Smartphone Running Out of Charge? Six Ways to Get the Most Out of Your Battery
Every demographic, including seniors, are increasingly reliant on smartphones, and nothing is more annoying than running into a low battery when you’re not in a spot where you can charge your device.
While there’s nothing you can do about smartphone batteries wearing out over time, there is plenty you can do to conserve the battery life of your device on a daily basis.
Martine Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing wants to share six of those tips with you.
- Avoid Extremes (100% or 0%)
Experts say to avoid letting your battery drain under the 20% mark before you recharge. When you do plug it in, remove it from the charger between 80 and 90 percent instead of letting it charge to 100%. It’s not necessarily harmful to charge your phone overnight, but once it reaches 100%, some of the battery will drain until it reaches 99%. At that point, the charger brings it back up to full capacity, but that usage wears out your battery over time.
2. Avoid Very Hot and Cold Temperatures
With the warm weather months approaching, try not to leave your phone in the car to bake in the hot sun. Same goes for wintertime. Lithium-ion batteries do not like extreme temperatures, and they will do permanent damage if exposed to very hot or cold temperatures.
3. Turn Down the Screen Brightness
Modern devices react to the environment it’s in by turning the brightness up and down automatically. However, you can override this by turning down the brightness yourself. Not only is this good for the battery, but it’s good for your eyes as well.
4. Reduce the Auto-Lock Timer
Your screen on your device will dim and then “shut off” after a certain amount of inactivity — generally around two minutes. You can reduce this time to one minute or 30 seconds, and that will prolong your battery time.
5. Use Wi-Fi, Even if You Have Unlimited Data
The smartphone is going to work harder to try and find a strong signal if it’s relying on cellular data. A Wi-Fi signal is more stable and less taxing on the device.
6. Check App Settings
Apps may be using your location or updating even when they are not open. Check the location services in your main “Settings” app, and turn off what you don’t need. Same goes for notifications. Only receive notifications for what you truly use during the day, because each one takes up battery life.
Of course, keeping a car charger in your car and buying a portable charging device are also good ideas so you’re not left in a lurch by a dead or dying battery.
To learn more about Martine Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing and all of the services they offer, visit https://centershealthcare.com/martine_center/.
