Samsung Galaxy phones have a feature that can extend the lifespan of your battery. But is it a good idea to turn it on?
All smartphones have a lithium-ion battery with a specified lifespan, measured in the number of full charge/discharge cycles it can go through before it starts to degrade. The average lifespan of a typical Li-ion battery is about 300 to 500 charge cycles , or about two to three years.
If you would like to keep your phone for a while, Samsung’s Protect Battery feature can help prolong the life of the battery. Below, we talk more about what Protect Battery is, how to use it, and whether you should leave it on.
What Is Protect Battery?
Protect Battery is a battery management system (BMS) included in Samsung smartphones running One UI 4.0 (Android 12) or higher. It works by limiting the maximum charge of the battery to 85% to extend the battery lifespan.
You may be wondering how limiting the battery’s capacity helps to increase its lifespan, but the science behind the Protect Battery feature is actually sound.
To start with, we need to explain what a complete charge cycle is. It is a full charge and discharge of the battery, that is, a complete charge up to 100% and then a full discharge to 0%. Once your battery goes through a charge cycle, it is used up, never to be getting back. This is not due to some sinister design flaw in battery technology. It is how all rechargeable batteries work. Charge cycles are explained more in our guide on checking the battery cycle count of your iPhone.
So, how does Protect Battery help? Although it is true that you can’t control charge cycles and a complete cycle will elapse as long as you’re using your phone and recharging it, there is a certain level to which it is more efficient and safer to charge your battery.
By restricting charging to 85%, Protect Battery reduces charging wear and maximizes performance. In other words, it stops the charging process as soon as it reaches the stage where your battery is most likely to degrade. It also helps to protect the battery from high temperatures and high voltage from a full charge, two major banes of Li-ion batteries.
How to Use Protect Battery
There are two main ways to use Protect Battery on your Samsung smartphone. The first is the most straightforward.
Find the Protect battery button by pulling down on the status bar.Swipe down again to reveal the Quick Settings Panel.Protect battery should be one of the icons displayed in one of the Panel’s sections.If it is not there, you can add it by tapping the three-dot icon, selecting Edit buttons, and choosing Protect battery from the list of options.
Quick Panel SamsungNavigate to Protect BatteryProtect Battery LockscreenAlternatively, you can turn it on from the Settings app:
Open the Settings app and select Battery and device care.Tap on Battery and navigate to More battery settings at the bottom.Turn on the switch next to Protect battery.
If you want to customize the feature a bit, you can set up a Bixby routine that turns on when certain conditions are met. For example, you could create a routine that turns on Protect Battery when you are asleep and automatically turns it off just before you wake up.
Should You Use Protect Battery?
Protect Battery has its benefits, but it has a major drawback in that it reduces your battery’s functional capacity. You are essentially trading off a battery with a larger capacity for one with a longer lifespan.
So, should you use it? If you are concerned with squeezing almost every jot of power out of your smartphone, Protect Battery is likely not for you. If you don’t mind shelling out the cash for a battery replacement (or a new phone ) after two to three years, you can definitely do without the feature.
However, if you would prefer to keep your phone/battery for as long as possible, Protect Battery is a step in the right direction.
Protect Battery vs. Optimized Battery Charging
Optimized Battery Charging is a similar battery management feature to Protect Battery in iOS 13 and newer. It works to improve battery lifespan by reducing the time the battery spends fully charged. Unlike Protect Battery, it also uses machine learning to recognize periods when your phone is likely to be left charging for a long time. The algorithm aims to ensure that your battery is still fully charged when unplugged.
There is no “better” approach though, and it all depends on what works for you. Basically, you could replace Apple’s algorithm with a Bixby routine and there wouldn’t be any difference.
Limit Maximum Charge to Extend Battery LifespanBattery replacements have never been more expensive than they are today due to the relatively recent trend of non-removable batteries in smartphones and laptops. It has therefore become more important to maximize the lifespan of these batteries using battery protection features. If you intend to keep your smartphone for more than a few years, leave Protect Battery on.