Considering how expensive an investment it is, you may assume your iPhone should last for a number of years. And, in many cases (depending on the user’s habits), an iPhone can withstand several years of use. But a battery is still a battery — and will continue to lose its power and effectiveness the more you rely on it. Your iPhone battery is no exception. There will come a day where you simply have to change out the battery and buy a new one to ensure your phone works as well and as a fast as you want it to. But if you still feel like that day is months or years away and you aren’t satisfied with the pace of your device, there are a few things you can do now to help it along. A tech expert explains how to get a long-lasting charge on your iPhone. Start by following these tips to hopefully experience a change in your phone’s behavior — and to prolong the need to buy a new battery or phone.
First: How Much Control Do You Have Over Your Phone’s Battery?
It’s important to be realistic and understand what’s possible and what isn’t when it comes to technology.
“First of all, I want to say that the battery life on your iPhone (or any smartphone for that matter) is not something that can be improved upon,” says Christine Walker, an IT expert specializing in software development, web designing, health information technology and application development. “There is a limit to how long a battery can last before it becomes impractical. Battery technology has not progressed far enough to allow us to have devices with endless battery life.”
However, Walker notes, the good news is that there are some things you can do to make your battery last as long as possible.
Turn off background refresh in your Apple iPhone’s settings
“iOS 6 and up, go to Settings -> General -> Background App Refresh and turn it off,” Walker advises. “This will prevent apps from updating in the background even if you’re not using them.”
Turn off Location services in your Apple iPhone’s settings
“Go to Settings -> Privacy -> Location Service and turn it off,” Walker says. “This will prevent apps from constantly scanning for Wi-Fi and cell towers, draining your battery life and data plan.”
Turn off push notifications from apps that you don’t use often
Go to Settings -> Notifications and turn them off for each individual app. “This will prevent apps from updating themselves in the background and causing your phone to wake up for nothing,” Walker says.
Turn off auto-brightness if you don’t need it
Go to Settings -> Brightness and turn Auto-Brightness off if you don’t need it on or if the screen is fine at its brightest,” Walker recommends. “Use [high brightness] only when the light is very low or [it is] night – Or if the light slider is enough for you – then this step is optional.”
You may not be able to completely control your battery and how it operates — and there will come a time when you have to decide whether to change it or buy a new phone. But taking these steps can help keep your battery in good shape for as long as possible.
