The way batteries are used has changed since the advent of lead-acid batteries. Gone are the worries about “battery memory,” so it’s important to understand how newer batteries work.
The life of a modern lithium-ion battery can be viewed in two dimensions: longevity and run time.
Battery life is the amount of time a battery will function as intended before it must be replaced. Often users are unaware of battery life issues until the battery starts draining abnormally quickly. If you develop healthy battery usage habits early on in your battery’s life, your battery will last longer.
Battery life is the amount of time a battery lasts per charge. This is the day-to-day battery “life” you usually care about. Generally speaking, the more often a battery dies, the shorter its lifespan. Budgeting for electricity can help both.
Do-it-yourself battery repairs have become difficult and dangerous since most phones have removed the option for a replaceable battery. Therefore, users who need a new battery must go to the store for expensive professional repairs. You need to pay more attention to battery usage to minimize phone maintenance costs.
No battery life is exactly the same. Your phone usage and charging habits clearly determine how long your battery will last before you need to replace it with a new one.
Using your phone drains battery power
Smartphone Battery Charging Tips
Proper smartphone charging is the best way to directly extend battery life. While good habits should be developed from the first charge, older batteries can still benefit.
General Phone Battery Charging Tips
Do not subject the battery to extremely high or low charge levels. Modern batteries have been tested to work optimally between 20%-90% in daily use. So, the ideal is to unplug your phone before 100% and charge it before it drops to 20%. If you plan to shut down the phone and store it for a long time (such as going abroad for a week), charge the battery to 50% first.
Avoid heavy use while charging. This results in so-called ” parasitic loading “. Using your phone in this way can cause misaligned charge cycles and affect lifespan. The main culprits for this type of damage include playing games or watching movies while charging.
Do not let the battery overheat. Heat will shorten the service life at a faster rate. Excessive heat may be generated by prolonged heavy use, such as playing games or watching videos while charging. Also, trickle charging at 100% can also heat up the battery.
Use fast charging only when absolutely necessary. Fast charging is a handy feature, but it’s a bit like substituting an energy drink for a good night’s sleep. This feature stresses the battery, so slow charging is a better option. Use a power source such as a smart plug that limits the charging current.
Charge more frequently with less current instead of high current for long periods of time. Frequent small top-ups reduce stress and keep the battery within the ideal charge range. Even if the power is off for a long time, the battery power should be replenished to 50%. Batteries naturally lose power over time, even when not in use.
Smartphone Battery Saving Tips
Saving the battery extends battery life with each charge cycle, thus extending battery life. The following tips focus on how to use your phone between charges.
General Phone Battery Saving Tips
Use an antivirus application to check for malware. Malicious programs can significantly drain battery life. If your phone starts draining battery suspiciously quickly, it might be time to protect your device with an antivirus solution. Products like Kaspersky Total Security will root out any issues and remove them from your phone. Whether you use Android or iOS , you’re still vulnerable to cyber threats.
Reduce screen brightness . Ideally, the backlight should be set as low as possible without affecting screen reading. Manual setup is definitely the best way to go, but it’s a bit of a hassle for most people. Auto-brightness is the most practical option for the average user. Remember, you can still manually adjust the brightness range if you want.
A shorter auto-lock time helps reduce screen usage and requires less battery power. Experiment to see what works best for you. As far as battery usage goes, the shorter the auto-lock time, the better. However, if you often read news or books on your phone, you might want a longer auto-lock time. Most users will benefit from changing this default.
Remove or limit apps that show high battery drain. Apps that are continuously active in the background will consume daily battery life. Signs might include apps that frequently pull and send data, or apps that send notifications frequently. Check battery usage by app in your phone’s settings to see which apps might be causing trouble.