Activating airplane mode while charging the phone can slightly reduce the time needed to recover the battery, although the difference depends on the device, the charger and the use of the terminal, since the phone continues to consume energy while it is plugged in, and disconnecting some of its wireless communications allows you to reduce part of that cost.
When a phone is connected to the charger it does not automatically stop performing tasks. The device can continue receiving notifications, syncing apps, downloading data, or running background processes. Something that requires energy, although it usually represents only a small part of the total consumption.
However, putting it in airplane mode disables the main wireless connections, including the mobile network and, depending on the device and its settings, WiFi and Bluetooth. In this way, the phone reduces its activity while receiving power. That is, it does not increase the power supplied by the charger, but rather reduces the consumption that occurs simultaneously.
How much time can you save by charging your phone in airplane mode?
The Spanish startup ‘Yup Charge’ maintains that activating airplane mode can reduce the time needed to complete a charge by up to 25%. Applying that percentage to a phone that would normally take two hours to go from 0% to 100%, the process could be reduced to approximately an hour and a half.
However, this calculation should not be interpreted as a rule applicable to any phone, since the difference depends on factors such as the condition and capacity of the battery, the power of the charger, the charging technology of the device, the available coverage and, above all, whether the user continues using the mobile phone while it is plugged in.
The savings may also be lower on current phones equipped with fast charging systems. In these devices, the power received by the battery during certain charging phases is significantly higher than the consumption generated by maintaining wireless connections, so activating airplane mode can simply translate into a few minutes of difference.
There is also another element to take into account, such as temperature. Reducing device activity can help generate less heat during charging, and excess temperature is one of the factors affecting the aging of lithium-ion batteries, although activating airplane mode alone is not a sufficient measure to ensure longer life.
The charger and cable matter much more
But if what you want to achieve is to considerably reduce the charging time, there are much more determining factors than activating airplane mode, such as the power supported by the phone and that which the charger can provide or that the cable used and the fast charging protocols are compatible between the adapter and the device.
It is useless, for example, to use a charger capable of providing very high power if the phone only supports a lower figure. The device itself limits the energy it receives and also adjusts power as the battery percentage increases to control factors such as temperature and protect its components.
Avoiding using the phone while it is connected can also be more effective than using airplane mode alone, and video games, video playback, video calls or certain applications can increase consumption and temperature while the battery tries to charge.
Current operating systems also incorporate different mechanisms to manage the battery and optimize its charge. Therefore, in a modern phone, airplane mode should be understood as a specific aid and not as a method to radically transform the charging speed.
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Activating it may make sense when you have little time and do not need to receive calls or messages, since the phone will consume somewhat less while it remains plugged in and, depending on the circumstances, will finish sooner. But it must be taken into account that the result may vary from one device to another, since to charge the mobile more quickly, using a suitable charger, a compatible cable, maintaining a reasonable temperature and leaving the terminal unused are still much more effective measures.