A young woman standing near a wooden wireless charger, working on her laptop

Does Wireless Charging Harm Smartphone Batteries?

Worried about wireless charging hurting your phone’s battery? You’re not alone! A lot of people wonder if it’s safe. We’ll answer all your questions in this article. Keep reading!

THE ANSWER IS NO!

Wireless Charging Won’t Harm Your Phone’s Battery Life

To be clear, the heat from wireless charging won’t harm your phone’s battery.

#1 The power flow from a wireless charger is more stable than a wired charger

Wireless chargers work differently than plugging in a cable. They use a special kind of magnetic connection called “resonant inductive coupling”.

Your charging pad has a little coil inside, and your phone has a coil too. These coils talk to each other and send electricity to your phone without wires. The electricity flow is very smooth and stable, which is good for your battery.

All you have to do is place your phone on the charging pad and forget about it!

Person's hand placing a smartphone on a wooden wireless charger. A laptop is visible in the background

But, how does the electricity get to your phone?

With a regular charger, the electricity from the wall outlet gets changed into a different kind of electricity that your phone can use. It’s kind of like converting gasoline into energy for a car.

Wireless charging works differently. The electricity flow is much smoother and gentler. The power goes from the charging pad to your phone using magnetic coils, like two magnets attracting each other. This kind of electricity is much safer for your phone’s battery.

The lower amount of electricity flowing through wireless charging, along with the separate coils and protective materials, creates a safer environment for your phone’s battery. It’s like giving your phone a stable charge, which means your battery will stay in good condition for a longer time.

If you’re curious about how wireless charging works, check out our blog post How Does Wireless Charging Work? You’ll learn everything you need to know about this amazing technology.

#2 Heat doesn’t directly damage phone batteries

You might be worried about the heat from charging since phones can get pretty warm.

Trust us, it’s not actually the battery that’s getting hot. The heat comes from the phone’s back cover, which is made of a special material that gets warm when electricity flows through it.

The battery itself doesn’t get hot because it’s not made of the same material. So, while the phone might feel warm, the battery itself is staying cool.

But what about the heat from the rest of the phone? Could that hurt the battery?

#3 Don’t worry! Your phone battery is designed to keep itself safe

We’ve all been there – our smartphones get hot while charging, and we worry about the battery. But here’s the good news, your phone is pretty smart about keeping things safe!

Inside your phone’s battery, a dedicated Protection Circuit Module (PCM) acts as a safety guard. This module constantly monitors the battery’s performance, including temperature and charge levels. If any readings exceed safe limits, the PCM communicates with the phone’s main control system to adjust charging settings, protecting the battery from overheating or damage.

Protection Circuit Module infographic, highlighting that wireless charging won't harm the phone's battery

Take the iPhone for example. Apple says you can charge it up to 50% in just 30 minutes with fast charging. And that’s true! But here’s the secret, the phone actually slows down the charging process to prevent overheating.

Mashable did a test and found that an iPhone X charged to 46% in the first 30 minutes, but then it took another two hours and five minutes to finish the rest! Why the change? It’s all about the charger. If your charger can handle heat well, it can keep the fast charging going. But if it gets too warm, the charger automatically switches to a slower pace to keep the battery safe.

What Damages Your Phone Battery and How to Prevent It From Degrading Quickly

While wireless charging is good for your phone’s battery, it’s true that all batteries eventually wear out. But there are things you can do to help your battery last longer and stay in good shape.

“You can’t stop time, but you can maximize your battery’s lifespan and performance.”

#1 Fully discharge your phone battery

There’s a common misconception that letting your phone battery fully drain is good for it, but that’s not the case.

While it used to be thought that fully draining your battery helped it calibrate its capacity, experts now say that’s not the case. In fact, constantly draining your battery can shorten its lifespan.

So, what’s the best way to keep your battery happy?

The simple answer is to avoid letting your battery get completely empty. If you’re going to store your phone for a long time, try to keep it charged to at least 40%. And if you want your battery to last as long as possible, try to charge it more often, even if it’s not empty.

In simpler terms, small charges are better than big ones when it comes to your phone’s battery.

#2 Use fast charging a lot

We all know that phones can get hot, especially if you’re using them a lot or if it’s a hot day. But did you know that extreme heat can harm your battery?

Every battery has a safe temperature range, and if it gets too hot, it can start to wear out faster. It’s like leaving a chocolate bar in the sun – it will melt!

So, try to keep your phone out of extreme heat, especially if it’s above 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit).

Now, don’t confuse this with the normal warmth you feel when your phone is charging. That’s usually just the phone doing its thing. But if you notice your phone getting really hot, especially when you’re not using it, that’s a sign that it might be getting too warm.

Remember, keeping an eye on the temperature is important for your phone’s battery. Extreme heat or cold can hurt your battery. If you live in a place with hot summers or frigid winters, try to keep your phone out of direct sunlight or extreme cold.

Final Thoughts

Wireless charging is definitely becoming more popular, and it’s super convenient. And, contrary to what some might think, it won’t harm your phone’s battery.

The most important thing is to choose a safe and high-quality wireless charger.

At GOWOOD, we offer 15W fast wireless chargers, made from beautiful wood. They’re light and portable, perfect for taking on the go! On top of that, they’re made with as little plastic as possible, so you can feel good about using them.

GOWOOD collection of wooden wireless chargers! In Maple, Bamboo, Walnut, and Zebra wood.

Our chargers also have a handy LED light to let you know when your phone is charging or finished.
Check out our collection of wooden wireless chargers! In Maple, Bamboo, Walnut, and Zebra wood.