I love the Apple Watch, and I’m sure you do too, but one problem we both face is constantly charging the Apple Watch when it runs out of battery. Does overcharging the Apple Watch by charging it overnight damage the battery?
You cannot overcharge an Apple Watch because all Apple products with lithium-ion batteries, such as iPhones, iPods, and MacBooks, have protective circuits that turn off charging when a device reaches full charge.
Once lithium-ion batteries reach 100% charge, they will stop charging and wait until the battery reaches around 75% to 80%. Then it will charge to 100% again, and the cycle repeats itself. It prevents overheating from overcharging, allowing your Apple Watch battery to stay healthy.
You can read more about Apple lithium-ion batteries in Apple’s article.
Keep reading to know if it’s okay to leave the Apple Watch charging all night and if leaving Apple Watch on charge damages the battery in the long run.
Is It Okay to Leave the Apple Watch Charging All Night?
According to Apple, you can charge your Apple Watches for as long as you want. Overnight full charge is ideal as lithium-ion batteries should never be below 20% charge. The batteries stop charging at 100%, with better-optimized battery charging at 80% to reach 100% just in time to meet your normal battery usage reducing strain on the battery.
It is ideal for charging your Apple Watch overnight as you always start the day with a fully charged Apple Watch, allowing you to start the morning with a full-charged watch ready to use.
It’s better for the battery. As having your Apple Watch below 20% is bad as lithium batteries can and will die if left at 0% for a few hours. You cannot overcharge an Apple Watch or iPhone, but you can certainly undercharge one.
Since watchOS7, your Apple Watch has a feature called Optimized Battery Charging. It allows your watch to learn from your daily charging habits to improve the lifespan of your battery by reducing the time your Apple Watch spends fully charged.
The feature delays your watch from charging past 80% in certain situations. It will remain between 75%-80% charge; it only turns on when your watch predicts it will be connected to a charger for an extended period, like the time you typically leave it charging overnight when you go to bed.
This high-tech algorithm keeps your Apple Watch fully charged when you remove it from the charger, ready to use. And it is why it’s okay to leave your Apple Watch charging overnight. By default, it is on. To turn it off, open the Settings app on your watch, tap Battery, tap Battery Health, and then turn off Battery Charging.
The feature is only designed to work where you spend the most time, like your home or where you work. It doesn’t turn on when your usage is more random, like when you travel.
Turning on these location settings in the Settings app on your Apple Watch can help Optimized Battery Charging identify situations where it shouldn’t be used:
- Privacy > Location Services > Location Services
- Privacy > Location Services > System Services > System Customization
- Privacy > Location Services > System Services > Significant Locations > Significant Locations
Rest assured, none of the location information for this feature is sent to Apple.
Does your Apple Watch battery drain a little too fast for your liking? To read more about what you can do to transform your Watches battery life see my complete guide.
Does Leaving an Apple Watch on Charge Damage the Battery?
According to Apple, you can charge your Apple Watches for as long as you want. However, overnight full charge is ideal as lithium-ion batteries should never be below 20% charge. The batteries stop charging at 100% with better-optimized battery charging at 80% to reach 100% in time to meet your normal battery use, which reduces strain on the battery.
Apple devices like MacBooks, iPads, iPhones and Apple Watches have lithium-ion batteries compared to older generations of battery technology, charge faster, last longer, and hold more charge while being smaller.
The overcharging myth that damages modern batteries comes from the older Nickel-Metal Hydride batteries, replaced by lithium-ion batteries. These batteries DID become damaged if you over-charged them, but that isn’t the case anymore.
All Apple devices, including your watch, have an Optimized Battery Charging feature, which teaches your watch to reduce the time your watch needs to be fully charged.
The feature delays your watch from charging past 80% in certain situations. It will remain between 75% to 80% charge. It only turns on when your watch predicts it will be connected to a charger for an extended time, such as the time you typically leave it charging overnight when you go to bed.
It’s better to charge your Apple Watch regularly simultaneously (like overnight). It improves the charging algorithm, keeping your watch happy and fully charged, ready to be removed from the charger and ready to use.
One option to keep your Apple Watch charged and your desk setup nice and tidy is investing in a charging stand. This one from Amazon is the one I recommend. It allows you to charge three devices at once, your Apple Watch, iPhone, and even your AirPods!
Is your iPhone’s battery slowing down your iPhone? Discover if it’s worth replacing your iPhone’s battery in my article.