I get a lot of emails asking how to make sure the iPad battery is getting recharged properly since there tends to be quite a debate about how to best care for rechargeable batteries. Also, there are a lot of myths out there in regards to batteries and recharging so here is the scoop on caring for your iPad battery the right way.
Caring For Your iPad Battery Properly
A lot of people wonder about rechargeable batteries. Should you let it drain all the way down? Can you recharge it too much? How can I get the most out of my battery?
These are some of the questions that a lot of users of the iPad (and iPhone) often wonder about. I combed through the Apple support to find the answers and here is what I learned about caring for your iPad battery properly.
Charging Tips
The quickest way to charge your iPad is with the included 10W USB Power Adapter. iPad will also charge, although more slowly, when attached to a computer with a high-power USB port (many recent Mac computers) or with an iPhone Power Adapter. When attached to a computer via a standard USB port (most PCs or older Mac computers) iPad will charge, but only when it’s in sleep mode. Make sure your computer is on while charging iPad via USB. If iPad is connected to a computer that’s turned off or is in sleep or standby mode, the iPad battery will continue to drain.
Maximum Battery Life
To maximize battery life, Apple engineers took the same lithium-polymer battery technology they developed for Mac notebook computers and applied it to the iPad. As a result, you can use iPad for up to 10 hours while surfing the web on Wi-Fi, watching videos, or listening to music. While surfing the web on a 3G data network (Wi-Fi + 3G model), you can get up to 9 hours of battery life.2
Charge Cycles
A properly maintained iPad battery is designed to retain up to 80% of its original capacity at 1000 full charge and discharge cycles. You may choose to replace your battery when it no longer holds sufficient charge to meet your needs.
Let It Breathe
Charging your iPad while in certain carrying cases may generate excess heat, which can affect battery capacity. If you notice that your iPad gets hot when you charge it, take it out of its case first.
Use Your iPad Regularly
For proper reporting of the battery’s state of charge, be sure to go through at least one charge cycle per month (charging the battery to 100% and then completely running it down).
It’s my understanding that the only advantage to draining your battery to 0% is to recalibrate the battery percentage meter (which is voodoo btw).
Hey there Tom…yeah I think that is either carry-over from the very first days of rechargeable batteries or simply myth and legend
Well playing games will reduce the battery cycle.
Is it okay to partially charge my iPad ie does it have a memory that means if I partially charge it then that point of charge becomes the new 100 0/0 for the battery?
And what happens if I leave it charging overnight, will that be bad for my battery life because once it’s charged it keeps working to charge itself?
Finally should I keep topping up the charge or leave it to drain,I know to do t his monthly but is it a good idea to let it drain more often or keep topped up?
Thanks so much looking forward to your answers!
Liz
Could you please email your reply to the previous question, thanks