There are those who can’t stand seeing the battery level drop below 20%, those who live with the charger always in their pocket and those who have now accepted that the smartphone never arrives in the evening. But the good news is that, with some simple and targeted measuresthe charge duration can increase significantly — and without having to give up the functions that make the phone “intelligent”.
Pay attention to the screen
The display is the component that consumes the most energy. Reducing the brightness or setting it to automatic is the first step to extending battery life. Also screen lock time has a big impact: If you reduce the idle time before shutting down, you save a surprising amount of energy every day.
It is also better to avoid animated wallpapers, which are beautiful but energy-intensive, and prefer static and dark images — especially on OLED screens, where black pixels consume less.
Apps that “steal” energy in the background
Many apps continue to work even when we don’t use them: updating data, sending notifications, checking location and connection. To limit hidden consumption, just go into the settings and disable background updating for less useful applications. A further step is reduce push notifications only for what you really need: social media, games and shopping apps are often the main culprits of a sudden battery drop.
Small habits that help
There is no need to become energy saving maniacs: some good daily practices are enough. Turning off Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS when you don’t need them, for example, can make a big difference. Avoiding charging your smartphone all night or having it completely discharged also helps prolong battery health: experts recommend always keeping it between 20% and 80%. Then pay attention to heat: high temperatures damage the cells and reduce their storage capacity. Better not to use your phone in the sun or leave it in the car in summer.
The hidden “trick” of iPhones
Apple users have a little-known trick up their sleeve: the “Optimized Charging” function, which can be activated from Settings > Battery. This intelligent system stops charging at 80% and completes the remaining 20% only shortly before the moment when you usually disconnect the phone. In this way, the battery remains at 100% for less time, reducing chemical stress and prolonging its life over time. On newer models with iOS 17 and later, there is also the new “Adaptive Power Mode”, which automatically adjusts performance to save energy and can activate the low power mode on its own. One last piece of advice, often overlooked: turn off keyboard vibration and haptic feedback, which consume energy with every touch.
Furthermore, in the Accessibility section, you can activate “Reduce motion” to limit system animations and lighten the processor’s workload. Small gestures, sure — but put together they can give up to half a day of extra battery life.