How to Enable Bypass Charging on MediaTek Devices

Bypass Charging for MediaTek Devices

Smartphone batteries endure specific charge-discharge cycles. With increased usage, these cycles become more frequent, gradually wearing down the battery’s chemical integrity and impacting its performance. This is especially concerning for high-performance and gaming smartphones, where overheating can accelerate this degradation. Bypass charging is a solution designed to mitigate battery wear, extend lifespan, and improve performance.

In standard charging, your smartphone uses the battery even when plugged in, while simultaneously charging it. Bypass charging differs by allowing the device to receive power directly from the charger, effectively bypassing the battery. This technique, used in some gaming devices and high-performance laptops, helps reduce wear and heat.

Many MediaTek devices support bypass charging via the mtk_battery_cmd procfs interface. This allows control over current limits and bypass charging with a few simple commands. Note: Root access is required.

# Enable bypass charging
# Charging current will read 10mA or lower, indicating bypass charging is active.
echo "0 1" > /proc/mtk_battery_cmd/current_cmd

# Disable bypass charging
# Charging current returns to normal.
echo "0 0" > /proc/mtk_battery_cmd/current_cmd

Other tools, like Advanced Charging Controller (ACC) and Origami Kernel Manager, also support bypass charging on MediaTek and other devices.

Non-original chargers typically deliver less current. Low current may cause slight battery drain if the system compensates for current deficit from the charger.

2. Not All Devices Are Compatible