Let your smart plug protect the mobile battery: how to cut the charge when it reaches 80%

Always charging the battery above 80% is not recommended as it degrades more quickly. Therefore, nothing like automate that limitation so that the mobile does not exceed the final charging stretch: If you have a smart plug you can do it with Google Assistant and an app. We show you how,

There are countless myths about mobile phone batteries and a whole series of tips to make them last as long as possible. These tips usually include those related to the load: that it does not fall below 20% is paramount, especially that the mobile does not turn off; also not fully charged. So, as mobile is a great automation tool, we can take advantage of this to work helping the battery.

Have Google Assistant turn off your plug

The purpose of this article is get your mobile to stop receiving power when it reaches 80% charge. To achieve this, we will use a smart plug compatible with Google Assistant: it will be the one that receives the shutdown order; we will use the wizard itself as executor; MacroDroid, an excellent automation app, will be the one to trigger the process.

When you have all the elements (your Android mobile, the smart plug and MacroDroid installed) start with the steps to get your phone to stop charging when it reaches 80%.

Prepare a Google Assistant routine

It is a fundamental point since it will be the Google assistant who gives the order to the smart plug to turn off. Assistant routines are the best tool for this:

• Open the settings of your Android and write in the search engine “Routines”. Click on the option that appears, that of Google Assistant.
• Click on “+ New”, top right.
• Choose whatever name you want for the routine. “Battery”, for example.
• Tap “Add First Item” and select “When I tell Google Assistant.”

• Write the trigger. Our recommendation is something like “Battery 80%”.
• Accept and click on “Add action”.
• Choose “Adjust Home Devices,” then go to “Adjust Lights, Plugs, and Other Options.”
• Find the smart plug you want to interact with and select “Deactivate from menu.” Accept with the button in the upper right corner.
• Click on “Done” and then on “Save”. Ready.

Now check that the routine is well saved and that it works correctly. Open Google Assistant, say “Battery 80%” and watch the plug turn off. If it turns off, continue with the next steps.

Configure MacroDroid to monitor battery charge

Once you have configured the Google Assistant routine, which is the one in charge of cutting the current from the plug, it’s time to execute the MacroDroid trigger, that action that will monitor the state of charge by notifying the Google assistant when the battery reaches 80 %. Let’s see the process.

• Open MacroDroid and select “Add Macro”.
• Give it a name at the top. Battery may be fine.
• Click on “Triggers”, go to the “Battery/Power” section and click on “Battery level”.
• Leave “Increase/Decrease” selected and click “OK”.

• Check “Increase to” and drag the selector to 80 (you can go a little higher, although we don’t recommend more than 90). You accept.
• Now click on “Actions”, select “Device Actions” and choose “Voice Search”.
• Click on the “+”, go to “Own MacroDroid” and select “Wait before the next action”. He marks three seconds and accepts.

• Finally, press the “+” again and choose “Speak text”.
• Type “Battery 80%” into the text field and select “Multimedia/Music” from the “Select Audio Output” menu.
• Click on the three menu points and on “Test Macro”. Check that your mobile opens Assistant, waits three seconds, says the command and the plug turns off.
• Return to the main menu saving the changes.

When you have everything ready, and put the mobile to charge with the smart plug, it will turn off when the battery reaches 80%. Also, you will know when that happens since the mobile itself will say its status out loud. Two birds with one stone.