How to Set Charge Limit with Apple’s Optimized Battery Charging

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Choosing between Charge Limit or Optimized Battery Charging on your iPhone can be confusing. This guide aims to clarify both options and help you decide which is best for extending your battery life.

Understanding Charge Limit and Optimized Battery Charging

Charge Limit: This new feature, introduced with iOS 18 in September 2024, is available only on iPhone 15 and later models. With Charge Limit, you can set a maximum charging capacity, such as 80%, 85%, 90%, or 95%. Once your iPhone hits this limit, charging pauses. If your battery dips below 5% of the limit, it starts charging again until it reaches the limit you’ve set.

Optimized Battery Charging: Launched in iOS 13 in September 2019, this feature learns your daily charging habits. It typically charges your phone to 80% and then waits before topping it off to 100%, ensuring your phone is fully charged when you need it. It is activated by default when you set up your iPhone, and is ideal for those who charge overnight.

For Optimized Battery Charging to function properly, here are a few prerequisites:

Set your Charge Limit to 100%.
Allow at least 14 days for the feature to learn your habits.
Charge your iPhone for 5 hours or more at a certain location at least 9 times.

Additionally, it only activates if your iPhone recognizes that it will be on the charger for an extended period, like overnight. If you travel frequently and your charging schedule varies, it may not activate. To enable this feature while on the go, follow these simple steps:

Navigate to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services and turn on Location Services.
Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services > System Services and enable System Customization.
Head to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services > System Services > Significant Locations and turn on Significant Locations.

Which Charging Habit Should You Choose?

The burning question is: Which method extends battery life more effectively? Some users favor Charge Limit, but research suggests the difference in battery health over a few years is minimal. While you will be charging your iPhone more frequently with Charge Limit, this could actually lead to quicker battery degradation. Keep in mind that your iPhone will occasionally charge to 100%, although "occasionally" is defined differently for each user.

Many veterans in the iPhone community view Charge Limit as a way for users to micromanage their battery. If it were essential for battery health, Apple would have made it available for more models instead of limiting it to the newest devices.

In contrast, Optimized Battery Charging has been around longer and is available on most iPhone models. It ensures you wake up every day to a fully charged battery that can last all day. It’s a common misconception that overnight charging harms the battery; however, the feature pauses charging until just before you unplug your device.

Conclusion: What’s Best for Your Battery?

When comparing charging habits, the difference in battery longevity between Charge Limit and Optimized Battery Charging is minimal. The most harmful practice is letting your battery run too low or allowing it to die fully, which can stress the battery and lead to permanent damage.

If you’ll be away from your iPhone for an extended period, turn it off while it’s fully charged. This is why new iPhones are stored with a charge around 50%—to promote long-term battery health.

This advice applies to other Apple products featuring similar charging technologies.

For more information, you can check out Apple’s official resources on these features here.

By understanding and utilizing these charging habits wisely, you can help extend the lifespan of your iPhone’s battery!