Smartphones have lithium-ion batteries, and over time, they can lose capacity due to their chemical nature. This means that the reduction in battery life is directly proportional to how much you use your smartphone. However, with advances in technology—especially in software—smartphone makers have found new ways to slow down this process, allowing users to increase the longevity of their smartphone batteries and hence, use them for longer.
Here, let’s explore some of the most popular ways to preserve the battery capacity of your mobile device and learn some effective ways to extend daily usage. But before we dive in, it’s important to note that your battery’s long-term life depends on the number of charge cycles it goes through. In theory, the fewer charge cycles, the longer your battery will last. Therefore, most of the following points are based on this concept.
Avoid Using Your Smartphone in Extreme Weather Conditions
Smartphone manufacturers, including Apple, caution against using a phone in extreme heat or extreme cold, as it can damage your smartphone’s battery. In hot conditions, the phone may not perform optimally due to power loss from the laws of thermodynamics. This can result in faster battery depletion and potential damage to the lithium-ion battery. So, avoid using your phones in situations of intense heat, such as in bright sunlight. Using them in extreme cold can also cause a sudden drop in battery life, but returning to ideal conditions should restore normal battery function, although this transition could harm it in the long run.
Don’t Use Cases While Charging
Are you using bulky cases on your phone while it’s charging? This is something you should avoid, as it can lead to overheating and reduced efficiency. Whenever you charge your phone—especially during fast charging—it’s recommended to remove the case from your device before plugging it in.
Enable ‘Optimized Battery Charging’
Depending on your device, this setting may look different, but for iPhones, it’s labeled as ‘Optimized Battery Charging’ in settings. This feature limits your battery charge to 80% when your device is plugged in and not in use but replenishes it when you’re about to start using it again—based on your usage patterns. Many Android OEMs like OnePlus also offer this setting.
Avoid Letting Your Battery Drop Below 25%
If you regularly let your smartphone battery drain to zero and then charge it to full from zero, it’s time to stop doing this. Such practices can rapidly age your battery. Whenever you see your battery level drop below 25%, make sure to plug it in and charge it back to around 75-80%. This will reduce stress on your battery.
Getting Better Battery Life with What You Have
This point is important if you want to improve your smartphone’s battery life without paying too much attention to its battery health. To start, if you’re using mobile data and don’t need 5G speeds—consider switching to 4G LTE to save battery. Additionally, many smartphones now come with high refresh rate screens and high resolutions, so you can try setting the screen to 60Hz and using a lower resolution for better battery life.
Another useful tip is to limit particular apps that you know consume a lot of power in the background. For instance, if you notice a Caller ID app draining a lot of battery in the background, you can go to settings and restrict its background activity.
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