Battery life is ever so important in a smartphone. Despite all the high tech features today’s smartphone’s claim to have and the high prices we pay to get them, the truth is we have to sacrifice many of the functionalities just so we can keep our batteries running for that little bit longer. We have had many guidelines on what to do and what not to do to extend battery life and then some more spring cleaning tips every now and again, and if that doesn’t work, we move on to more advanced optimization techniques as well.
But the truth is that most of these tips are generic in nature. All smartphones are made with different functionalities and specs and therefore each phone will have to be customized a certain way to extend its battery life. For instance using Air Wake Up in Samsung Galaxy S5 can cause battery drain and no optimization guidelines will tell you that. In this post, I’ll share with you 12 iPhone 5S battery tips that will make a big difference to conserving battery life.
These tips will work on an iPhone 5S running on iOS 8.
How to Save Your iPhone 5s Battery Life
1. Turn Off AirDrop
AirDrop is an iOS feature that lets you share photos, videos, locations and more with people nearby having an Apple device. When AirDrop is in the discoverable mode, it tends to eat into your battery life, so ensure that you turn it off when not in use.
2. Switch Off Handoff
Handoff, the feature that can automatically pass on work from one iOS device to other iCloud devices (when it is within Bluetooth range) takes a heavy toll on battery life. It is better to turn it off when not in use. Just go over to Settings -> General -> Handoff & Suggested Apps to turn it off.
3. Limit Background Apps
Apps have this nasty habit of running in the background even when you think you’ve closed them. Double tap the Home button to see if any apps are indeed working in the background and swipe to close the ones you are not using.
4. Disable Location Services and Frequent Locations
Location services are often used by your iPhone to help you in your queries such as when you are looking for nearby coffee shops or theatres, and is the biggest enemy of your battery. Go to Settings -> Privacy -> Location Services ; Scroll down to System Services and uncheck all the items.
5. Reduce Auto-Lock Period
You can save your iPhone 5S battery life by adjusting the auto lock period to turn off and lock when it is not in use, say after 1 or 2 minutes.
6. Disable Vibrations
Turning off vibrations can also help conserve battery life. Head over to Settings -> Sounds and turn off vibrations.
7. Watch Out for Live Wallpapers
Although live wallpapers are a joy to watch, that can quickly bring on a frown as they are battery drainers. Stick to static images as much as possible, and if you can push yourself to go for a completely black background, even better.
8. iTunes and App Store Updates
iTunes and App Store updates tend to keep on downloading data which won’t do your battery any favors. You can disable auto updates and manually do an update once in a while. To do this go to Settings -> iTunes & App Store.
9. Turn Off Certain Services
If you are not actively using services such as Bluetooth, LTE and NFC, consider turning them off.
10. Turn Off Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi is another area that can help conserve your iPhone battery life, because even if there isn’t a WiFi signal available, your phone will be actively searching for one. If you don’t plan on using your WiFi for a prolonged period of time, go ahead and switch it off.
11. Adjust Screen Brightness
Lighting up your iPhone screen does pull a lot of battery life. You can always minimize the effect by going for a less brighter display. Head over to the Display & Brightness settings menu to do the needful.
12. Turn Off Background App Refresh
Background refresh, when turned on tends to allow apps to constantly refresh their content. Sometimes it even makes use of location services for this. Although a bit tiresome, you can consider heading over to Settings -> General, and switching off apps that you don’t want to update in the background.
Although there are some factors such as turning on WiFi or screen brightness that you may have already used to conserve battery life, there are plenty of other factors that you may not have considered before in this regard. So while you wait for that incredibly useful portable charger Pronto to come out of Kickstarter, you can consider these 12 optimization tips to save your iPhone 5S battery life.
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