Can you limit charging on Android?

Battery charging limits allow you to control how much your Android device’s battery charges to. Many Android phones will charge all the way up to 100% by default. However, charging to 100% can reduce battery lifespan over time due to the additional strain it puts on the battery. Limiting maximum charging can help prolong overall battery health.

There are a few reasons why someone may want to limit charging on their Android device:

To extend the lifespan of their battery by reducing strain on it.

To avoid unnecessary power consumption when they don’t need a 100% charge.
To avoid trickle charging which can occur when a device is plugged in after reaching 100%.
To avoid overheating of the battery which can happen at higher charges.

By capping charging at 80% or 90%, some users feel they get the ideal balance of adequate battery life while maximizing long-term battery health. However, charging limits may not be right for everyone’s usage needs.

Not all Android phones allow you to limit charging. It’s a feature that was introduced in Android 11 and has been expanded in newer versions.

Checking if Your Android Phone Supports Charging Limits

To check if your Android phone supports charging limits:

Go to Settings > Battery.
Look for a “Battery Health” or “Battery Care” section.
If you see options like “Adaptive charging”, “Optimized charging”, or the ability to set charging limits, then your phone supports the feature.

In general, you’ll need Android 11 or newer to be able to limit charging. Some popular phones that support it include the Samsung Galaxy S21 series, Google Pixel 4 and newer, OnePlus 8 and newer, Xiaomi Mi 11 and newer, among others.

If your Android version or phone model does not support limiting charging, you may need to use third party apps as a workaround. We’ll cover those later in this guide.

Setting a Maximum Charging Limit

Many newer Android phones include a built-in option to set a maximum charging limit, such as 80%. This can help prolong battery life by avoiding constantly charging to 100%.

To set a charging limit on Samsung Galaxy devices:

Go to Settings > Battery and device care > Battery > More battery settings
Tap on ‘Charging’ and toggle on ‘Adaptive battery charging’

Under ‘Protect battery’ select a maximum charge percentage like 80% or 85%

For other Android devices like OnePlus, Pixel, and Motorola:

Go to Settings > Battery

Tap on the menu icon in the top right and choose ‘Battery charge limit’
Toggle on ‘Set a charge limit’ and choose a percentage up to 90% maximum

Once enabled, your Android phone will stop charging at the set maximum percentage. You can adjust this limit at any time based on your needs.

Source: Reddit

Setting a Custom Charging Schedule

You can set a custom charging schedule on some Android phones to control exactly when and how much the battery charges. This allows you to limit charging to certain times of day or night. For example, you may want to restrict charging to only occur between midnight and 6am.

Unfortunately Android does not have a built-in setting to configure a custom charging schedule. However, there are some third party apps that can provide this functionality:

Battery Charge Limit – Allows setting a schedule to limit charging between set times and percentages. Works without root.
Charge Limit – Offers customizable charging schedules and charge level limits. Requires root access.

These apps work by controlling the flow of electricity to the battery during charging. Some key points if using a third party charging scheduler app:

You’ll need to grant accessibility permissions.
The phone must remain powered on and app running.
Custom kernels or mods may conflict.

It’s best to use the official charger and cable.

With a properly configured schedule, you can effectively limit overnight charging and improve long term battery health.

Using Third-Party Apps

There are several popular third-party apps available on the Google Play Store that can help limit charging on Android devices:

AccuBattery is one of the most popular options [1]. This app displays detailed battery usage information and can measure battery capacity. One of its key features is the ability to set a charging limit, allowing you to limit maximum charging to a percentage of your choice. For example, you can set it to only charge to 80% to improve battery health.

Another app called Chargie [2] offers similar functionality. It has options to limit charging to a set level or create custom charging schedules. The app works together with a small hardware accessory that gets installed between your charger and phone.

There are also many other battery apps on the Play Store like 360 Battery and Power Manager that provide charging control options [3]. Checking user reviews can help determine the best app for your needs.

Improving Battery Health

Charging limits can significantly extend the lifespan of your Android phone’s battery by reducing strain and degradation over time. Lithium-ion batteries suffer capacity loss from both full charges and deep discharges. By capping the maximum charge at 85% instead of 100%, you preserve battery health by keeping voltages lower during the most stressful part of charging past ~65%. Research shows batteries experience exponential degradation around 85-100% charge, so limiting maximum capacity prevents deterioration in this range.

In addition, stopping charging at 85% helps avoid constantly keeping your battery at the 100% peak voltage level, which also accelerates capacity loss over time. Allowing your phone to discharge closer to 25% before recharging further reduces high voltage exposure. With careful charging limits, batteries can last over twice as long. However, be aware that you sacrifice up to 15% battery capacity in any single charge cycle. Proper charging habits balance longevity gains against daily runtime.

Potential Drawbacks

While limiting maximum charging can help extend battery lifespan, there are some potential drawbacks to be aware of:

Reduced battery capacity – With an 85% max charge, your phone’s usable charge will be reduced compared to 100% charging. This means your phone may run out of battery more quickly, especially for power-intensive tasks ¹.

Inconvenience – You may need to charge your phone more frequently. If you frequently drain your battery during the day, having less capacity could be frustrating ².

Performance impacts – Some users report lagging performance immediately after unplugging when using 85% limits. Performance tends to improve after a few minutes ¹.

Difficulty calibrating – Limiting maximum charge can make it harder for your phone to calibrate the battery by occasionally fully charging and discharging. This may reduce accuracy of the battery percentage reading ³.

Troubleshooting Issues

Implementing charging limits can occasionally lead to problems. Here are some troubleshooting tips if you run into issues:

If your battery seems to drain faster after setting a charging limit, try resetting the limit to 100% to see if it improves. Frequent partial charges can temporarily reduce battery capacity. Letting it charge to 100% occasionally may help calibrate the battery meter.

If your phone doesn’t seem to be honoring the charge limit, check that the app or setting is still enabled in your phone’s settings. Toggle the setting off and back on to make sure it is being applied properly.

Try using a different charging limit app if the built-in tool is not working reliably. Apps like AccuBattery may have more customization options.

For Samsung phones, clearing the cache partition can potentially fix software issues preventing charge limits from working. Power off the phone and then reboot into recovery mode to wipe the cache partition.

As a last resort, back up your data and perform a factory reset. This will erase any problematic software configurations and allow charge limiting apps to work properly after being set up again.

Recommendations

There are some best practices to follow when setting charging limits to optimize battery health and longevity on Android devices:

According to a Reddit discussion on r/Android, lithium-based batteries, like those in most modern smartphones, are best maintained at a maximum charge of 80% for optimal battery lifespan. Charging to 100% and keeping your phone plugged in even after it’s fully charged can degrade the battery more quickly over time. As one user commented, “You should charge your phone to 80% on the status bar for the healthiest outcome” (source).

It’s generally recommended to keep your phone’s battery level between 20-80% as much as possible. So setting a charging limit of 80% helps avoid constantly fully charging the battery. Allowing the level to drain closer to 20% before recharging also helps the battery calibration stay accurate.

For those wanting the maximum lifespan from their battery, setting a lower limit like 60-70% is ideal. However, this requires more frequent charging, which may be less convenient.

Using third-party apps to schedule customized charging times can also help reduce battery wear. For example, setting it to only charge during certain nighttime hours when you won’t be using the device (source).

It’s best to avoid constantly “topping up” your phone’s charge throughout the day. Let the battery discharge closer to your set lower limit first before plugging it in again.

Conclusion

Charging limits allow you to control how your Android device’s battery charges in order to prolong battery lifespan. With the default Android settings, you can set a maximum charging limit of 80-90% to avoid constantly fully charging the battery. For more customization, third party apps like AccuBattery and Battery Charge Limit allow you to set very specific charging schedules and thresholds.

Overall, charging limits are a useful tool for improving battery health over time, especially if you frequently charge overnight or keep your device plugged in for long stretches. However, reduced maximum charges may impact device performance during intense usage. It’s a balancing act between battery longevity and having enough charge when you need it.

If you choose to implement charging limits, monitor your battery usage to ensure it still meets your daily needs. Adjust the settings as required to find your optimal charging routine. While not a cure-all, charging limits are one way Android users can exercise more control over their battery’s lifespan.