In this age of smartphone devices, we’ve all got a little computer within our reach at nearly all times. And we rely on it quite a bit — it helps us get up in the morning, schedule our day, find transportation if we need it, or order food. We use it for socializing, banking, entertainment, and so much more.
So when the phone’s battery drains after using it extensively, we’re often stuck waiting for it to charge until we can use it again. How many of us have been desperately hunched over their cell phone while it’s plugged into the wall with a short charging cable?
To cut down on that waiting time, here are a few ways you can charge your phone faster.
Use USB 3.0 or Higher
The answer could lie within your USB connection. Most, if not all, cell phone charging cables connect to devices, computers, and wall adapters using a USB connection. Most new devices are equipped with a USB 3.0 port, and most cell phone cables have a USB 3.0 at the end. If your cell phone supports 1.5 amps or more, you can use a USB 3.0, which would result in a quicker charging than a USB 2.0 cable.
The most recent version of the USB standard is USB 3.1. If your device is compatible, a USB 3.1 cell phone charging cable would charge your phone the fastest. As an added bonus, if you need to transmit data from, say, your cell phone to your computer while it charges, a USB 3.1 compliant device can transmit data at 10 Gbps, doubling the data transmission rate.
Shut Your Phone Down While It Charges
This may be a no-brainer to some, but your phone will charge faster if you’re not using it. It’s tempting to use your phone while it’s plugged in, especially if you’ve got to finish an episode of that Netflix show you’ve been binging. But if you can, shut your phone down completely while it’s charging. Without background apps eating up the battery, it will be fully charged before you know it.
If you need the phone to be on — maybe you’re awaiting a phone call — then lock your screen. At the very least, letting the screen go black will get more power to the battery.
Plug It Into a Wall
If you don’t have access to a USB 3.0 compliant device or computer, plugging your cell phone charging cable into a wall will charge your phone faster than plugging it into a computer with an older USB connection. The wall adapter that came with your phone will do. If you need to use your phone while it charges, and don’t want to be hunched over it while it’s plugged in with a short cell phone cable, invest in a 6 ft. cell phone charging cable for your charging and entertaining needs.
Use Lightning Cables (for iPhones)
If you’re like the 64% of Americans in 2017 who owned an iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, iPod product, you probably know what a lightning cable is. If not, it’s the cell phone charging cable that comes with your iPhone or iPad that doesn’t seem to last very long. If something happens to the cable provided to you, there are lightning cables for sale online. Just be sure that you’re purchasing lightning cables MFi certified by Apple. Those are the safest and most effective cables as far as charging goes.
