It’s Worse Than We Thought! This Wifi Mistake Is Draining Your Phone’s Battery
December 21, 2022 by Lisa Cupido
Public WiFi is the gift that keeps giving. Anytime you’re stuck somewhere and in need of directions or just want to pass the time perusing websites while waiting around, having a reliable public Wifi connection is the golden ticket. But there’s a little catch: public Wifi isn’t always safe and secure. Using a public connection while keeping a few tips in mind is a wise plan to ensure your personal data stays protected — and that your iPhone battery doesn’t dwindle down to zero in the blink of an eye. This Wifi mistake is draining your phone’s battery — but a simple change is all you need to correct your wrong move.
Leaving Your Phone Connected To WiFiOne common WiFi mistake that can drain your phone’s battery is leaving your phone connected to a WiFi network when you are out of range, according to Kyle Crisp, KC Web Design. “When this happens, your phone will continuously try to connect to the WiFi network, even though it is out of range and unable to connect,” Crisp said. “This can significantly drain your phone’s battery, as the phone will use more power trying to maintain a connection to the WiFi network.”
To ensure that this mistake doesn’t drain your phone’s battery, Crisp recommends making sure to disconnect from any WiFi networks when you are out of range. “You can do this by going to the ‘Settings’ app on your phone, selecting ‘WiFi,’ and then turning off the WiFi toggle,” Crisp said. “Alternatively, you can simply turn off your phone’s WiFi manually by swiping up from the bottom of the screen and tapping the WiFi icon in the Control Center.”
Another way to prevent this mistake from draining your phone’s battery is to enable the “Ask to Join Networks” feature, Crisp said. “This feature will prompt you to join a WiFi network whenever one is available, allowing you to choose whether or not to connect. To enable this feature, go to the ‘Settings’ app, select ‘WiFi,’ and then turn on the ‘Ask to Join Networks’ toggle.”
Bonus Mistake: Leaving Apps Running In The BackgroundIf you have apps running in the background that are constantly using WiFi, they can drain your battery, cautions Umar Farooq, technology expert at Laptopar.com. “To prevent this, you should close apps when you’re not using them, or set your phone to automatically close apps that are running in the background,” Farooq said.
Keep these tips in mind while using public WiFi to help prevent battery drainage.