African countries are no strangers to frequent power outages. With an unstable power supply, these blackouts tend to last for days on end. Among the plethora of problems this poses, the inability to charge your phone is a major one. Our mobile devices have become our lifeline when connecting with the world, whether this be with neighbours or at large, and this is merely one of the many advantages that our hand-held devices deliver. Too lose it, even momentarily, can feel – and be – catastrophic.
Rather than frantically scrambling to get all your mobile needs done in one go the moment a dreaded power outage hits, here are some tips to help your phone battery last a little longer.
1. Reduce Phone Brightness and Timeout
Your phone’s display is one of the biggest battery drainers. Maximizing brightness may make the screen look good, but it consumes energy at an alarming rate.
Lower your screen brightness manually or enable adaptive brightness so that your phone adjusts automatically. Also, reduce screen timeout to the shortest possible time so that your phone isn’t wasting power.
2. Enable Battery Saver Mode
Most smartphones have a built-in Battery Saver Mode or Power Saving Mode, but what exactly is it? Well, this feature limits background activity, reduces screen brightness, and slows down performance to extend battery life.
It is helpful to activate this feature early when power is out so that your phone last much longer.
3. Turn Off Background Apps and Notifications
Apps running in the background may not seem like a big deal, but though passively working, they refresh data, send notifications, and consume battery. Close unnecessary apps and disable auto-refresh features for your social media as they trend to consume the most data.
You can also go to Settings > Battery > App Usage to see which apps drain the most battery and restrict their background activity.
4. Switch to your Phone Dark Mode
It seems unlikely, but using Dark Mode can actually save battery. This is because black pixels don’t require power on such screens that use OLED and AMOLED display.
Enabling dark mode for your phone’s interface and social/video media apps can help conserve battery life.
5. Charge Smartly and Avoid Overcharging
While excessive-charging seems like a good idea, its best not to go down that route. Overcharging causes your device to generate heat, and as a result, this wears down the battery’s maximum power overtime.
Instead, unplug your phone when it hits the 80%-90% mark and ensure you don’t charge devices overnight. If you do need to charge your device while you sleep, ensure you invest in a smart plug or a powerbank that automatically stops powering your device when it reachs the 90% cut-off mark.
6. Invest in a High-Quality Power Bank
A good power bank is a lifesaver during power outages. Opt for one with at least 10,000mAh capacity, which can charge most phones two to three times.
In addition, stay away from cheap, low-quality power banks as they can damage your phone’s battery over time.
7. Keep Your Phone Cool
Excess heat is bad for your battery. Avoid using your phone while charging, and keep it away from direct sunlight or hot environments. If your phone gets hot, turn it off for a while to cool down.
8. Limit Data Usage and Streaming
Streaming videos, making video calls, and using mobile data drain battery quickly. if possible, only view offline videos and photos, and use WiFi instead of mobile data to conserve power.
9. Use Battery Health Apps
Apps like AccuBattery (Android) and Battery Life (iOS) help monitor battery usage and give insights on extending battery lifespan. These apps can alert you when your battery is being overworked, so you can adjust usage accordingly.
Final Thoughts
Frequent power outages are unfortunately a negative part of many African societies today, but these do not have to halt your screentime. With the aforementioned tips, you can elongate your battery life enough to utilize your mobile device till power is restored.
What are your thoughts and tips? Let us know down below, and click here for a similar article.
