iPhone 5S - Draining battery for charge

Let the battery drain all the way to 0% when you first get the phone from the store. Then charge it all the way to 100%. After that, use it as you normally would, and plug it in to charge at around 20%. But you should let the battery drain all the way to 0% once a month. Apparently it is good for the battery as it re-calibrates it.

And no you should not be worried about your iPhone catching on fire. It is rare, and usually happens to people using 3rd party chargers. It isn't likely to happen.

ajgrant said:

First, should I completely drain the battery or is it okay to charge it, and drain it later? It's on 50% now, and started at about 65% at the store. It hasn't been hooked up to a computer or anything either.

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Just use your phone and enjoy it. If it needs to charge, plug it in. If it doesn't, then don't. If you want to plug your phone in before it's all the way dead, go ahead. Basically you want to cycle the battery about once a month, but it honestly isn't going to make much of a difference.

http://www.apple.com/batteries/

I agree with the first reply, drain it to 0% the first day, and then whenever it needs to be each day after that. As far as letting it run to 0 at least once a month, I've never heard of it but hey, it can't hurt anything

John9721 said:

I agree with the first reply, drain it to 0% the first day, and then whenever it needs to be each day after that. As far as letting it run to 0 at least once a month, I've never heard of it but hey, it can't hurt anything

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It's right on the link I provided. Note that I don't say to run it down to 0, that's actually not good for the battery.

Lithium-ion polymer batteries need to be used for maximum performance. If you don’t use your device often, be sure to complete a charge cycle at least once a month.

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Running LI ion batteries to zero is actually bad. I would use the phone normally and ignore any internet battery advice except as it may come from your iPhone instructions or apple.com.

Apple used to advise running the phone down until it shuts off once a month. Now (at the links provided above) they recommend that you use 100% of the battery per month. That can be 100% in one day or 3-ish% a day for 30 days.

Running the phone until is shuts off is not bad for the battery. The charging circuit takes care to not under nor over charge the battery.

PNutts said:

Apple used to advise running the phone down until it shuts off once a month. Now (at the links provided above) they recommend that you use 100% of the battery per month. That can be 100% in one day or 3-ish% a day for 30 days.

Running the phone until is shuts off is not bad for the battery. The charging circuit takes care to not under nor over charge the battery.

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THANK YOU and the rest, I had the same question as I recently got my 5s. My father told me it does not matter anymore as they are using a different type battery and there isn't any need to run-it-down. But some how I figure he does not know what he is talking..... Now all of the above makes perfect sense.

For the most part, using the phone and charging it as it fits your lifestyle/needs is what it really comes down to.

C DM said:

For the most part, using the phone and charging it as it fits your lifestyle/needs is what it really comes down to.

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Exactly.

The optimum range for li ion cells is 40 to 80%, which IMO equates to maximum life. LI ION cells have smart charging circuits that prevent over and under charging. These circuits are needed to protect the battery against explosion and fire.

That doesn't mean, it's the best for the battery to discharge until the phone shuts off. Which is why unless some battery life info is on apple.com; everything else is usual internet bs. (including what I just posted. )

I7guy said:

That doesn't mean, it's the best for the battery to discharge until the phone shuts off. Which is why unless some battery life info is on apple.com; everything else is usual internet bs. (including what I just posted. )

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lol - Agreed, but that was on Apple's site until last year.

Folks with good intentions come into these threads and spout battery theory or give advice as if the battery is naked on a workbench with alligator clips to a charger. In that case, don't over charge, don't under charge, don't charge too fast, don't go to 0 V etc. That's not the scenario here. Apple is smarter than that, or maybe I should say the charging circuit and Apple's engineering is smarter than that. As C DM said above, just use the phone. If someone doesn't use it more than 3% of it's charge a day then they are not following the manufacturer's recommendation and chaos will ensue, e.g., cats sleeping with dogs kind of stuff.