6 Quick Tips to Keep Your Phone from Dying

You do everything on your phone. You plan your days and schedule your activities, you interact with friends, families, and coworkers, you check your email, social sites, and company database, and you manage your finances, purchases, and bills.

When your phone dies, and you’re nowhere near an outlet, USB port, or portable charger, it feels as though you’re seconds away from imploding. It doesn’t matter where you’re headed to next or what activity you’re involved in; all you can think about is whether or not you’ll come into contact with a charger.

To prevent any acts of imploding and to keep your mind focused on your daily to-dos instead of the likelihood of intercepting a charger, here are six tips to keep your phone active for all hours of the day.

Update Your Applications

PC Magazine states that updating your smartphone’s applications can help you use less of your battery during the day. Updates enhance all facets of your applications, and they aren’t solely for receiving new features. Updates can increase the efficiency of your apps, as well as enable them to consume less power.

Disable GPS & Other Features

If your phone is constantly working to receive a GPS signal, the battery will drain much faster than it should. This also goes for other features such as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. Some sources claim this is a battery saver myth, but hey, what could it hurt? If you don’t need it, then turn it off, especially if you know you’ll be ‘inactive’ for up to an hour at a time.

Dim Your Screen & Adjust Screen Timeout

Do you really need your screen set at maximum brightness? Probably not. Do you need your screen to stay active for up to one minute after use? Definitely not. Therefore, adjust your settings to save some of your battery’s juice.

You can set your phone to auto (for dimming), but it may not be entirely effective. Instead, set it to a very low setting and adjust it as needed. For your screen’s timeout, set it to the lowest amount possible (usually about 15 seconds). Unless you know you’ll be using your phone consistently for a long period, you don’t need your screen to be ‘on’ when not in use.

Turn Off Vibrate

Whether you prefer the subtle (or not so subtle) vibrate of your phone, all you’re really doing is wasting your precious battery life. Business Insider makes a good point, “The whole phone has to shake enough to get your attention.” …of course something like that would drain your battery. Lower the intensity of the vibration or turn it off entirely.

DON’T Kill Your Apps

There is a common misconception that if you kill your apps (double tap the home button on an iPhone or hold the home button on an Android) that you’ll preserve your battery. Instead, many sources claim this activity will actually drain your battery. None of the apps inside your app switcher are active or in use. They are “visual bookmarks for jumping between your most recent apps.”

Turn Off Your Phone

There will always be debates about whether or not turning a device on or off will waste more of your battery than simply leaving it on; however, if you won’t be using your phone for an extended period, go ahead and turn it off. For instance, if you’re taking a nap, attending a meeting, or eating at a restaurant, there’s no need to have your phone on.