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ThatiPhoneKid

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Aug 15, 2017
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i am so excited to be getting the iPhone 11 but I love my iPhone XS Max so much I’m not going to sell it when the next iPhone comes out so I am wondering as I won’t be using it anymore what are some good tips in order to make sure the battery doesn’t degrade? Thanks
 

ThatiPhoneKid

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Aug 15, 2017
984
665
If you're going to store it and keep in like a drawer or something: Charge the phone up to about 50% and then turn it off to preserve the battery. This is per Apple. Turn it on once in a while and check the charge and make sure everythign is good.
Thank you!!:apple:
Trust me when I say if you love the 11 as much as you most likely will, the xs max isn’t worth keeping around. You can sell it for top dollar and then buy another one for cheaper at a later date if you find out you need it for some reason.
thats a good idea actually, thank you! :)
 
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pika2000

Suspended
Jun 22, 2007
5,587
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i am so excited to be getting the iPhone 11 but I love my iPhone XS Max so much I’m not going to sell it when the next iPhone comes out so I am wondering as I won’t be using it anymore what are some good tips in order to make sure the battery doesn’t degrade? Thanks
Do note that LiIon battery degrades over time as well, even if you do the 50% charge thing. So don’t expect the battery to be in the same condition after a year or two, even if you don’t use it.
 
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Jimmy James

macrumors 603
Oct 26, 2008
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Magicland
Do note that LiIon battery degrades over time as well, even if you do the 50% charge thing. So don’t expect the battery to be in the same condition after a year or two, even if you don’t use it.

It will self-discharge over time and needs to be checked and topped up periodically. But it won’t degrade substantially. Not if you keep it around 50%.
 
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pika2000

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Jun 22, 2007
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It will self-discharge over time and needs to be checked and topped up periodically. But it won’t degrade substantially. Not if you keep it around 50%.
Yes, but it will still degrade.
And once something is put inside a drawer, most people will probably forget about it, let alone having to check up on its battery etc. I simply want to remind the OP not to expect zero degradation, especially after a year or two of the phone sitting in a drawer.
 

now i see it

macrumors G4
Jan 2, 2002
10,643
22,223
I have two older iPhones I rarely use but I still need them occasionally for a second camera or display for a Bluetooth device. Both got new batteries.
If you leave it in a drawer at 50%, the voltage will drop down on its own to almost nothing in several months. That's bad.

The perfect voltage to store the iPhone is at a 40% charge at a cool temperature. (fridge is ok if kept in a sealed plastic bag). But the moment you turn it off (at 40%) it slowly starts discharging on its own even though it's not being used. So it's better to store it at 50-60% charge to give it a little leeway to discharge. Any voltage below 40% is a bit harmful to the battery too during storage. Having it sit below 40% for months at a time isn't good for it either.

So the best way to take care of the battery is to start the iPhone every month to check its state of charge and top it up to 50% before putting it away again. Don't let it sit unused for more than maybe 2-3 months.
 
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ThatiPhoneKid

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Aug 15, 2017
984
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I have two older iPhones I rarely use but I still need them occasionally for a second camera or display for a Bluetooth device. Both got new batteries.
If you leave it in a drawer at 50%, the voltage will drop down on its own to almost nothing in several months. That's bad.

The perfect voltage to store the iPhone is at a 40% charge at a cool temperature. (fridge is ok if kept in a sealed plastic bag). But the moment you turn it off (at 40%) it slowly starts discharging on its own even though it's not being used. So it's better to store it at 50-60% charge to give it a little leeway to discharge. Any voltage below 40% is a bit harmful to the battery too during storage. Having it sit below 40% for months at a time isn't good for it either.

So the best way to take care of the battery is to start the iPhone every month to check its state of charge and top it up to 50% before putting it away again. Don't let it sit unused for more than maybe 2-3 months.

Thank you all for your helpful advice. I really appreciate it
 

alpi123

macrumors 68020
Jun 18, 2014
2,023
3,376
What's with a lot of places suggesting storing the old device with around 50% battery? When I did this with my 6s, it was dead in a matter of days. But when I stored it after a full charge to 100%, I randomly checked it after a week and there was 1% to none loss of battery.
 
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Jimpilot

macrumors 68000
Sep 11, 2014
1,532
1,257
No
What's with a lot of places suggesting storing the old device with around 50% battery? When I did this with my 6s, it was dead in a matter of days. But when I stored it after a full charge to 100%, I randomly checked it after a week and there was 1% to none loss of battery.
Same experience here with 10s max
 

tonybarnaby

macrumors 68020
Dec 3, 2017
2,385
1,741
What's with a lot of places suggesting storing the old device with around 50% battery? When I did this with my 6s, it was dead in a matter of days. But when I stored it after a full charge to 100%, I randomly checked it after a week and there was 1% to none loss of battery.
100% is high voltage and is stressful to the battery. A fully functional battery should be kept around 60% and checked every few months.
 

Bobby dazzler

macrumors regular
Nov 17, 2013
112
17
100% is high voltage and is stressful to the battery. A fully functional battery should be kept around 60% and checked every few months.

Yes. This is about right.
Anyone doing this should not notice any unusual degradation of the Li ion battery.

They get stressed if left at 100%
And stressed at anything below 20%
They actually don’t like fast charging above 80%
Plus, they stress out with anything that discharges them too quickly.
They don’t like too much heat, or severe cold either
 
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