We all know the frustration — you’re out taking photos or using GPS, and suddenly, that dreaded low battery alert pops up. Despite living in an era of incredible tech, the one thing that never fails to annoy us is our phone dying.
Apple has long had a bit of a reputation for not-so-great battery life on iPhones. Over the years, the company has worked to improve it with smarter charging and better battery management. Still, many users have turned to “battery hacks” — one of the most popular being: don’t charge your phone to 100%.
Despite their popularity, iPhones are often criticisied for poor battery life (David Paul Morris/Getty Images)
Apple even leaned into this with the Optimized Battery Charging feature, available on the iPhone 14 and newer models, allowing users to set a charging limit between 80% and 100%. But does stopping at 80% actually make a difference?
🔋 The Year-Long Experiment
One curious iPhone owner decided to find out. Posting on the MacRumors Forum, she shared that she’d spent a year charging her iPhone 16 Pro Max no higher than 80%. She had previously done the same test with her iPhone 15, so she had two full years of data to compare.
Her setup was simple: she kept her charge between 20% and 80%, using both wireless and USB-C charging methods.
After 299 charge cycles, her battery health stood at 94%, which she described as “average.”
She explained:
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“It was fine at home, but when I was out using GPS or the camera, 80% just wasn’t enough.”
Even more surprising? Her coworker — who didn’t limit charging and had 308 cycles — still had a 96% battery capacity.
The woman claimed she felt after the year-long experiment her battery health was average (David Paul Morris/Getty Images)
⚖️ The Verdict
After comparing notes, the woman concluded that keeping her phone capped at 80% wasn’t really worth it.
“I now have two years of data with my iPhone limited to an 80% charge, and I don’t think it’s been worth it,” she said.
Still, she’s not giving up just yet — she’s now testing the theory again with the brand-new iPhone 17 Pro Max to see if Apple’s latest battery improvements change the outcome.
📱 Final Thoughts
While the 80% rule sounds smart in theory, this experiment shows that real-world results might not be as dramatic as expected. So if you’ve been stressing about hitting 100%, maybe it’s time to relax — Apple’s modern batteries are designed to handle it.
For more Apple insights, check out the official Apple Battery Health Guide.
