5 hacks to make your phone battery last longer

No portable power bank required.

If you, like us, had succumbed to the reality that a short-lived mobile phone battery was an inevitable truth woven into the fabric of being a modern individual, you might find yourself pleasantly surprised at these previously overlooked hacks that’ll maximise your phone’s battery.
Scroll for the hacks below:

1. The 50 % rule

Whether you’re a glass half full or glass half empty kind of gal, contrary to popular belief, the halfway mark (50 percent battery) should be when you pop your phone back on charge. Leaving your device’s battery to drain almost completely is actually the worst thing you can do and will ultimately shorten the life span.

2. On your marks, get ready, SETTINGS

Ever switched your iPhone to low battery mode and called it a day? You’re not alone. Consider taking your battery saving measures one step further by turning off Bluetooth, Airdrop and other non-essential notifications. Closing down all your apps, turning off vibrations and LED flash alerts, and reducing your auto-lock time will all preserve your device’s precious battery life.

3. Updates: The gift that keeps on giving

If our phones had a physical button for “remind me later”, they’d likely be the first button to replace (or have the text wear off like back in the old Nokia 2280 days, right?). To maximise your phone’s battery, make a habit of staying on top of your updates as they’re designed to fix bugs and increase performance; the key to a healthy, happy life phone.

4. Push notifications 

Push notifications: they’re the thing we subliminally ‘allow’ when we install new apps with little thought or research into what ‘push actually means. And that’s all well and good, but when it comes to preserving battery, they could be to blame for your it’s-3pm-and-I’m-on-10-percent situ giving you frown lines. The biggest culprit? Push emails. Behind the scenes, your phone is constantly checking for incoming emails and using up energy you’d likely prefer for something else. If you don’t need this feature, change the settings so your phone checks them less often.

5. “Man’s not hot”… and nor should be your phone.

Apparently, when our phones are exposed to extreme temperatures (anything over 35 degrees or below 10 degrees) they get seriously miffed. While prolonged time basking in the sun can permanently damage your device’s battery, cold temperatures may only temporarily affect your battery life. If in doubt, remember the infamous lyrics of Big Shaq: When the ting goes / man’s not hot  – and nor should your phone be.

Words: Terri Dunn
Photos: Pinterest