- Charging your phone to 100% every time can speed up battery wear over time.
- One UI 7 now lets you set custom charge limits (80%, 85%, 90%, 95%) to help extend battery health.
- You can enable it from Settings > Battery > Battery Protection > Maximum.
Over the years, we’ve all gotten used to the idea that smartphone batteries wear out a little each time you charge and use them. It all adds up, whether you charge from zero to full or in smaller chunks. And among the myriad of battery-saving tips, you’ll often hear people say to avoid charging your phone all the way to 100%.
With One UI 7, Samsung now lets you set a custom charging limit to help slow down battery wear. Here’s how it works, and how you can set it up.
Charging Limits Can Make Your Battery Last Longer
Your phone’s running low, so you grab the charger and plug it in. Letting it charge to 100% probably feels like the smart thing to do. It gives you the most usage time before your next top-up. Makes sense, right?
But charging to full every single time is not always good for your battery. Higher voltage at those top levels puts extra stress on it. Over time, this can wear it down and cause it to lose capacity more quickly. So even though your phone might have a 5000mAh battery, it could start feeling more like 4500mAh after a year or so.
Capping the charge helps reduce stress on the battery and can actually keep it healthier for longer. It is a simple tweak, but one that can make a big difference. In some cases, it might even double or triple your battery’s effective lifespan compared to always charging it to full.
It is a bit like driving a car. You would not push the engine to its limit every time you drive. The less strain you put on it, the longer it lasts. The same goes for your phone’s battery.
Samsung has had battery protection features for a while now, like Adaptive Charging, which finishes charging based on your routine, just before you typically start using your phone.
There’s also a Maximum option that caps charging at 80 percent, though that can feel a bit low for everyday use. With One UI 7, Samsung has improved this by offering four custom charging limits.
How to Enable Battery Charging Limit in One UI 7
Once you turn on the charging limit feature in One UI 7, your Samsung phone will automatically stop charging when it hits the percentage you selected. You’ll see a message that says “Charging stopped to protect your battery” on the lock screen.
Charging will stay paused until the battery level drops below that point. When it does, the phone will start charging again—but only up to the same limit you set.
Here’s how to turn it on:
1. Open the Settings app. Tap Battery.
2. Go to Battery Protection. If it is off, turn on Battery Protection using the toggle in the top right.
3. Tap Maximum to enable the custom charging limit feature.
4. Choose the charging cap that suits you best: 80%, 85%, 90%, or 95%.
I usually stick with 85 or 90 percent because it balances battery health with the screen time I need during the day.
What I Noticed After Using These Battery Protection Features
I’ve been using a mix of Adaptive Charging and the 80% charge limit on my Galaxy S23 Ultra. After more than a year and a half, the battery is still holding around 90% of its original capacity. I’m not even thinking about replacing the battery or selling the phone anytime soon, which says a lot about how effective these features are at preserving battery health.
Unless you’re heading out on a trip or know you’ll need every bit of battery life, I’d definitely recommend setting a charging cap. It’s especially helpful if you usually charge overnight or keep your phone plugged in for long periods, like during road trips with Android Auto.
If you want more control, you can even use Bixby Modes and Routines to automate this. For example, you could limit charging to 80% at night, and switch to Basic or Adaptive modes during the day when you might need a higher charge. That way, your phone adjusts to your lifestyle while still protecting battery health.
Your battery will thank you for it in the long run.
And if you’re not using a Samsung phone, you’re not missing out. Apple added custom charging limits in iOS 18, and brands like OnePlus, Nothing, and Google Pixel offer similar options too. Battery health is finally getting the attention it deserves across the board.
