How to Boost Your Smartphone’s Battery Life

Every veteran smartphone user has had to deal with a dead battery at some point — and it usually happens at the worst possible time. Here are a few easy smartphone battery life tips to start using right now:

• Turn it off: This probably seems obvious, but the best way to save a battery on a smartphone is to keep the device turned off as much as possible. Consider whether you really need to keep your phone on while you are sleeping or at work.

• Lower the volume: You can save battery life on a smartphone by keeping the volume low. Consider using headphones when listening to music and using your phone’s volume limit feature.

• Limit signal searches: If you are in an area where there is the cell signal is weak or nonexistent, your phone will automatically continue its signal search, which will drain your battery. It’s better to keep your phone turned off in these situations.

• Reduce the brightness: The dimmer you keep your smartphone’s screen, the less of a drain it will place on the battery. Dimming the screen will also help to prevent heat damage to your device.

• Limit GPS use: Location services like Google Maps can help you get where you’re going, but they kill your battery. You can significantly boost battery life by turning them off when you don’t need them.

• Don’t use “vibrate” as often: Setting your phone on “vibrate” is viewed as a common courtesy in many situations, but use this feature judiciously — it actually requires more battery power than a ringtone.