7 useful tips to help eliminate the worry of running out of phone battery on long trips
Running out of battery on your phone mid-trip is a nightmare for many people. Not only does it interrupt your journey of discovery, but it also disconnects you from friends and family. So how do you ensure your phone stays with you throughout your trip?
Making sure your phone has enough battery when traveling is extremely important, because it not only helps you locate and navigate your journey, but also supports you in communicating, looking up information, taking photos and performing many other necessary tasks.
Keeping your device charged can be a challenge when you are constantly on the go, especially if you don’t have a power bank with you. However, you can still maintain your phone’s battery life effectively by following these helpful tips without the need for a power bank.
1. Use airport and in-flight chargers when possible
Using a charger at the airport and on the plane is a great way to keep your phone charged, especially on long trips. Most airports now have public charging stations, making it easy to recharge your device while you wait for your flight. These charging stations usually have USB ports or power outlets, making them convenient to use with a variety of cables.
Many airlines also provide USB charging ports or in-seat power outlets on planes, allowing you to charge your phone directly during your flight. Taking advantage of these charging sources not only saves battery life, but also keeps your device ready when you need it, such as watching movies, listening to music, or checking flight information.
However, remember to always bring your own charging cable and check the status of the outlet before using, as not all charging stations are fully equipped with compatible cables. This way, you can easily maintain your phone's battery without worrying about interruptions.
2. Bring a USB-A cable
USB-C cables are becoming more and more popular, especially with all new iPhone models using the standard, and in Europe, electronic devices are required to support USB-C cables. However, airlines don't seem to be keeping up with this trend.
On many flights, we still see more USB-A charging ports than USB-C, which sometimes causes a lot of inconvenience. To avoid trouble, you should bring a USB-A cable when traveling.
If you're considering buying a charging cable for travel, you should opt for one with a USB-A port, as it's still the standard on most planes these days.
3. Turn on battery saving mode
Turning on Low Power Mode on your iPhone is one of the simplest and most effective ways to save battery on long trips. The great thing is that we can still perform all the necessary tasks without any restrictions, so it makes perfect sense to enable this feature.
Another special benefit is that the screen brightness is reduced, which many people really like because the bright light on the plane, especially at night, often makes us uncomfortable.
For those of you with Android devices, Power Saving Mode is a similar option worth considering. There are also plenty of other tips for extending battery life on your Android device when you're on the road.
4. Block unnecessary applications
Blocking unnecessary apps to save battery is an effective way to extend the usage time of your phone, especially when you can't charge it often. Many apps run in the background and continuously consume power, even when you're not using them. To fix this, you can disable background permissions for apps that you rarely use through your phone's battery management settings.
Additionally, tools like "Focus Mode" on iPhone or "Digital Wellbeing" on Android allow you to completely block distracting apps, while also saving battery life.
Another tip is to uninstall unnecessary or rarely used apps. You can also use dedicated time and energy management apps, like Opal, to monitor and control battery consumption from individual apps.
By blocking or managing unnecessary apps, you not only save battery but also help your device run smoother during busy days or when you're on the go.
5. Turn off your phone on long flights
Turning off your phone on long flights to save battery is a simple yet extremely effective solution, especially when you don't have the opportunity to charge your battery during the journey.
On long flights, your phone is often unnecessary because you rarely use features like calling or texting. Instead of leaving your device on standby and slowly draining the battery, turning it off completely will help conserve power for when you really need it, such as when you land and need to use your phone for navigation, calling a car, or communicating.
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If you want to keep your device running to listen to music or watch movies offline, turn on airplane mode and lower the screen brightness. But if you're not going to use your phone for an extended period of time, turning it off completely is always the best way to preserve battery life for the entire trip.
6. Turn off Bluetooth connection
Turning off Bluetooth to save battery is a simple but effective tip, especially when you're not using wireless headphones, speakers, or other connected devices. Bluetooth consumes power even when no devices are paired, as your phone is constantly searching for a signal.
When you're traveling or in situations where you don't need Bluetooth, turning it off completely can save you a significant amount of battery. You can easily do this via Control Center on iPhone or the quick settings bar on Android.
Also, if you need to turn on Bluetooth for certain purposes, remember to turn it off immediately after use. By intelligently managing your Bluetooth connection, you will preserve your battery life, especially on long travel days or when you can't charge your device regularly.
7. Close all applications after using them
Closing all apps after use is a simple way to save battery and make your phone run smoother. Many apps continue to run in the background even when you're not using them, consuming system resources like battery, memory, and mobile data. Apps like social media, maps, or games often consume a significant amount of power if not closed completely.
To save battery, you should check and close unnecessary apps through the multitasking manager on your phone. On iPhone, you can swipe up from the bottom of the screen (or press the Home button, depending on your model) to close the app. On Android, you can simply go to "Recent Apps" and swipe the app off the list.
Getting into the habit of closing apps after use not only helps your battery last longer, but also reduces the load on your device, ensuring optimal performance over the long term. However, you don't need to close important apps like the clock or email if they need to be running all the time.
