5 settings to help extend battery life on your Android phone.

Many factors, such as brighter screens, faster processors, and constantly running background apps, contribute to reduced battery life on Android phones. While manufacturers are equipping phones with larger batteries, users can still proactively optimize their devices to extend usage time. The following guidelines are based on the Google Pixel 6a running Android 15 and the Galaxy Z Flip 4 running Android 14; however, similar features are available on most Android devices.

1. Activate Battery Saver Mode when needed.

When you anticipate needing to use your phone for longer than usual, you should turn on battery saver mode. This mode will limit some battery-draining functions such as background processes, synchronization, and visual effects.

On Samsung phones

• OpenSettings > Batteryturn onSave battery power.
• You can further customize by clicking on the item.Save battery powerTo turn off Always-on Display, limit CPU speed, or reduce brightness.
• To save as much as possible, chooseApp Limits and Home ScreenTo allow only essential applications to run.

On Google Pixel phones

• OpenSettings > Battery > Battery Saverturn onUse Battery Saver.
• For better results, turn it on.Maximum Battery SaverTo pause most unimportant apps and notifications.
• Always keep the feature enabled.Adaptive batteryThis allows the system to automatically optimize battery usage for applications.

2. Optimize screen settings

The screen is one of the most power-consuming components. Reducing screen brightness is the simplest and most effective way to save battery life. You can access the settings.DisplayOr pull down the notification bar for quick adjustments.

Additionally, consider turning off the feature.Adaptive brightness(or automatic brightness). While convenient, this feature often sets the brightness higher than necessary. Manually adjusting the brightness will give you better control over energy consumption.

3. Control the Always-on Display feature.

Always-on display shows basic information like the time and notifications even when the screen is off. Although designed to consume little power, turning this feature off or limiting it can help you save a significant amount of battery power.

• On Samsung Galaxy phones:EnterSettings > Lock screenand turn off the optionAlways on DisplayYou can also choose to display it only when you touch the screen or according to a specific schedule.
• On Google Pixel phones:EnterSettings > Display > Lock screenand turn off the optionAlways display the time and information..

4. Reduce screen timeout.

The longer the screen stays on, the more battery power it consumes. Setting a shorter screen timeout will allow the screen to turn off faster when not in use, thus saving battery power. You can find this option in...Settings > Display > Screen Timeoutand choose the shortest time setting that suits your usage habits, for example, 15 or 30 seconds.

5. Limit background applications.

Many apps continue running in the background even when you're not open, consuming mobile data and battery power. You should regularly check which apps are using the most battery.

On Samsung phones

EnterSettings > Battery > Limit background usageturn onPut unused apps into sleep mode.You can also add specific apps to the list.The app is sleeping.orDeep sleep appto completely restrict their activities.

On Google Pixel phones

Please ensure the featureAdaptive batteryinSettings > BatteryThis has been enabled. This feature will automatically restrict infrequently used applications. To control it manually, go toSettings > Apps > App battery usageSelect an application and make sure it is set to the appropriate mode.Optimization.