung's Protect Battery mode both learn your routine and delay charging past 80 percent until you actually need it.