These days, there are a lot of reasons to be on your phone. From texting and emailing to checking the news and posting on social media, it’s almost unavoidable. And while you’re busy using your phone, don’t forget that it needs attention too. Here are a couple of ways to extend the life of your battery so you can enjoy all the benefits of being connected without having to worry about recharging constantly.
Avoid keeping your battery at 0% or 100%: Although it might seem like a good idea to let your phone run out of battery so you can fully recharge it, this isn’t the best way to go about things. In reality, keeping your charge in the 20%-80% range is ideal for lithium-ion batteries because that’s when they’re at their healthiest state.
Avoid using your phone while it’s charging: This is one of the most common mistakes people make when they’re trying to prolong their battery life — but it does more harm than good! While there are no studies or statistics about how much extra charge time this wastes (or whether it increases the risk of overheating), we do know that smartphone batteries will prioritize a full battery over any activity on your device. In other words, if you want to keep playing Candy Crush while your smartphone charges in the background, don’t be surprised if its power doesn’t last as long throughout the day!
Avoid charging overnight: This is another mistake that people often make when they want to keep their smartphones charged up — and once again, it’s more harmful than helpful. Sure, leaving your smartphone plugged in from 11 PM until about midnight might get it back into 100% working order for tomorrow, but at what cost? When you charge overnight, you run the risk of plugging in your phone for longer than it’s required. If you fully drain and recharge lithium-ion batteries too many times or leave them connected for too long, they will be damaged so severely that there’s no going back! If possible (and when there are no emergencies), try not to charge your phone when you’re sleeping.
Don’t use fast chargers: Although some chargers can put a lot of power back into your smartphone in less than an hour, they’re also the reason why the battery life tends to be so short. Most smartphones with quick charge settings or fast charging capabilities will have shorter overall life spans because it forces them to use more energy. If you want significant improvements without having to worry about getting rid of your current phone early, consider switching over to a standard charger instead!
Understand how the battery degrades over time: While there are many different types of batteries in the world today, lithium-ion is by far one of the most common because it provides an excellent combination of power and efficiency. However, even though these “Li-ion” cells are incredibly stable when they’re brand new, their overall lifespan tends to drop significantly after a few hundred cycles. If you notice that your smartphone’s battery life isn’t what it used to be (even if its charging habits haven’t changed), this could potentially mean that its time has come.
Avoid extreme heat or cold: This one might seem a little strange, but extreme temperatures can cause severe damage to your smartphone’s battery. If you’re going on a long road trip or plan on leaving it in the car during summertime, try not to leave its power cell exposed so that it doesn’t overheat. Similarly, if winters are rough in your region, don’t expose your device to the extreme cold because doing it could result in significant long-term issues.
Tone down the screen brightness: The display is one of the biggest power hogs on any smartphone (which is why it’s often given an auto-brightness setting), and this is especially true in direct sunlight. To avoid having to turn down your screen brightness too much, try keeping your device in a well-lit area whenever possible.
Use battery-saving modes: Every major operating system has its way of helping you save some extra juice when you need it most — so if there are times when you’re desperate for more charge, try battery-saving modes.
Switch off unused features: While smartphones have become incredibly powerful over the years, they also come with many different settings that aren’t always needed. For example, do you ever use NFC? Do you stream music or use location services when you’re not necessary to do so? By disabling these features (or anything else that isn’t required for everyday usage), you can significantly reduce how much power it takes to keep your smartphone powered up.
Avoid resource-intensive apps: When specific tasks on your phone require a lot of energy, its battery life will undoubtedly take a hit. If possible, try avoiding games and other similar applications that are resource hungry. While they might be fun to play around with, their overall impact on battery power is quite significant!
If all else fails, consider getting a replacement: If none of these tips have helped with your particular issue, or even if they’re not practical for whatever reason, then it might be time to get rid of this phone and upgrade instead! As long as you stay away from fast chargers (or anything similar), lithium-ion batteries shouldn’t catch fire — but there isn’t always a guarantee.
If you want significant improvements without having to worry about getting rid of your current phone early, consider switching over to a standard charger instead! Great smartphones tend to last for at least two years, while phones with low-quality batteries could start dying after just one year. For example: Under normal circumstances, Li-ion cells only degrade by roughly 20% every 500 cycles — but if they’re exposed to extreme heat or cold on top of that, then the degradation rates can increase significantly! As such, try charging up your smartphone whenever possible and avoid exposing it to any harsh conditions if you can help it. Batteries degrade over time; there is nothing you can do about it. But what you can do, is extend its lifestyle.
