We all complain about how short our phone batteries are and long for the days when previous generations could last a week without charging. However, we do this without considering all the tasks these little computers in our pockets are constantly performing. However, there are always things you can do to make your battery last longer and, above all, extend its lifespan (especially important in the case of unibody phones, where the battery isn’t removable). So let’s look at 11 tips that will help your phone last longer without charging.
The memory effect no longer exists.
Many users still believe that batteries must be fully discharged before recharging to avoid the memory effect, which supposedly gradually reduces the battery’s capacity. While this was true for older nickel-cadmium (NiCd) batteries, current lithium-ion (Li-Ion) batteries no longer have this problem . In fact, ideally, batteries should be charged when they are at most 20% of their capacity.
Full loads, always?
No. Continuing with the characteristics of lithium batteries, we should charge them between 30% and 80%, nd we shouldn’t worry about the exact amount. Ideally, we should charge them to a different level each time. We should only charge them to 100% after a few partial charges.
Avoid keeping the phone plugged in.
As we’ve mentioned, modern lithium batteries don’t have the “memory effect,” but it’s still not advisable to keep them plugged in once they’re fully charged. Nothing usually happens, but the longer our phones are plugged in, the greater the chance of short circuits that could cause the batteries to swell.
Use the correct charger
Almost everyone uses the first charger they find, without giving it much thought. This is harmful to the battery, since each smartphone is designed to work with a specific amount of charge, which is what its charger provides. If we look at the wattage, we’ll see that not all chargers have the same power. This also affects charging time.
Recalibrate the battery
Over time, some errors can occur. Who hasn’t experienced their smartphone showing 100% battery only to drop to 50% a few minutes later? This is usually a reading error rather than a problem with the charge itself. Our phones don’t always show the actual battery level. To avoid this, we need to recalibrate it as follows: let the battery completely discharge (even if it turns off, keep turning it back on until it’s impossible to turn it off), and then fully charge it with the phone turned off. Yes, it will be tough being without your phone for a while. We know.
Reduce screen brightness
If we go to Settings > Battery > Battery usage, we’ll see that the screen is the main energy consumer, which makes sense. In some cases, the difference in battery life between maximum brightness and a lower brightness setting can be several hours. To reduce this, we can adjust the brightness manually, leave it on automatic, and also use darker wallpapers, which will use less screen power.
Close applications
Especially on Android, where multitasking is a reality and several apps run simultaneously in the background, we need to monitor which apps are draining the battery, because not all of them are necessary. We should close games and other apps running in the background that we don’t need.
Battery-saving programs?
It’s a much-debated topic: programs that monitor our smartphones and supposedly close apps to save battery. The truth is, some apps shouldn’t(or can’t) be closed. Therefore, these programs force the closure of apps like Facebook or WhatsApp, which will always reopen, resulting in further energy consumption. Furthermore, the very apps that monitor battery usage are constantly running in the background, draining the battery as well.
Limit notifications and updates.
Just like apps that run without our knowledge, we should also control which apps send us notifications and only keep the ones we truly need. This will save a significant percentage of battery life.
Updates are necessary, but not urgent: we should wait until our smartphone is charging to download them.
Unnecessary connections
Is your Wi-Fi always on? What about Bluetooth or GPS? I admit it’s more convenient to have them constantly activated, but did you know these connections are constantly searching for networks to connect to? If you’re in an area where you know you won’t be using them (during commutes, for example), it’s best to turn them off and turn them back on when you know you’ll need them.
