GOOGLE has outed some of the biggest causes behind Android battery life drain.
If you’re constantly plagued by low charge, there are four checks you need to make right now.
Battery life depends on many things, like physical battery size and the demands of your device – as well as how you use it.
And some activities put more stress on the battery than others.
GOOGLE’S BATTERY KILLERS
First up is running multiple apps at once.
“Apps consume battery when in use,” Google explained in a special memo to Android users.
“Running several apps at once or having lots of apps running in the background can increase battery drain.”
Second is setting your screen brightness to max.
It’s much better to adjust it to the ambient brightness around you, rather than leaving it at peak brightness all the time.
Otherwise you’ll find your battery life plummeting.
Third is making sure that your device doesn’t get hot – and this is a serious one.
“High temperatures can sometimes lead to faster battery drain,” Google said.
“Potential causes include using it in hot environments and doing processor-intensive work.
“Running multiple apps simultaneously or using demanding apps can heat up your device.”
It’s especially important because very hot temperatures can actually damage your battery cell, leading to permanently shortened battery capacity.
Why do batteries get worse over time?
Here’s what you need to know…
- Most gadgets run on lithium-ion batteries
- Over time, the amount of charge this type of battery can hold gets smaller
- That means you need to charge your device more often because they hold less charge
- Batteries have two electrode points – the cathode and the anode
- To charge a battery, the ions inside the battery are forced from the cathode to the anode
- When you use a battery, it moves in the reverse direction
- This process wears away at the structure of the anode, reducing its ability to function correctly
- But the process also builds up a kind of salt on the cathode when charging
- As this build-up grows, the battery will accept less charge over time
- It’s estimated that between 500 and 1,000 full charge-cycles will reduce a battery’s maximum capacity by roughly 20%
Fourth on the list is not using the included power adapter.
This isn’t necessarily a big risk, but there is potential for battery issue.
Google explained, “Using a non-original power adapter could lead to improper voltage regulation and make your device hot.
“If using a third-party adapter, check it’s compatible with your device specs.”
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HOW TO SAVE YOUR ANDROID BATTERY LIFE
Aside from fixing the above issues, there’s another trick that Google recommends.
Android phones typically offer a Battery Saver mode.
And some even have a more powerful Extreme Battery Saver setting.
Google Pixel battery tips – the official guide
Here’s the official Google advice for Pixel owners on how to make your battery charge go further…
Tip 1: Let the phone close apps you’re not using.
Tip 2: Keep your phone and apps up to date. Applications become more battery efficient with each new iteration, addressing errors and glitches that use unnecessary power.
Tip 3: Turn down the brightness. Save your eyes by turning down the brightness of your phone, while also saving the battery. You can also set your phone to Dark theme, which turns your background to black. It uses less power and relieves some of the strain on your eyes, too.
Tip 4: Know which apps and activities are power hungry. Pixel users should be aware of what activities drain their batteries most. Video calls and gaming are at the top of the list. Users should also shut down apps they have opened but aren’t using.
Here’s Google’s extensive list of what changes when you turn these settings on:
- Only update app content (email, news, etc) when opened
- Stop location services when screen is off
- Prevent apps running in background unless Battery Optimization is turned off
- Not respond to “OK Google” hands-free commands
- Turn on Dark theme
- Delay notifications
- Turn off always-on display
- Disable Active Edge squeeze activation on Pixel phones
- Turn off car crash detection on Pixel 3, 4 & later
- Turn off Motion Sense on Pixel 4
- Turn off Smooth Display on Pixel 4 & later
- Switch 5G Pixel phones to 4G
- Limit internet connectivity and location access – Minimising mobile data, WiFi, Bluetooth, location services when not needed can help conserve battery. Turn on Airplane mode when mobile data isn’t required. Also avoid battery draining apps like cameras and games. Don’t keep lots of apps running in the background.
- Use dark colour themes – Using dark mode/theme on your device and apps can reduce battery drain, if available. Helpful for avoiding bright light stimulus at night and sleep concerns. To enable:
- Open Settings app
- Tap Display
- Turn Dark theme on or off
To turn it on, just go to Settings > Battery and then activate Battery Saver.
You can also schedule Battery Saver to come on automatically when you reach specific battery levels.
Similarly, you can set it to turn off once you’re back up to 90% charge.