When your phone's battery is running low and you need to leave the house in a few minutes, turning it off seems like the solution to make it charge faster. Well, no! There's an equally effective and much more practical trick that can reduce charging time: activate airplane mode while it's plugged in.

Does this sound like a tech myth? You're not alone, but you should know that the trick has a clear technical basis and is increasingly recommended by tech experts.

Why does airplane mode make your phone charge faster?

When you activate airplane mode, your phone automatically disables all wireless connections: mobile data, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS. These functions, even when you're not actively using the device, continue working in the background.

The phone constantly searches for a signal, updates apps, syncs emails, and receives notifications. All of this consumes energy while the device tries to charge.

By reducing this activity, the energy coming from the charger is used almost entirely for the battery, instead of being split between charging and consumption.

According to technical analysis, this habit can shorten charging time by up to 20% or 25%, especially on phones with large batteries or many apps running in the background. The airplane mode trick also protects the battery. Furthermore, by reducing internal activity, the device generates less heat, which also promotes more efficient charging. Lithium batteries, present in most current smartphones, are sensitive to heat. When the phone is used while connected, for example, watching videos or browsing social media, the internal temperature rises. Activating airplane mode while charging helps maintain a more stable temperature, which contributes to preserving the device's lifespan. According to experts, a modern battery supports between 300 and 500 full charge cycles, on average. which equates to approximately two to three years of regular use. However, good habits can make all the difference in avoiding early replacements.