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When your iPhone refuses to hold a charge and is acting like an unreliable fair-weather friend, the solution may not be to buy another expensive device. There are apps that you could be using — and settings within those apps — that are doing a number on your device. Getting a handle on the one thing you’re doing that’s ruining your iPhone could be the only thing you need to do to correct the problem and return your phone back to its normal state. We spoke with tech experts to get to the bottom of one of the biggest iPhone mistakes you could be making.
Are you constantly burning through the Facebook app? If that sounds like you, you’re also burning through your iPhone battery — and the reason has everything to do with the video auto-play option that automatically plays videos as you scroll past them.
“Simply scrolling through Facebook will result in you passing a dozen different images, each of which begins auto-playing as soon as you see it and does not stop,” says Tech Expert Lacy Summers, chief marketing officer at Crush the PM Exam. “This consumes a significant amount of battery power. This situation has gotten worse in recent years: You'll find plenty of video posts if you scroll through a typical social media app – or even a more traditional website. Since these videos are normally marketing content, they are usually set to auto-play. The aim is to get as many people to watch them as possible.”
Facebook is the second most battery-draining app on phones, according to research, says Avner Brodsky, co-founder and CEO of Superwatches.com. “The app is a battery drainer because features like video autoplay, location permissions, and app notifications are usually left on. It’s the energy-hogging app that I’d recommend deleting to conserve your battery life. You can still access Facebook via your browser, anyway, if you need it.”
“If you simply must have Facebook on your phone, you can adjust these settings so that the app doesn’t drain your phone battery as much,” Brodsky says. “Video autoplay and location permissions can be adjusted in Facebook itself. In Facebook Settings, choose “Never autoplay videos” and either switch off location permissions completely or choose “Allow only while using app.” Facebook app notifications, on the other hand, can be switched off in your phone’s Settings menu. These are ways to improve battery life if deleting the app is not your cup of tea.”
