This article has been updated since it published on April 29, 2021.
Looking to do a little phone spring cleaning? A good place to start is by deleting all of those apps you either aren’t using or that are depleting your battery power too fast. These are several apps that have poor reputations because they take up storage space and drain battery power so much faster than others. Here are six apps experts say you should delete before they completely ruin your battery.
Streaming Apps
If you can live without streaming apps on your phone and instead wait until you’re in front of your television or a plugged-in computer, it can really help maintain your smartphone’s battery power. Some of the most battery-draining apps on your device include Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, and other apps that deliver entertaining films and TV shows. If your phone is really your main source of entertainment, try to limit the apps that you use to one and not several to help conserve battery power.
One of the worst battery-draining offenders, the Facebook app is almost always at the top of tech experts’ lists.
“Facebook keeps track of your activities through all of its applications and websites,” says Jason Mitchell, Chief Technology Officer at Smart Billions. “And even when you log off from Facebook, it keeps track of you. Its app requires almost all of the available permissions.” According to Mitchell, Facebook requires access to:
Your contacts, call logs, and text messages
Your camera and microphone
Your internal storage
Your Wi-Fi
Your location
“In essence, the app claims that full control of your device is required for the app to run,” Mitchell says. “It keeps track of when you log in and how much time you spend on the app. It keeps track of where you go, what you buy, and what you look at online. All of this information is gathered by Facebook in order to provide you with targeted advertisements. Furthermore, the company has been hacked several times, exposing user data. Facebook has repeatedly shown that your personal information is not secure in their possession.”
Facebook Messenger
We’re afraid even Facebook Messenger gets called out for killing battery power.
“Facebook Messenger could also be the reason why your mobile phone doesn't always hold a charge for the whole day,” says Courtney Quigley from RizeReview.com. “It comes down to what's going on in the background-- pushes notifications, automatically syncs updates and contacts. Most mobile apps could be draining your battery more than you know because these apps are running in the background even you are not using them. I'd say that Facebook Messenger is a top-rated communication app, but the downside is that it's packed with too many unnecessary features like games, stories, other extensions, paid advertisements from brands, and even more.”
Quigley’s recommendation is to switch to FB Messenger Lite: “it only takes up less than 10MB on your phone—that's ten times less space than the regular Messenger.”
Flashlight App
Your iPhone is equipped with a flashlight, which is why Tony Kelly, Tech Expert at CameraGroove, says there's no need to ever download an app for that purpose. “The majority of them exist solely to collect your personal information for marketing purposes,” Kelly says. “I’m not sure why Apple continues to allow these in the App Store. These apps usually request unwanted permissions like access to your phone book, storage, or location. These apps don't need these permissions because their sole purpose is to allow flash whenever the user desires. Just because they siphon users' personal data and use it for malicious purposes are these permissions still being asked.”
Angry Birds
Sure, it seems like harmless fun at first — and the Angry Birds app is free — but Mike Dragan, Tech Expert of Stream.Live, reminds us that nothing comes for free, particularly on the Internet. “If it's free, it's probably making money off of you,” Dragan says. “The same principle applies to free mobile games like Angry Birds. Angry Birds, one of the most popular mobile games ever, received harsh criticism from influential media outlets as well as users for gathering and leaking their personal information. In his 2013 leaks, even Edward Snowden listed Angry Birds.”
Snapchat
Another social media apps that kills battery fast, Heinrich Long, Privacy Expert at Restore Privacy, calls Snapchat “the worst app you can have on your phone.”
“The app uses your phone's camera, location services, and video features - all of which take a dramatic toll on your battery life,” Long says. “If you are dead set on using the app, it’s in your best interest to turn off location services and close the app as soon as you’re done with it so it’s not running in the background. Snapchat also has a number of privacy concerns security experts like myself are well aware of and recommend users educate themselves on before downloading. If you’re looking for a similar app that doesn’t drain as much battery, go no further than Instagram Messenger.”
