5 most popular apps that drain phone battery the most.
Smartphones are becoming increasingly powerful, but battery life has become a common concern for users. If your phone needs charging every day, the culprit might not be the hardware but rather familiar apps that are silently draining your battery.
Smartphone manufacturers often promote the processing power, camera, or artificial intelligence (AI) technology of their new devices, but the actual user experience revolves around a familiar problem: insufficient battery life.
According to a study conducted by the UK telecommunications company Elevate, an increasing number of smartphones require daily charging. This contrasts sharply with 2019, when most phones could still operate for more than 1.5 days on a single charge.
Besides high usage frequency, background apps are a major reason for rapid battery drain. Although you can check battery consumption in Settings, many people are still surprised to find that their favorite apps are among the most battery-draining.
Below are the 5 most popular apps that drain phone battery the most, according to Elevate's ranking.
1. Netflix - the number one battery drainer on smartphones.
Netflix is the world's leading online streaming service with a vast content library, user-friendly interface, and intelligent recommendation algorithms. However, if you frequently watch Netflix on your phone, battery life will be the first thing to suffer.
According to Elevate, Netflix tops the list of the most battery-draining apps. On average, each user spends about 60 hours watching content per month, not including 13 hours running in the background. In total, this app consumes up to 1,500% of battery capacity per month, the highest in the entire study.
This means that binge-watching movies on your smartphone can drain your battery faster than you think.
2. TikTok - the app still drains battery even after closing.
TikTok is a globally popular short-video platform, with over 1.59 billion users and ranking among the most used social media platforms in many countries around the world.
However, Elevate found that TikTok consumes up to 825% of battery power per month, primarily due to 33 hours of active use and nearly 10 hours of background operation.
Notably, TikTok's total background processing time was only about 3 hours less than Netflix's, even though the content viewing time was almost half as long. This shows that even after you've exited the app, TikTok continues to silently consume battery power.
3. YouTube - the longer you watch, the faster the battery drains.
YouTube is not only the world's largest video platform but also offers the YouTube TV live streaming service with over 100 channels. Its user-friendly interface makes watching videos on your phone incredibly convenient.
However, according to research, YouTube consumes approximately 540% of battery power per month, equivalent to 20% of battery power for every hour of video playback. Additionally, the app runs background processes for a total of 6-7 hours per month, further reducing battery life even when not in use.
4. Threads - a new app, but it consumes a significant amount of battery power.
Launched in July 2023, Meta Threads quickly became a direct competitor to X (Twitter). Despite primarily focusing on short text content, Threads still features on the list of battery-draining apps.
According to Elevate, Threads consumes 460% of battery power per month, ranking fourth on the list. Notably, the app runs in the background for 6.9 hours per month, demonstrating that even "lightweight" content platforms aren't as battery-friendly as many people think.
5. Snapchat - drains battery even when not in use.
Snapchat, launched in 2011, describes itself as a “picture messaging service” and has maintained a loyal user base. However, the app consumes 320% of battery power per month, ranking fifth in Elevate’s study.
Interestingly, half of Snapchat's battery usage comes from background activities, even though the average user only spends about 16 hours a month on the app. If Snapchat is used more frequently, battery drain could be significantly higher.
Battery life depends not only on battery capacity or the age of the phone, but also on the hourly wear and tear from the apps you use daily. Even more dangerously, many apps continue to run silently in the background even after you've closed them, causing the battery to drain quickly without the user even realizing it.
To avoid having to find a charger before the end of the day, users should regularly check their battery consumption in Settings, limit background video and social media apps, and turn off unnecessary autoplay and notifications. For apps that aren't used frequently, uninstalling or replacing them is the most effective way to extend battery life and protect the long-term smartphone experience.
