How to Make Your Phone Battery Last Longer Throughout the Day

A phone that runs out of battery before the end of the day is one of the most common frustrations for smartphone users. The cause is usually a combination of screen brightness, apps running in the background, and features that are always on even when you are not using them. The good news is that a few simple changes in your phone's settings can make a noticeable difference — often adding two to three hours of battery life.

The biggest battery drain on most phones is the screen. Lowering your screen brightness even slightly (from full brightness down to about 50–60%) makes a significant difference. You can also let your phone do this automatically by turning on "Auto-Brightness." On an iPhone, go to Settings, tap "Accessibility," then "Display & Text Size," and turn on "Auto-Brightness." On Android, pull down from the top of your screen to find the brightness slider and look for an "Adaptive Brightness" toggle.

Other things that drain battery quickly: Wi-Fi scanning when you are away from home (your phone is constantly looking for networks), Bluetooth when you are not using wireless earbuds or speakers, and "Background App Refresh," which lets apps update themselves even when you are not using them. To turn off Background App Refresh on iPhone: Settings → General → Background App Refresh → turn it Off. On Android: Settings → Apps → choose an app → Battery → select "Restricted." Also, turning on "Low Power Mode" (iPhone) or "Battery Saver" (Android) when you are down to 30% is a fast way to stretch what is left until you can plug in.