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Question from Harlan: Hi Rick. I just recently found your blog and I love your tips. Great stuff!!
I have a question for you if you don’t mind.
A friend of mine told me that letting my phone and laptop charge overnight will damage the battery by overcharging it.
I do this all the time and I’ve never noticed a problem. Is it ok to charge my gadgets overnight or should I avoid it?
Rick’s answer: Thanks for the kind words about my tips, Harlan. I really appreciate them!
In regards to your question, I’m afraid your friend gave you some incorrect (well, actually incomplete) information.
The short answer to your question is it’s perfectly fine to let your devices charge overnight as long as you use a charger that has an automatic shutoff feature to prevent over-charging.
Virtually any name-brand charger that comes bundled with a device from the factory should have automatic shutoff circuitry built-in, and so will the third-party chargers that are sold by reputable companies.
That being said, I strongly recommend avoiding the cheap “no-name” and “knockoff” chargers that are sold on eBay and many less-than-reputable websites because they can indeed damage your device’s battery (and worse).
“No-Name” chargers are just that. They typically won’t have a brand name printed anywhere on the package or on the chargers themselves.
“Knock-Off” chargers come branded with a name such as Apple, Samsung or Motorola, but they are typically sold by third party sellers at ridiculously low prices.
Many “no-name” and “knock-off” chargers are poorly designed and sloppily constructed. Some have been known to not only damage batteries, but cause fires and electrical shocks as well. Avoid them like the plague!
As a general rule, you can always trust a charger if it came bundled with the device from the manufacturer. And you can trust a third-party charger as long as it has the automatic shutoff feature and it’s sold by a reputable company.
Amazon is a great place to buy replacement chargers because they have an excellent selection of quality name brand, official OEM and third-party chargers. Also, their customer reviews will help you steer clear of no-names and knock-offs.
Bottom line: As long as you use a trustworthy charger that has automatic shutoff circuitry built-in, you can let your devices charge overnight with no worries whatsoever.