Why You Should Never Leave Your Phone Charger Plugged in Without Your Phone | May 30, 2025

In today’s tech-centric world, a plugged-in phone charger has become a common sight in households, often left even when not actively charging a device. This common practice raises questions about energy consumption, safety, and its impact on electricity bills. There are a few reasons why leaving your charger plugged in without your phone is not as harmless as it seems.

The Power of A Phone Charger

Chargers consume power even when not actively charging a device. A test using a genuine Apple phone charger revealed that it uses approximately 130W of power a month, translating to 1.5KW h a year. While this might seem negligible at first glance, the cumulative effect becomes significant when considering multiple chargers.¹

It’s essential to consider the number of chargers in use and their individual power draw. Larger chargers tend to consume more power, and non-genuine chargers may take significantly more, up to 10 to 20 times based on testing. Additionally, the environmental impact of millions of continuously-running chargers should not be overlooked, contributing to increased kilowatt hours and carbon emissions.

Fire Hazard: A Real Concern

Leaving a phone charger plugged in poses a potential fire hazard. Overheating chargers, especially when buried under items like clothing or books, can lead to increased temperatures and pose a risk of fire. This danger is amplified when dealing with non-branded, low-quality chargers that may not adhere to safety standards.²

Energy expert Glenn LaMay assures that leaving a phone charger plugged in all day doesn’t pose a fire hazard, as all electrical appliances, including chargers, must pass safety tests before being sold to consumers.³

Page: 1 sur 2

SEE MORE..

Share Share Share

Thanks for your SHARES!