iPhone 14 Pro Max Does wirelessly charging actually harm the battery?

[iyiyi]

I'm really confused. Half of what I read says that wireless charging is actually better for your phone's battery and half say it's terrible. I really want to keep my battery in good health. Is there any "definitive" answer to how wireless charging effects a phone's battery over its life?

I am using a 14 pro max and I would be using the genuine apple charger. Thanks for the input

 

[BugeyeSTI]

Depends how long you're going to keep your device. Wireless charging is definitely worse for battery life due to the heat generated and inefficiency of the charging process. Wired charging your device at low voltage over a longer period of time is less destructive but you can't stop the battery from deteriorating no matter what you do. If you upgrade every 1-2 years I wouldn't worry about it and if you don't, Apple will replace the battery relatively cheap so it really doesn't matter. Just use your device and charge it when you need too. If your worried about it, use a smart charger with automations that will charge when your device falls to 35-40% and stops charging at 80-85%..

 

[now i see it]

“Harming” the battery is actually on a sliding scale. The least “harm” that can be done to a battery is to keep it at 40% charge and not use it. Everything beyond that is more harmful.The bigger the depth of discharge, the more harmful. The higher it is charged, the more it harms the battery.
Using a lithium ion battery is a matter of being realistic with its use. Want a battery to last a reasonable length of time? You’re going to ‘harm’ it by charging it up.
Want a battery that doesn’t take ages to charge? You’re going to harm it a bit charging it faster than slower.
At some point, you've got to control the battery and not let it control you.
Just charge up the sucker with any method Apple recommends and forget about it.

 

[PauloSera]

I'm really confused. Half of what I read says that wireless charging is actually better for your phone's battery and half say it's terrible. I really want to keep my battery in good health. Is there any "definitive" answer to how wireless charging effects a phone's battery over its life?

I am using a 14 pro max and I would be using the genuine apple charger. Thanks for the input

Maybe stop reading and just use the phone like normal. Spoiler Alert: it will continue to work fine.

 

[MegaBlue]

My partner and I both almost exclusively wirelessly charge. We both use a MagSafe charger every night, as well as having a MagSafe charger on both our desks. We do have one lightning cable that we keep in the living room and then we use lighting in our cars.

My launch 13 Pro was at 88% battery before I turned it in (used iOS 16 betas), and his launch 13 Pro was at 96% battery (didn’t use 16 betas). Both our launch 14 Pros are currently at 100%.

Either way, it’s too convenient for me, and getting a new battery is accessible to me if I need, so I’m gonna always use it and prefer it.

 

[PauloSera]

My partner and I both almost exclusively wirelessly charge. We both use a MagSafe charger every night, as well as having a MagSafe charger on both our desks. We do have one lightning cable that we keep in the living room and then we use lighting in our cars.

My launch 13 Pro was at 88% battery before I turned it in (used iOS 16 betas), and his launch 13 Pro was at 96% battery (didn’t use 16 betas). Both our launch 14 Pros are currently at 100%.

Either way, it’s too convenient for me, and getting a new battery is accessible to me if I need, so I’m gonna always use it and prefer it.

This is the answer. Just use your phone. Don't abandon convenience because of inevitable battery degradation. The battery is going to degrade, you can't stop it. But it will be several years before that degradation even becomes noticeable in every day use. And at that point, you probably should be trading up to a newer phone. And if you don't, you can replace the battery.

 

[Jackbequickly]

I'm really confused. Half of what I read says that wireless charging is actually better for your phone's battery and half say it's terrible. I really want to keep my battery in good health. Is there any "definitive" answer to how wireless charging effects a phone's battery over its life?

I am using a 14 pro max and I would be using the genuine apple charger. Thanks for the input

‘You battery will last the longest if you plug it into an Apple 5 watt charging clock. Take a while to charge it but will never get warm while charging.

 

[now i see it]

Got to remember, that  engineers only want to hit a specified target for cycle count vs battery capacity remaining.
That magic (made up) number is 500 cycles with 80% remaining capacity.
That’s their goal. If the charger and battery combo make it that far, they’ve hit their mark and they’re done.

500 cycles with 80% remaining capacity is pretty horrible battery life, but that milestone is acceptable to apple. You’ll get there by charging to 100% every day and leaving the phone plugged in all night.

If you want to your battery to last longer than that - a lot longer, (like outlive the useful life of the phone) then other measures need to be taken, like not charging to 100%, using smaller chargers, minimizing depth of discharge etc.

 

[Abstract]

Use a 5W charger. 👈👈👈👈👈

As mentioned already, charging from 0% hurts the battery. Charging to 100% hurts the battery.
Heat is bad for the battery.

Some people choose to charge as infrequently as possible because “charging is bad”, but honestly, charging from 10% to 100% is worse than charging from 40% to 100%.

Wireless charging is probably worse for the battery because it’s inefficient, generating lots of heat, and still takes longer than charging via cable.

It may shorten the useful life of your battery by a few months, but ultimately, all batteries need to be replaced eventually. It’s unavoidable.


Personally, I don’t charge at night. What I do are a bunch of smaller recharges (using a 5W charger) whenever I can.

I may charge for 40 minutes while walking my dog, 20 minutes while I shower, 30 minutes while I’m eating breakfast. My charge generally stays within the 30-80% range at all times. I also have a charger at my desk at work for short bursts of charging.

 

[Steve121178]

It doesn't do the battery any good long-term due to the heat produced. But if you change your phone every 1-2 years then it really doesn't matter as you'll never be in possession of the device when the battery has lost a chunk of its longevity.

 

[topcat001]

Since it is Apple, we can always go to a store and get it replaced rather than deal with some shady repair shop. I use my friend’s old iPhone X and he really killed the battery. It was trivial to replace through Apple and now works absolutely fine.

I use a wired charger and keep it between 60-80 % unless I’m going to be away from a charger all day.

 

[Alex Cai]

the heat kills the battery
don’t use a mfm labeled charger because it charges at 15w which generates more heat. a magnetic (not made for MagSafe) charger would be a lot better

 

[koelsh]

Personally I've found more variability from battery to battery than trying to manage it manually is going to account for so I try not to think about it much. The 5 year old battery in my refurbished Series 3 Apple Watch has been through the wringer and still lasts 2 days and reports 95% health. Had a friend who's large iPhone bought at the same time dropped to 85% life in a year.

Here's what I go by.
Yes excessive heat is bad however MagSafe just makes it warm so it's fine.
Avoid discharging all the way.
Avoid leaving at 100%.

My iPhone 8 from 2018 traded in a couple months ago was treated this way and it had 88% life remaining.

I would however recommend using MagSafe compatible (plugged into whatever wattage charger you want) over a generic Qi/magnetic charger as MagSafe compatible aligns the coils while others just hang out wherever. My iPhone 13 gets slightly warm on MagSafe with 15 watts verses getting alarmingly hot on the 2 generic 5 and 10 watt Qi chargers I've tried so far.

 

[Reggaenald]

No.
It itself doesn’t, but the inevitable heat as a byproduct can cause the “chemicals to age faster”

 

[Reggaenald]

Since it is Apple, we can always go to a store and get it replaced rather than deal with some shady repair shop. I use my friend’s old iPhone X and he really killed the battery. It was trivial to replace through Apple and now works absolutely fine.

I use a wired charger and keep it between 60-80 % unless I’m going to be away from a charger all day.

No need to be that gentle

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

Like everyone else is saying here, just charge the phone.
Batteries can be unpredictable, I used an iPhone 11 for over a year with a wireless charger and it never dropped below 95%. I wasn’t doing any special management. I just charged the phone at night, picked it up in the morning and had to charge it a couple times outside of that obviously, but still it never dropped below 95%.
I had a 12 mini for a year, and by the end of the year, it was already down to almost 80%. Using the exact same equipment as the 11 to charge.
There are also several other factors as well, almost all having to do with heat.
Do you work in an environment where your phone is going to be getting hot, for example, working outdoors during the summer?
Do you leave your phone in the car while it’s hot outside?
Do you keep the room that you charge your phone and cool?
pretty much anything regarding the temperature can make a change.

 

[Alex Cai]

I would however recommend using MagSafe (plugged into whatever wattage charger you want) over a generic Qi/magnetic charger as MagSafe aligns the coils while others just hang out wherever. My iPhone 13 gets slightly warm on MagSafe with 15 watts verses getting alarmingly hot on the 2 generic 5 and 10 watt Qi chargers I've tried so far.

A magnetic charger will do better than the MagSafe charger. (I have the MagSafe charger from apple and one from Anker)

 

[blkjedi954]

“Harming” the battery is actually on a sliding scale. The least “harm” that can be done to a battery is to keep it at 40% charge and not use it. Everything beyond that is more harmful.The bigger the depth of discharge, the more harmful. The higher it is charged, the more it harms the battery.
Using a lithium ion battery is a matter of being realistic with its use. Want a battery to last a reasonable length of time? You’re going to ‘harm’ it by charging it up.
Want a battery that doesn’t take ages to charge? You’re going to harm it a bit charging it faster than slower.
At some point, you've got to control the battery and not let it control you.
Just charge up the sucker with any method Apple recommends and forget about it.

Thank you for that non solution. It really adds finality to the poster’s quest. Mad Hatter vibes..🥸

 

[Apple_Robert]

If the battery gets bad before 2 years is over, have Apple replace it. I think too many people around here obsess about their batteries.

Create a shortcut with a smart kit compatible plug whereby the charger shuts off after the battery gets charged. Problem solved.

 

[tomekwsrod]

I wouldn't worry about it and if you don't, Apple will replace the battery relatively cheap so it really doesn't matter. Just use your device and charge it when you need too.

I would just add that it matters for the environment we live in.

 

[Jack Neill]

My XS has about 750 cycles on it and 85% health and is 4 years old. I used a Samsung qi charger for almost its entire life and I had no problems with the battery.

 

[koelsh]

A magnetic charger will do better than the MagSafe charger. (I have the MagSafe charger from apple and one from Anker)

Quick question, is this magnetic charger from Anker one that's "MagSafe compatible"/uses the magnetic rings?

 

[Isamilis]

This is the answer. Just use your phone. Don't abandon convenience because of inevitable battery degradation. The battery is going to degrade, you can't stop it. But it will be several years before that degradation even becomes noticeable in every day use. And at that point, you probably should be trading up to a newer phone. And if you don't, you can replace the battery.

> getting a new battery is accessible to me if I need
This is it. Some countries are unable to get battery replacement.

 

[PauloSera]

> getting a new battery is accessible to me if I need
This is it. Some countries are unable to get battery replacement.

You won't need one anyway.

 

[koelsh]

A magnetic charger will do better than the MagSafe charger. (I have the MagSafe charger from apple and one from Anker)

I see what you're saying and I should have said "MagSafe compatible" as opposed to MagSafe brand. Modified my first reply to reflect this.

Aligning the coils is the way to go and I'm a little surprised the standard allows for free positioning anyway considering all the other problems they have to overcome anyway.