How can you extend your mobile phone’s battery life?

Does… your mobile phone’s battery life worry you? The truth is that our smartphone batteries play a crucial role in our everyday lives, especially now that we do everything on our phones.

In this article, you’ll find some tips to help your phone’s battery last longer, along with answers to some common questions about how it works.

Buying and… charging your phone

Older nickel-cadmium batteries had a “memory effect”. Their capacity depended on how much they had been charged and discharged. That’s why mobile phone instructions used to recommend charging for several hours before first use. However, with modern lithium-ion batteries, most people agree that this is no longer necessary. A smartphone can work normally straight out of the box, without needing to be charged.

What happens to the battery over time

Modern lithium-ion batteries are designed to last a certain number of “cycles”. As Apple explains: “You might use 75% of your battery during the day, then recharge it fully overnight. If you use 25% the next day, you will have used a total of 100% over the two days, completing one charge cycle. Battery lifespan varies between devices, but batteries typically last between 300 and 500 full cycles before reaching 70% of their original capacity - equivalent to one to two years of use”.

Charging overnight…

People used to believe that charging a phone all night could “ruin” the battery, as it received more power than it needed. However, modern battery systems are specifically designed to prevent damage or impaired performance in the event of “overcharging”.

Should I wait until it reaches… 1% before charging?

Modern lithium-ion batteries gain nothing from being drained completely. Deep charge cycles are more harmful to battery “health” than short top-ups. It’s therefore better to charge your battery when it’s at 50% rather than when it’s completely flat.

Wi-Fi and Bluetooth

Wi-Fi and Bluetooth no longer use as much battery power. One thing is certain, though: it’s better to connect via Wi-Fi. When you use 4G or 3G, your battery runs down much faster.

Useful tips

To help your mobile phone’s battery last longer:

• Turn down the screen brightness
• Turn off location services and apps you don’t need
• Turn off email and social media notifications