Airplane mode isn’t just for flights. It’s a fantastic way to conserve battery life, especially when you’re in areas with weak signals. When your phone struggles to connect to a network, it drains power more quickly. Turning on airplane mode stops your device from searching for signals, saving significant battery.
For Android: Swipe down to access Quick Settings and tap the airplane icon. Alternatively, navigate to Settings > Network & internet > Airplane mode.
For iOS: Swipe down (or up on older models) to open Control Center and tap the airplane icon. You can also go to Settings > Airplane Mode to enable it.
Remember, you can still use Wi-Fi and Bluetooth while in airplane mode. Just toggle them back on manually if needed.
Most smartphones have a built-in battery-saving mode that optimizes settings to reduce energy consumption. This feature is perfect for travel days when you’re away from outlets for long stretches.
For Android: Go to Settings > Battery > Battery Saver and toggle it on. Some devices also allow you to customize this mode for specific scenarios.
For iOS: Head to Settings > Battery and toggle on Low Power Mode. Alternatively, Siri can enable it for you with a quick voice command.
These modes typically limit background processes, lower performance, and reduce visual effects to conserve battery.
Your phone’s display is one of the biggest culprits of battery drain. Keeping brightness levels high, especially outdoors, can rapidly deplete your charge. Adjusting the brightness manually or using auto-brightness can make a big difference. Reducing screen brightness not only saves power but also eases eye strain in dim environments.
For Android: Swipe down to access Quick Settings and drag the brightness slider to a lower level. To enable auto-brightness, go to Settings > Display > Adaptive brightness.
For iOS: Open Control Center and adjust the brightness slider. To enable auto-brightness, go to Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size and toggle on Auto-Brightness.
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When you’re traveling, one of the smartest strategies to extend your battery life is to download content for offline use. This means you can enjoy your favorite music, TV shows, maps, and essential files without worrying about draining your battery or consuming precious mobile data.
Instead of streaming your music from apps like Spotify, Apple or YouTube Music, take a moment to download your favorite playlists, albums, and podcasts right onto your phone. In the same way, offline maps from Apple Maps or Google Maps can be invaluable when navigating new places.
Don’t forget to download important documents, travel itineraries, or any files you may need during your trip ahead of time. This way, you’re covered even in areas with unreliable internet. Preparing your content for offline access is not just a convenience—it’s a savvy backup plan that ensures you stay connected, entertained, and organized no matter where your travels take you.
The Always On Display feature, found on the iPhone 14 Pro and later Pro models, offers a handy way to check widgets, the time, and notifications at a glance. However, since it keeps the screen active, this feature can drain your battery even when your iPhone is not in use.
To save battery life, it’s wise to disable this feature during long travel days when conserving power is necessary.
Go to Settings > Display & Brightness > Always On and toggle it off. This is particularly useful for newer models like the iPhone 14 Pro, where the always-on display is more prominent.
Widgets on your home screen may look cool, but they can drain your battery by constantly updating information like weather, news, or stock prices. Removing unused widgets can extend your battery life. The simpler your home screen, the less background activity you'll have, especially when you're traveling.
For Android: Long-press the widget on your home screen and select “Remove” or drag it to the trash icon.
For iOS: Long-press the widget, tap “Remove Widget,” and confirm your choice.
Your phone's battery isn’t just affected by widgets. Many apps aggressively refresh their content in the background, relentlessly checking for updates and sending notifications even when you’re not using them. This constant activity unequivocally drains your battery life. To protect your battery, you must disable Background App Refresh altogether.
For Android: Go to Settings > Apps > App Management and disable background activity for specific apps.
For iOS: Navigate to Settings > General > Background App Refresh and toggle it off completely or customize it for certain apps.
This tweak ensures apps only update when you open them, giving you greater control over battery usage.
Related: Make Your Long Flight Comfortable with These 10 Tips
Your device utilizes GPS, Wi-Fi, and cellular data to track your location, and having multiple apps doing this behind the scenes can quickly deplete your battery. Turning off Location Services is one way to conserve power on your phone.
However, this feature offers significant benefits, especially when you're traveling, as it aids in navigation, provides recommendations for nearby attractions, and lets you share your location with contacts. So, a more practical approach than a complete shutdown is to manage location permissions for individual apps so that you can enjoy helpful features without excessive battery drain.
For Android: Go to Settings > Location and toggle it off. You can also restrict permissions for specific apps under App Permissions.
For iOS: Open Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services and toggle it off or adjust settings for individual apps.
You can enable location only when needed, like during navigation, to strike a balance between convenience and conservation.
