Simple solutions that can make your phone battery last longer

If you find your Android battery is regularly emptied before you manage to answer an email that’s supposed to get replied soon, don’t worry because it’s still possible to squeeze up more life out of it by just optimizing some phone settings. While some battery drain may be due to adware-ridden apps that are constantly calling home, everyday phone activities are often the culprits – apps that frequently get online for updates, apps waking the phone screen, even high-definition phone screen itself is also the culprit.

Happily, newer iterations of the Android OS have introduced battery saver features that economized how various apps use up juice. While most Android phones released in the last couple years should receive an update to Oreo this year, even if you’re using an older version of Android, there’s still plenty of simple solutions that you can do in your phone settings to increase battery.

1. First, check which apps are draining your battery. If an app you don’t use often seems to take up a disproportionate amount of power, consider uninstalling it. Apps with ads can eat up extra battery thanks to running ads so if you find a favourite is using a lot of power, going for its premium ad-free version also could help.
2. Turn on Airplane Mode in low-signal areas. Smartphones use more power when trying to connect in low-signal areas. If you can’t get a signal, turn on Airplane Mode then restart your cellular connection when you’re in an area with better coverage.
3. Turn off notifications. Getting real-time updates of what’s going on in your apps is handy for things like email or social networks, but many apps automatically demand permission to send notifications as well for reasons that are much less useful.
4. Turn off GPS when not in use. GPS is one of the heaviest drains on the battery – as you’ve probably noticed after using Google Maps to navigate your last road trip. When you’re not actively using navigation, swipe down to access Quick Settings, and toggle it off. You’ll be prompted to re-enable it when you use Maps.
5. Keep your phone cool. According to some Battery experts, phone batteries degrade much faster when they’re hot, whether you’re using the phone or it’s idle. Avoid leaving your phone on the dashboard of your car on a sunny day.
6. One of the best ways to maintain smartphone batteries is to keep your phone battery more than 40% charged. Constantly allowing the battery to go from completely full to completely empty can damage it and decrease its capacity over time.
7. Drain your battery occasionally. Battery experts suggest that calibration – fully discharging then recharging your phone’s battery – once every three months helps it maintain its charge capacity.