These days, we rely on our phones and other devices more than ever. It’s no surprise, then, that we have to charge those devices more frequently just to ensure we won’t ever be caught with a dead battery.
Unfortunately, the more often we charge, the less your battery can hold that charge. As phones get older, the batteries can start to wear out. The result may be that your battery holds a charge for a much shorter duration — forcing you to charge even more frequently. But by making a few important changes to your phone habits, you conserve your battery.
If you want to keep your phone powered up for a longer period, you may want to look at the apps you’re using and how they impact your battery life. This information can usually be found in your phone’s settings. There, you can assess which apps are responsible for the bulk of your battery usage. (Social media and messaging apps typically contribute to a lot of it, but games and video media can, too.) You may want to consider limiting your use of these apps, particularly when you’re nowhere near a charger.
Keep in mind that these apps may be running in the background when you aren’t actively using them. The same can be said for certain phone functions. For example, GPS and location services may automatically be enabled. Another good example is the “fetching” option that many email apps have enabled. It might automatically check for new mail every five to ten minutes, but you’ll save your battery if you switch the settings so that your app checks only when you open it to look at your inbox. Remember to force quit those apps and to manually turn off any background activity to minimize battery drainage.
Finally, you might want to think about turning down your screen brightness. Not only is a fully illuminated screen harder on your eyes and your sleep patterns, but it’s also likely to be harder on your battery. You can always turn it up if you need to, but making it a habit to dim the brightness can be a real life saver. All new smartphones also have a “power save” or “low battery” mode built right in, which can really help — even if your battery isn’t getting low quite yet.
Many of us think of our smartphones as extensions of ourselves, so we need to take proper care of them to make sure they can function as intended. If you follow these simple battery-saving tips, you shouldn’t ever be caught without a charge — and your phone may not need to be replaced nearly as often.
