Do you own an iPad or an iPad Pro, and are wondering whether or not it’s safe to use while charging?
The truth is, in order to protect the battery and lengthen it’s lifespan, there are a few things that you should be aware of.
So, in this article I’ll cover whether or not using the iPad is safe while it’s charging, and everything else you should be mindful of to avoid the battery’s longevity being damaged.
Is It Alright To Use An iPad While It’s Charging?
Yes! Typically speaking, there is nothing wrong with using an iPad while it’s charging.
However, you’ll want to avoid any heavy applications that generate a lot of extra heat. This is because the extra heat generated by resource-heavy applications, combined with the extra heat generated by charging the battery can cause damage to the battery in certain situations.
I’ll talk more about this a little later, and share some examples as well.
Generally speaking however, all that will happen if you use the iPad while it’s charging is that it will charge slightly slower.
Remember that iPads are often used all day long by businesses and employees who use it for work. With businesses that use iPads to help process credit card payments for example, they leave the iPads plugged in all the time without issue!
So, it really isn’t that big of a deal. For more information on how the battery is affected, keep reading!
Will Using An iPad While It’s Charging Affect The Battery?
Technically speaking, using an iPad while it’s charging can affect the battery’s lifespan in some situations.
Apple actually does a lot of optimizations to protect the battery as much as possible, so you are unlikely to experience any notable difference when using the iPad normally.
For example, if you are just using the iPad to browse the web, browse social media, or even just draw using an app like Procreate, then you are unlikely to experience any extra effect on the battery whatsoever.
The problem comes when you are using applications that strain the iPad’s internal components, particularly the chip that acts as the CPU and GPU.
Pushing these to their limits generates a lot of excess heat. When you combine this with the extra heat generated by charging the battery, this is enough to cause damage that shortens the battery’s overall lifespan.
Some examples may include rendering high-resolution video, using augmented reality (AR) apps, or playing games that push the iPad’s limits.
It should be noted that iPads have undergone significant testing, and you won’t immediately break the iPad, regardless of what sort of applications that you run on it.
However, the excess heat can cause noticeable decreases in the battery’s lifespan over long periods of time, or if excess heat is generated frequently while the iPad is charging.
So, be sure to feel around the back of your iPad while using it to determine whether or not it may be too hot. Your iPad will issue a warning if it truly starts overheating, but it may be a good idea to temporarily unplug and shut it down regardless if you are worried that it’s getting too hot.
How To Charge Your iPad To Maximize Battery Longevity
Now that we know how the battery life of your iPad can be affected by using it while charging, let’s look over some other ways to maximize your iPad’s battery life!
1. Don’t Charge Above 80%
Did you know that iPad batteries actually last longer when they aren’t charged above 80%?
In fact, Apple uses an optimized way of charging to ensure this doesn’t happen frequently!
Your iPad will learn the way you typically charge it, and adapt the flow of power to the battery in order to accommodate it.
So, the iPad will charge up to 80% quickly, then charge above that amount much more slowly, not actually approaching 100% until it believes you’re about to unplug it.
If you don’t need to, then avoid charging above 80% – it will keep your battery stronger, for a longer period of time!
2. Try Not To Let The Battery Drop Below 20%
Just like you shouldn’t let the battery charge above 80%, ideally you shouldn’t let it drop below 20% either.
Just like overcharging, letting the battery drop too far puts unnecessary stress on the battery, which can lower its lifespan.
There was once a myth that you should fully let your iPad discharge and hit 0% periodically. However, this isn’t actually a good idea.
By keeping it below 80% and above 20%, you will maximize its total lifespan.
3. Use High Quality Charging Cables
Finally, be sure that you’re using high-quality cables to charge your iPad!
While the ones provided directly from Apple are alright, I also highly recommend Anker cables.
They tend to be very strong, and out of the 8 I personally own, I’ve only ever had one break (after 5+ years of usage.)
More importantly, they protect the cord at the weakest parts – where it actually plugs in.
Whatever you do, avoid using cheap cables you can buy in bulk off a site like Aliexpress. Not only can these break off inside your iPad, but they also may fail to distribute power efficiently and consistently – which isn’t good for your iPad’s sensitive components.
Conclusion
If you use your iPad while it’s charging, the only thing that will likely happen is that it will charge more slowly.
However, certain applications (like heavy games, AR apps, or video rendering) can generate a lot of excess heat. Therefore, you need to be mindful of this to avoid any damage to the iPad’s battery.
I hope that this article has answered all of your questions.
If you have any other questions about iPads, please ask them below and I’ll be happy to help.
Wishing you the best,
– James McAllister