Battery Health 101: Why Won't My iPhone Charge Past 80?

Feeling bemused as to "Why won't my iPhone charge past 80"? You're not alone. This peculiar issue might seem like a bothersome glitch at first, but hold your worries. In this post, we'll delve into the reasons behind your iPhone's inability to charge past 80%. Additionally, we'll provide you with practical tips to keep your iPhone's battery healthy.

Understanding these factors will empower you to make informed decisions about your device's battery usage and ensure its longevity. Get ready on this exploratory ride as we uncover the intelligence behind Apple's battery life preservative methodology.  

Why Won't My iPhone Charge Past 80?

Your iPhone may stop charging at around 80% due to a feature called "Optimized Battery Charging." This feature learns from your daily charging patterns to slow down the battery aging process. When it's enabled, your iPhone will delay charging past 80% in certain situations.

For instance, if you usually charge your phone all night, the device will hold at 80% for most of the night, charging to 100% just before you typically wake up. This reduces the time the battery spends at higher charges, ultimately extending its overall lifespan and maintaining optimal performance. 

In addition, "Optimized Battery Charging" is also designed to extend your battery's power and lifespan by reducing the energy usage of apps that you're not actively using. Essentially, it manages the performance of your apps based on your habits and usage patterns. For example, if you have an app that runs in the background all the time, battery optimization may limit its background activity when your battery runs low.

How Does Charging Limit Help Prolong Your iPhone Battery Life?

The charging limit plays a vital role in enhancing the longevity and well-being of your iPhone's battery. In this section, we'll explore how it works to promote battery lifespan.

1. Lower Charge Levels

By setting a charging limit, like 80% or 90%, you keep the battery at a lower voltage level. This helps reduce the stress on the battery during charging, minimizing the extent of the chemical reactions that contribute to degradation.

2. Reduced Chemical Stress

Batteries undergo chemical reactions during the charging and discharging processes. When you use battery optimization features, you reduce the amount of chemical stress that occurs, particularly at the higher and lower ends of the battery's charge. This helps preserve the battery's health and longevity.

3. Mitigated Heat Generation

Heat can be damaging to your iPhone's battery. Limiting the charging level reduces the amount of heat generated during the charging process, thus protecting vital components from damage or malfunction. Furthermore, this reduction in heat generation can lead to improved overall performance and extended battery life.

4. Less Frequent Full Charge Cycles

By implementing a charging limit, you can lower the frequency of full charge cycles, which in turn supports your battery's health and integrity. Completing fewer full charge cycles will help maintain the battery's capacity and reduce the rate of degradation, ultimately prolonging your iPhone's battery life.

5 Ways to Fix iPhone Not Charging Past 80%?

Still want to charge your iPhone over 80%? Here are several steps you can take to address iPhone battery not charging to 100% issue and get your device charging back to its full capacity. Here's a guide to troubleshoot and fix the problem:

1. Disable Optimized Battery Charging:

The first thing is to check whether the "Optimized Battery Charging" feature is enabled on your iPhone. To check if it's enabled, go to "Settings" > "Battery" > "Battery Health" > "Optimized Battery Charging." Toggle it off and you can solve the problem.

2. Restart Your iPhone:

At times, a quick restart can solve charging problems. Simply press and hold the power button until the "slide to power off" slider appears. Turn off your iPhone, wait a few seconds, and then turn it back on. Also, you need to make sure your iPhone is running the latest version of iOS.

3. Try a Different Outlet and Clean Debris:

Plug your charger into another power outlet or USB port to rule out any issues with the power source. Besides, inspect your iPhone's charging port for any debris, dirt, or lint that could be blocking the connection. Use a soft brush or compressed air to clean the port gently.

4. Reset All Settings:

If the issue persists, you can try resetting all settings on your iPhone. Navigate to "Settings" > "General" > "Reset" > "Reset All Settings." This will revert your settings to their default state, but your data will remain intact.

5. Contact Apple Support:

If the above steps don’t work, it's a good idea to reach out to Apple Support or visit an Apple Store for additional help. There might be an underlying hardware issue that requires professional attention.

4 Tips to Keep The Battery of Your iPhone Healthy

Use Certified Chargers and Cables

To keep your iPhone's battery healthy, it's essential to use certified cables and chargers for iPhone. Non-certified chargers could potentially deliver inappropriate voltage or current, which can strain the battery, resulting in quicker overall degradation or even potential harm to the device. Always ensure that you are using an MFi (Made For iPhone) certified charger and cable, which you can typically identify by a logo on the packaging. 

A good example is the Anker 762 USB-C to Lightning Cable (3ft / 6ft Nylon), which is an MFi-certified tool, ensuring secure, high-speed charging for Lightning devices. This cable combines a slim design with remarkable durability, thanks to a 35,000-bend lifespan. It offers high-speed Power Delivery charging when used with an 18W USB-C charger (not included) and supports rapid data transfer at speeds of 480Mbps. 

Mind the Wattage

In addition to using certified chargers and cables, paying attention to the charger's wattage also plays a significant role in maintaining your iPhone's battery health. iPhone devices are designed to accept a certain level of energy input for charging. Using a charger that delivers energy at a higher rate can cause the battery to heat up and degrade over time. Using a higher wattage charger won't necessarily charge your iPhone faster – and might end up causing harm in the long run.

Charge in a Cool Environment

The iPhone battery operates best at a comfortable room temperature, typically between 62° to 72° F (16° to 22° C). Charging your device in conditions that are too hot can cause irreversible capacity loss. That means your battery won't power your device as long on a given charge. Charging in cold conditions can also harm your battery life. Hence, it's always wise to charge your iPhone in a cool & dry environment to guarantee the longevity of your iPhone battery.

Unplug After Full Charge

Sometimes, due to busy schedules, we tend to leave our iPhones connected to the charger even after they are fully charged. However, doing this on a regular basis could strain the battery, leading to its deterioration over time. Although your iPhone is smart enough to stop charging once the battery reaches 100%, leaving it connected to the power source for prolonged periods may generate excess heat, which can impair battery health. Therefore, try to unplug your iPhone once it has reached full charge to maintain optimal battery health and lifespan.

Conclusion

In conclusion, we've known reasons why won't my iPhone charge past 80; it's not a flaw but an intelligent feature intended to prolong your device's battery life. Mastering this battery optimization isn't just beneficial, it's a long-term investment in the longevity of your iPhone. Beyond charging limits, there exists a myriad of ways to ensure your iPhone stays in tip-top shape. From mindful usage to being conscious of your device, keeping an iPhone's battery healthy is easier than you'd think.

FAQ about "Why Won't My iPhone Charge Past 80"

Here are some commonly asked queries about “why won't my iPhone charge past 80”.

1. How Can I Charge My iPhone over 80?

Go to Settings > Battery > Battery Health > Optimized Battery Charging, and disable it. The purpose of this feature is to minimize the aging of the battery, but disabling it will allow your iPhone to charge beyond 80%.

2. Is It Safe to Charge My iPhone to 100% Occasionally?

Yes, it is safe to occasionally charge your iPhone to 100%, as the device is designed to handle such charge levels. However, continually charging it to 100% and keeping it fully charged for extended periods may stress the battery and might contribute to battery aging.

3. Does Wireless Charging Have Any Impact on the 80% Charging Limit?

No, wireless charging does not have any impact on the 80% charging limit. This limit is part of the 'Optimized Battery Charging' feature in iOS, which is designed to slow the rate of battery aging, regardless of whether the charging is wired or wireless. You can manage this feature in the same way, from the "Battery Health" setting. You can learn more on "Is Wireless Charging Bad for Battery Health".