Millions of Android phones can instantly get extra battery life with two quick settings changes
There's another easy fix for bad battery life
BOOST your Android phone’s battery life with four simple tweaks – and avoid running out of juice ever again.
Whether your phone is brand new or getting on, it’s always worth trying to extend your battery life.
If you’re worried about running low because you’ll be away from a charger for a while, there are some must-know Android tricks.
WHY DOES YOUR BATTERY DRAIN?
Whenever you use your smartphone, its battery will drain.
And even when you’re not using it at all, drain will still occur.
But there are some things that will cause your Android phone to drain extra fast.
For instance, Google (which makes Android) says that running multiple apps at the same time can be problematic.
“Running several apps at once or having lots of apps running in the background can increase battery drain,” Google said.
The tech giant also warned against setting brightness to max constantly.
Instead, try having it adjust automatically to the environment, so it’s bright when it’s sunny and dim when it’s dark.
If your device is getting hot, that can also lead to faster battery drain.
“High temperatures can sometimes lead to faster battery drain,” Google said.
“Potential causes include using it in hot environments and doing processor-intensive work.
“Running multiple apps simultaneously or using demanding apps can heat up your device.”
In fact, letting your phone get too hot can even permanently shorten its battery life.
If you’ve tried resolving all of the problems above and you’re still getting battery drain, there are two settings that might help.
BATTERY SAVER MODES
There are two different types of Battery Saver modes built into your Android device.
The first is called Battery Saver, and it’s designed to limit the amount of battery drain your phone is experiencing.
So your phone might work slower, show notifications less often, and turn off some features.
And the second is called Extreme Battery Saver.
You’ll usually find both of these features inside Settings > Battery.
And you can even set them to automatically trigger at certain points.
For instance, it can switch on at a specific battery level – and then turn off again at another percentage.
You’ll know that Battery Saver is turned on because there is a battery icon with a plus symbol inside at the top of your screen.
WHAT DOES BATTERY SAVER MODE AFFECT?
Here's Google's official list of apps, features, and processes that might be affected under Battery Saver mode...
- Only update app content (email, news, etc) when opened.
- Stop location services when screen is off.
- Prevent apps running in background unless Battery Optimization is turned off.
- Not respond to “OK Google” hands-free commands.
- Turn on Dark theme.
- Delay notifications.
- Turn off always-on display.
- Disable Active Edge squeeze activation on Pixel phones.
- Turn off car crash detection on Pixel 3, 4 & later.
- Turn off Motion Sense on Pixel 4.
- Turn off Smooth Display on Pixel 4 & later.
- Switch 5G Pixel phones to 4G.
- Limit internet connectivity and location access – Minimising mobile data, WiFi, Bluetooth, location services when not needed can help conserve battery. Turn on Airplane mode when mobile data isn’t required. Also avoid battery draining apps like cameras and games. Don’t keep lots of apps running in the background.
- Use dark colour themes – Using dark mode/theme on your device and apps can reduce battery drain, if available. Helpful for avoiding bright light stimulus at night and sleep concerns. To enable:
- Open Settings app.
- Tap Display.
- Turn Dark theme on or off.
Extreme Battery Saver is a supercharged version of the regular Battery Saver mode that turns off more features, pauses most apps, and will significantly slow processing.
BONUS TRICK
Have you tried turning it off and on again? Yes, really.
Google says that this can actually help to stop certain battery life issues.
If battery drain feels excessive, it might be because something isn’t working as it should.
And restarting your phone can reset many of your handset’s functions, returning it to a more normal state.
Google explains: “Restarting can sometimes fix battery related problems. Long press the power button and tap Restart in the prompt.”