Dodge the Dead Battery Epidemic

Recently I was at my daughter’s graduation ceremony, as it began I took out my phone to record and within five minutes my phone died. I would have missed the entire thing if I wasn’t prepared. No pictures, no video, no phone. It could have been devastating. Luckily, I followed these steps and had a portable charger in my purse. It seems that the only time a phone battery dies is when it is needed the most. Have you ever experienced this?

When you notice your battery is getting low and you don’t have the option to charge or you can’t be tethered to an outlet, there are a few steps you can take to get a little extra life out of that smartphone you desperately rely on. The following can offer you a little extra time before the dreaded dead battery shutdown:

• Reduce screen brightness – This is one of the easiest ways to conserve your battery life while maintaining functionality. This can be accomplished by going into your settings and then display functions, reducing the brightness of your screen saves your battery from working so hard.
• Close open windows – When you are done checking out Facebook, how do you close that window? Never thought about it? Then you probably have open apps eating up your battery life. Closing them by double clicking your home key and swiping them or pressing the ‘x’ in the corner will help your battery’s longevity.
• Turn off cellular data or limit talk time – A lot of apps run off of data in the background, updating feeds even when you’re not in the app. By turning the data off for these apps while not using them, could save you valuable battery life. This option should be found under your cellular option in tools. Also, keeping phone calls short and to the point will help as well.
• Use Wi-Fi, not Data – If Wi-fi is offered, switch to wi-fi to save your battery from going extinct.
• Limit video Content – Apps that run on videos are major battery juice eaters. Videos are going to drain your battery quick. Avoid these to get the most out of your battery life.
• Turn on smart battery modes – Most smartphones have a smart or low power/battery mode accessed through your phone’s settings. Turn this on as soon as you realize your batter may not make it through your outing.
• Use Airplane mode – Airplane mode is a great tool to utilize when your battery is running low. When airplane mode is on, radio-frequency signal transmission by the device is shut-off, disabling Bluetooth, telephone, and Wi-Fi, in turn saving battery life until you need it.
• Portable Power Packs – If you like to be prepared and want a little back-up, get a portable charging device. These are small portable power packs that you charge ahead of time and then just throw in your backpack, pocket, or purse for an “in case of emergency” battery situation. In a pinch, you can plug in your phone and increase your battery life without being stuck to an outlet.

When you do finally get the chance to recharge, here are a few pointers you should take to make sure you don’t degrade your phone’s battery. Do not charge your phone overnight, it only takes a few hours to get a full charge. Any charging beyond this is going to be hard on your battery’s overall life. Only fast charge when you absolutely need to, as fast charging wears down your battery’s life quicker than regular charging. If you have the time, use the regular charger your phone came with.