There may be nothing worse than looking down and seeing a warning in your cellular phone that you simply only have 1% left of your battery or, even worse, that it’s gone completely dead.
I’m sure it’s no surprise to seek out out that a part of the issue is the apps you might be running. The most important battery drainers are social media apps, including Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Snapchat, YouTube and WhatsApp. They’re in the highest 20, and all allow 11 features to run within the background. Android and Iphones will refresh background apps periodically by default. This uses your phone’s battery and your data.
While background apps refreshing don’t drain your resources as much as screen brightness and cellular connection, stopping apps from refreshing may help conserve your battery and data for when you really want them.
Person holding phone with low battery
(Cyberguy.com)
Tips on how to determine how much battery power certain apps are using?
For iPhone users:
- Go to Settings
- Scroll all the way down to Battery and tap
- Then scroll all the way down to see the list which reads Battery Usage By App
Battery Usage on an iPhone
(Cyberguy.com)
IPHONE OWNERS URGED TO CHECK SETTINGS TO PREVENT THIEVES FROM MAKING CHANGES
Here, you will note a listing of the apps you employ most continuously and the quantity of battery power they take out of your phone. Be certain you commonly update the apps you employ, as that can ensure they drain less battery.
For Android users:
- Go to Settings
- Tap Apps
- Open each app you need to stop refreshing within the background
- Tap Battery
- Select from Optimized or Restricted, which completely restricts battery usage within the background
- Some Android users (depending in your manufacturer) can also have access to a shortcut, which might control the quantity of battery all your apps take.
- Tap Settings
- Tap Battery Device Care
- Tap Battery
- Tap Background usage limits
- Toggle on Put unused apps to sleep
- This can put all unused apps to sleep, saving your battery.
Note that settings may vary depending in your Android phone’s manufacturer.
Person holding phone with low battery
(Cyberguy.com)
5 ways to make your battery last more
- Beyond managing and regulating apps in your phone, there are many other ways to maintain your battery lasting longer.
1. Enable Low Power Mode
This can keep your battery lasting longer, and it should stop certain apps from refreshing and limit the services of others.
Low Power Mode on iPhone
(Cyberguy.com)
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For Android users
Go to Settings
Tap Battery and Device Care
Tap Battery
Toggle on Power Saving
When you tap Power Saving you’ll be given just a few options here, including Turn off At all times on Display, Limit CPU speed to 70%, Decrease brightness by 10%.
Note that settings may vary depending in your Android phone’s manufacturer.
2. Turn off location services on apps you do not need
Generally speaking, only GPS, ride share and delivery services are needed to have location services enabled, and even then, it’s best to only have them enabled while you’re using the app.
- For iPhone users
- Go to Settings
- Tap on Privacy & Security
- Tap on Location Services
- Find the apps which use this service and adjust it to either, “Never”, or “While Using“
Location Services on iPhone
(Cyberguy.com)
For Android users
In your phone’s home screen, find the app icon.
Touch and hold the app icon.
Tap the small i within the corner for App info
Tap Permissions
When you’ve allowed location access, you will see location under Allowed which you’ll be able to then turn off
3. Manage background app refresh
For iPhone users
Go to Settings
Tap General
Tap on Background App Refresh
Here you’ll be able to either turn it off completely or turn it off on select apps
Background app refresh in iPhone settings
(Cyberguy.com)
WHY A GREEN AND ORANGE DOT ON YOUR PHONE CAN INDICATE SOMEONE LISTENING AND WATCHING
- For Android users
- Go to Settings
- Tap Apps
- Open each app you need to stop refreshing within the background
- Tap Battery
- Select from Optimized or Restricted which completely restricts battery usage within the background
4. Reduce the brightness of your screen
For iPhone users
Tap Settings
Go to Display and Brightness
Adjust the brightness of the screen to your liking.
Display and Brightness on iPhone
(Cyberguy.com)
For Android users
- On an unlocked device, swipe your finger down from the highest of the screen twice
- Use your finger to tug the brightness slider left or right to regulate the brightness
Android users might want to think about turning off WiFi and Bluetooth scanning, in addition to Nearby Device Scanning which mechanically searches for open networks and devices and has the potential to empty your battery much faster than in the event you manually select a network or device.
- To show off WiFi and Bluetooth Scanning
- Go to Settings
- Tap Privacy
- Tap Location
- Tap Scanning
Turn off WiFi and Bluetooth scanning
Turn off Nearby Device Scanning
- Go to Settings
- Tap Connections
- Tap More Connection Settings
- Turn off Nearby Device Scanning
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5. Get a lift
Your cell connection also influences your phone’s power supply. In areas with poor reception, your cellular phone uses more power to go looking for a signal. So, what do you do about spotty reception in your private home? A cellular phone booster can pick up and strengthen the weak, out-of-range signal in order that your phone doesn’t must exhaust its battery in constant searching. I like to recommend SureCall Flare 3.0 Cell Phone Signal Booster. It boosts coverage to multiple users inside your private home and ends in fewer dropped calls, improved battery life, higher audio quality and faster data and streaming.
It is usually value noting that in case your phone’s battery is draining at a suspiciously fast rate, it’s entirely possible that you have got been hacked. Head over to CyberGuy.com and search “stalkerware” by clicking the magnifying glass at the highest of my website.
And be sure you subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by clicking the “Free newsletter” link at the highest of my website.
Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life higher together with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business starting mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech query? Get Kurt’s CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.