Battling Battery Drain: Tips to Extend Your Device’s Life
Our smartphones and laptops are constantly evolving, boasting impressive features like high-resolution screens, powerful processors, and ample memory. This surge in capability, however, comes at a cost: batteries struggle to keep up with the demands of modern usage. Power banks are becoming essential accessories, and even laptops often need to be tethered to power outlets. The culprit? The ubiquitous lithium-ion (Li-ion) and lithium-polymer (Li-poly) batteries, which prioritize fast charging over long-term life. But don’t despair! There are strategies to prolong your electronic devices’ lifespans and maximize the time between charges.
1) Keeping Cool: Temperature is Key
One of the biggest stressors on batteries, aside from frequent charging cycles, is temperature. As Battery University, a renowned resource for battery testing, has found, cycling, elevated temperature, and aging all significantly impact a battery’s performance. Keeping your devices cool is crucial. Anything above 30°C (86°F) is considered elevated temperature and can lead to a noticeable decline in battery life. Imagine this: a battery exposed to 60°C for just three months will see its capacity drop to 60 percent, while a battery at 40°C will experience a 65 percent decline.
This highlights the importance of avoiding heat sources like leaving your phone baking in the sun inside a car. For laptops, cooling pads are a smart investment, providing a dedicated vent for the CPU, preventing overheating. Don’t forget about dust, which can clog vents and force fans to work harder, leading to a strain on battery life. Regularly clean your devices to keep vents dust-free and maintain optimal cooling.
2) Paid Apps for Peace of Mind
While free apps are a tempting option, studies from US-based researchers reveal a hidden cost: ad-supported apps can drain your battery significantly, reducing its life by 2.5 to 2.1 hours on average. The ads, while seemingly harmless, exert a heavy burden on your phone’s processor. Think of the processor as the brain of your device, and ads are like demanding tasks that consume valuable resources, leading to slowdowns and battery drain.
While not all free apps are battery-guzzlers, it’s safe to assume that if an app displays ads, it’s likely draining your battery. Considering that many apps cost as little as Rs. 10 on platforms like Google Play and the App Store, investing a small amount can save you significant battery life and improve overall performance.
On laptops, running local applications like text editors is far more energy-efficient than using web-based alternatives. If you’re not actively using the web, consider turning off your Wi-Fi connection, easily done with Fn+F2 on most Windows laptops (the function key may vary depending on the manufacturer).
3) Location Tracking: A Battery-Draining Habit
Have you ever noticed your phone’s battery quickly depleting while using Facebook? Well, it’s not just the app itself; it’s often due to location tracking. Facebook, and many other apps, constantly monitor your location using the GPS module, leading to excessive battery drain.
To combat this, disable location tracking for apps that don’t require it. On Android devices, head to Settings > Location and toggle off location tracking completely. For more granular control, apps can be individually granted location permission in Android M or later versions.
On iOS 9 and later, go to Settings > Privacy > Location Services and turn off location access for apps you don’t need to track your location. This selective approach helps conserve battery life while retaining location access for important apps.
4) Partial Charges: A Marathon, Not a Sprint
Think of your battery as a marathon runner. Instead of fully depleting it to zero and then fully recharging it to 100 percent, partial charges can significantly extend its lifespan. As Battery University explains, keeping your battery’s depth of discharge between 30 and 80 percent, roughly 50 percent of its total capacity, can triple the number of charging cycles your battery can handle.
This principle is recognized by companies like Lenovo, who integrate Battery Maintenance settings in their laptops. The Power Manager included with Lenovo laptops allows you to customize charging behavior to suit your needs. For longevity, Lenovo recommends setting a charging range from 40 to 50 percent, ensuring that your battery doesn’t fully discharge or reach its maximum charge level.
5) Brightness Blues: Tone Down The Display
A simple yet often overlooked tip involves reducing display brightness. Both laptops and mobile devices provide easy access to brightness settings, and many third-party apps can further enhance this. For example, Lux for Android overlays a semi-transparent graphic to reduce brightness and adjust the color cast of the screen.
However, it’s important to note that software-based brightness adjustments only save power on OLED screens, which individually control each pixel. LCD screens, on the other hand, rely on backlights, and reducing their brightness is the only way to achieve power savings.
Furthermore, reducing the inactive display time can also make a difference. On Android, this option is available under Settings > Display. For iOS, Settings > General > Auto-Lock lets you adjust the time before the display automatically shuts off.
On a Windows laptop, right-click on the battery icon and choose Power Options. Switch to Power Saver mode to prioritize battery life over performance. Windows automatically adjusts brightness, standby settings, and other configurations to extend battery usage.
6) Wi-Fi Updates: A Smarter Choice
Activities that demand significant processing power or bandwidth are battery drain culprits. Downloading app updates over cellular data can significantly impact your phone’s battery life. Therefore, scheduling updates to occur only over Wi-Fi is a wise choice. Some devices offer the option to perform updates while plugged in, further maximizing battery life.
On Android, open the Play Store app and swipe in from the left side to access the menu. Navigate to Settings > Auto-update apps and select Auto-update apps over Wi-Fi only.
On iOS devices with Wi-Fi + Cellular connectivity, go to Settings > iTunes & App Store and disable Use Cellular Data for app updates.
7) Low Power Mode: The Battery Saver
Not all Android phones have battery saver mode, but those running Android 5.0 or later (Lollipop) should be able to access this feature. Battery saver mode automatically activates when your battery drops to 15 percent, disabling background app refreshes, location tracking, and other syncing tasks to conserve battery.
Android Marshmallow introduced Doze, taking battery conservation even further by putting the phone in a deep sleep mode when it’s lying unused for extended periods. Doze has proven successful in doubling standby times. Unfortunately, older phones miss out on this feature.
iOS 9 and later also have a Low Power Mode, which reduces background refreshes, visual effects, and automatic downloads, significantly extending battery life. Access this mode through Settings > Battery.
Even older Android phones might have their own low power modes, such as Stamina Mode on Sony phones or Extreme Power Mode on HTC devices. While third-party apps are available, the built-in modes are generally more effective.
8) Flight Mode: A Break from the Network
The distance your phone is from a cellular tower can affect its standby time. If you find yourself in an area with no network signal, Airplane Mode (or Flight Mode on some devices) is your best bet for conserving battery life. By turning off cellular data and Wi-Fi connections, you prevent your phone from constantly searching for a signal, minimizing unnecessary battery drain.
Taking Action: Prolonging Battery Life
By implementing these tips, you can significantly extend your phone’s battery life and minimize the number of recharge cycles, leading to a longer overall lifespan. Remember, every little step you take to conserve energy contributes to a healthier battery.
