Another important trick for reducing plug loads is to maintain the health of your devices’ rechargeable batteries. How you charge and use your electronic devices affects not only their lifespan, but also how often they need to be plugged in, which impacts both convenience and overall energy use. Maintaining battery health helps your devices last longer, perform better, and reduce the need for frequent charging or early replacement.
Lithium-ion batteries, which power most modern electronics, perform best when kept within a moderate charge range. Regularly charging a device to 100% and leaving it there, or letting it drain completely to 0%, can gradually degrade the battery over time.
A good rule of thumb is to keep your battery between roughly 20% and 80% when possible. Many newer devices include settings that limit full charging or slow charging near 100% to help preserve battery health.
Leaving devices plugged in after they reach a full charge can contribute to long-term battery wear and unnecessary energy use. While most modern devices are designed to prevent overcharging, they can still cycle small amounts of power to maintain a full charge.
Unplugging devices once they are charged reduces this “trickle charging” and also helps eliminate small but continuous electricity use.
Heat is one of the biggest factors that shortens battery life. Charging or using devices in hot environments can accelerate battery degradation. Whenever possible, keep devices in a cool, well-ventilated area while charging and during heavy use.
Many devices include built-in settings that can extend battery life and reduce how often you need to charge. Features like low power mode, adaptive or optimized charging, and automatic screen dimming help limit unnecessary energy use.
You can also reduce battery drain by lowering screen brightness, shortening screen timeout durations, turning off background app refresh, and disabling features like Bluetooth or location services when they are not needed.
These small adjustments can significantly reduce how quickly your battery drains throughout the day, which in turn reduces how often you need to plug in and charge.
Using manufacturer-recommended or certified chargers helps ensure that your device receives the correct amount of power. Low-quality or incompatible chargers can lead to inefficient charging, excess heat, or long-term battery damage.
Reliable chargers also tend to be more energy efficient, reducing wasted electricity during the charging process.
Many devices are plugged in out of habit rather than necessity. Charging overnight, topping off frequently, or keeping devices constantly connected can increase both energy use and battery wear.
Charging only when needed and for an appropriate duration helps extend battery life while also reducing unnecessary electricity costs.