A handheld analyte meter with recharging control for regulating self-heating to improve analyte testing, the meter comprising: a housing having a circuit board carried inside the housing and a test element port; a cable connector carried in the housing with a first end exposed outside the housing for connection to a charging source and a second end coupled to the circuit board; a rechargeable battery carried inside the housing and coupled to the circuit board and coupled to the cable connector second end; a main processor carried on the circuit board and coupled to the rechargeable battery, the main processor having memory; a display coupled to the circuit board and the main processor; a first temperature sensor carried on the circuit board near the main processor and rechargeable battery for measuring a first temperature inside the housing prior to beginning a charging session that is compared to a first temperature range; a measurement module carried on the circuit board near the test element port and coupled to the main processor; a second temperature sensor carried on the circuit board near the measurement module for measuring a second temperature inside the housing prior to beginning an analyte test that is compared to a second temperature range; a test element connector carried on the circuit board near the test element port. the test element connector coupled to the measurement module and configured to receive a test element; a battery charger carried on the circuit board and coupled to the cable connector that charges the rechargeable battery up to a maximum charging current until the rechargeable battery reaches a predetermined charge level; and a charging control carried on the circuit board and coupled to the battery charger that prior to the beginning of a charging session selects the maximum charging current that does not change during the charging session, wherein if the first temperature is within the first temperature range, the charging control selects a high maximum charging current for the maximum charging current, and wherein if the first temperature is outside the first temperature range, the charging control selects a reduced maximum charging current for the maximum charging current, wherein if the first temperature is lower than the first temperature range, the maximum charging current is reduced to lower the risk of masking a low lock-out that permits an analyte test when the second temperature is higher than a lowest value of the second temperature range. a housing having a circuit board carried inside the housing and a test element port; a cable connector carried in the housing with a first end exposed outside the housing for connection to a charging source and a second end coupled to the circuit board; a rechargeable battery carried inside the housing and coupled to the circuit board and coupled to the cable connector second end; a main processor carried on the circuit board and coupled to the rechargeable battery, the main processor having memory; a display coupled to the circuit board and the main processor; a first temperature sensor carried on the circuit board near the main processor and rechargeable battery for measuring a first temperature inside the housing prior to beginning a charging session that is compared to a first temperature range; a measurement module carried on the circuit board near the test element port and coupled to the main processor; a second temperature sensor carried on the circuit board near the measurement module for measuring a second temperature inside the housing prior to beginning an analyte test that is compared to a second temperature range; a test element connector carried on the circuit board near the test element port. the test element connector coupled to the measurement module and configured to receive a test element; a battery charger carried on the circuit board and coupled to the cable connector that charges the rechargeable battery up to a maximum charging current until the rechargeable battery reaches a predetermined charge level; and a charging control carried on the circuit board and coupled to the battery charger that prior to the beginning of a charging session selects the maximum charging current that does not change during the charging session, wherein if the first temperature is within the first temperature range, the charging control selects a high maximum charging current for the maximum charging current, and wherein if the first temperature is outside the first temperature range, the charging control selects a reduced maximum charging current for the maximum charging current, wherein if the first temperature is lower than the first temperature range, the maximum charging current is reduced to lower the risk of masking a low lock-out that permits an analyte test when the second temperature is higher than a lowest value of the second temperature range.