iPad Pro Is it Harmful to always be charging? New M4

[mtulman1]

Hi Everyone: I have replaced my M1 with an M4 and love it. I noticed a lot of threads discuss battery capacity on older devices, and battery life, etc. When i am at my desk during the week, I have my iPad plugged in charging while i use it. I rarely take my iPad away from home since i work at home so is it really bad to have it constantly plugged in and charging? Is it “safer” to unplug it and only charge when needed? I never really understood that pro and cons of it, etc. Thanks!

 

[Rafterman]

There is a new feature for M4 iPads, in the battery health section, that allows you to only charge it to a maximum of 80 percent, That protects the battery from wear and tear over the long term.

 

[mtulman1]

There is a new feature for M4 iPads, in the battery health section, that allows you to only charge it to a maximum of 80 percent, That protects the battery from wear and tear over the long term.

If i toggle that setting on, there should be harm in keeping it plugged in at my desk? I guess i never thought it would ever be an issue before.

 

[Digitalguy]

If i toggle that setting on, there should be harm in keeping it plugged in at my desk? I guess i never thought it would ever be an issue before.

No, you can keep it plugged in all the time at 80% with no issues

 

[Apleeseed84]

Hi Everyone: I have replaced my M1 with an M4 and love it. I noticed a lot of threads discuss battery capacity on older devices, and battery life, etc. When i am at my desk during the week, I have my iPad plugged in charging while i use it. I rarely take my iPad away from home since i work at home so is it really bad to have it constantly plugged in and charging? Is it “safer” to unplug it and only charge when needed? I never really understood that pro and cons of it, etc. Thanks!

If you use apple branded chargers and blocks you have nothing to worry about because after they hit 80% or if you enable battery conservation they won’t overcharge Your iPad. If you use like gas station chargers they will ”over” charge devices. I’ve been doing it for like ever and barely my ipad battery is still above 85%

 

[hovscorpion12]

Even with the 80% limit, it will occasionally charge to 100%, however, it doesn't happen everytime. Last time my 15 pro Max went to 100% was back in January.

 

[ericwn]

If you use apple branded chargers and blocks you have nothing to worry about because after they hit 80% or if you enable battery conservation they won’t overcharge Your iPad. If you use like gas station chargers they will ”over” charge devices. I’ve been doing it for like ever and barely my ipad battery is still above 85%

The charge going into the device is accepted or not by the device. The type of charger should be irrelevant as long as it provides sufficient power.

 

[Jackbequickly]

I use my new 13 iPad in my lap 90% of the time and keep it set to the 80% charge limit. After days of use I am still on 1 cycle for my battery. I can not see where it will hurt the battery and will continue to do the same.

 

[bmat]

Even with the 80% limit, it will occasionally charge to 100%, however, it doesn't happen everytime. Last time my 15 pro Max went to 100% was back in January.

Is there a reason why it does charge to 100%. I just experienced that—was plugged in and using it, and it went to 100% despite having the 80% limit activated.

 

[Scott-n-Houston]

Is there a reason why it does charge to 100%. I just experienced that—was plugged in and using it, and it went to 100% despite having the 80% limit activated.

It does it to ensure the battery is measured properly. Essentially synchronizing the charge meter with the batteries true capacity. The software needs that measurement updated after a period of time.

 

[rkuo]

If you use apple branded chargers and blocks you have nothing to worry about because after they hit 80% or if you enable battery conservation they won’t overcharge Your iPad. If you use like gas station chargers they will ”over” charge devices. I’ve been doing it for like ever and barely my ipad battery is still above 85%

Actually, the iPad "pulls" however much charge it wants in all cases. The charge does not "push" energy into the device.

 

[hovscorpion12]

Is there a reason why it does charge to 100%. I just experienced that—was plugged in and using it, and it went to 100% despite having the 80% limit activated.

yeah. as @Scott-n-Houston mentioned it's more of a battery measurement. I would have liked it if it stopped at 80 permanently.

Might be a M5 required feature🤣

 

[Apleeseed84]

The charge going into the device is accepted or not by the device. The type of charger should be irrelevant as long as it provides sufficient power.

That’s how you damage your battery though, the type of charger does matter because when it reaches a certain point, it will continue to charge after being filled. That’s the difference between Apple branded and second party chargers, they might say they continue to charge but the brick won’t be hot.

 

[hovscorpion12]

I've exclusively stopped using Apple charging bricks and use Anker 100W wall chargers. Been like this for last 3-years

 

[ericwn]

That’s how you damage your battery though, the type of charger does matter because when it reaches a certain point, it will continue to charge after being filled. That’s the difference between Apple branded and second party chargers, they might say they continue to charge but the brick won’t be hot.

That is nonsense. Only a person in charge of selling you the - often times missing - apple charger would tell you that.

 

[DarkSorrow82]

I've exclusively stopped using Apple charging bricks and use Anker 100W wall chargers. Been like this for last 3-years

I use Anker chargers as well. Never had an issue with them.

 

[Apleeseed84]

That is nonsense. Only a person in charge of selling you the - often times missing - apple charger would tell you that.

I wasn’t an accessories salesman LOL, but the apple ”Seed” courses did go in-depth about it, since i don’t work in cellphones anymore I obviously can’t provide the necessary documentation on why they only recommend apple and second party chargers like ankers and the like, In all Reality the main culprits are the cheap chargers you find in gas stations that actively continue to push the charge and don’t pay licensing to Apple per se.

 

[aevan]

Even with the 80% limit, it will occasionally charge to 100%, however, it doesn't happen everytime. Last time my 15 pro Max went to 100% was back in January.

That is by design, to properly calibrate whatever is reporting the battery charge level. Apple notes that in their documentation.

 

[aevan]

I've exclusively stopped using Apple charging bricks and use Anker 100W wall chargers. Been like this for last 3-years

I use Anker chargers as well. Never had an issue with them.

Anker is a well known brand that makes quality products, so no worries there. But you should never use no-name cheap chargers - because who knows how they are made and what safeguards they come with.

 

[ericwn]

I wasn’t an accessories salesman LOL, but the apple ”Seed” courses did go in-depth about it, since i don’t work in cellphones anymore I obviously can’t provide the necessary documentation on why they only recommend apple and second party chargers like ankers and the like, In all Reality the main culprits are the cheap chargers you find in gas stations that actively continue to push the charge and don’t pay licensing to Apple per se.

You read it somewhere. Got you. Usbc and contactless charging are everywhere. This scenario you are painting is not realistic. A third party charger from my quality manufacturer is not a problem in real life.

 

[ericwn]

I use Anker chargers as well. Never had an issue with them.

Of course not and Apple chargers have zero special sauce build in that somehow magically charges the device healthier.

 

[Digitalguy]

I wasn’t an accessories salesman LOL, but the apple ”Seed” courses did go in-depth about it, since i don’t work in cellphones anymore I obviously can’t provide the necessary documentation on why they only recommend apple and second party chargers like ankers and the like, In all Reality the main culprits are the cheap chargers you find in gas stations that actively continue to push the charge and don’t pay licensing to Apple per se.

That's nonsense, are ericwn said. It's the BMS that stops the charging, not the charger.

 

[Jackbequickly]

So much misinformation here!

 

[hovscorpion12]

Anker is a well known brand that makes quality products, so no worries there. But you should never use no-name cheap chargers - because who knows how they are made and what safeguards they come with.

Yeah. I don't trust the CVS branded chargers. Lol. Other then Anker, Satechi has some nice chargers

 

[Cirillo Gherardo]

There is ZERO harm in keeping it plugged in, or using it however you see fit. You CANNOT stop the battery from degrading, no matter how you use it, and you CANNOT make the battery degrade slower by any MEANINGFUL amount. You can use the product without worrying about the battery and after 3 years it will be around 85-90%. Or you can obsess over the battery and baby it and after 3 years …it will still be around 85-90%.

Please note my emphasis on the word MEANINGFUL here. People will try to debate until they turn blue about preserving battery capacity and ways to slow battery degradation…but whether or not that is physically possible is not what matters. What matters is whether or not it can be done to a MEANINGFUL extent. And it cannot. There is no possible way to extend battery life so much that it would ever be worth the effort required to do so.

Just use your device and do not once ever think or care about the battery.