Vikings don't hold back – we know that. But saving your phone's battery is a whole different kettle of Viking fish. This one needs to be conserved, and there are two ways to do it. Firstly, in the short term, meaning saving energy for the next few hours. This option is useful when you need your phone to be on, but you can't charge it. Secondly, in the long term, when you're thinking about using your smartphone for the next few years and want the battery to be in relatively good condition. Find out how to tackle both challenges.
How to Turn Battery Saver On and Off on iOS Phones
Is the energy in your phone slowly reaching white dwarf status (that's a star that's run out of fuel)? This situation requires reducing battery consumption to keep your smartphone with the bitten apple alive for a few to a dozen or so hours.
The option to turn on battery saver on your iPhone will appear automatically when your Apple device's battery level drops to 20%, and then again at 10% capacity. In that case, just tap on the saving recommendation, and voilà!
You can also save energy by going to Settings and then clicking on the Battery tab to select the appropriate option.
Battery saving on an iPhone disables, among other things, background data fetching – e.g., in apps like Mail, and temporarily closes functions like iCloud synchronization or AirDrop. It also reduces screen brightness and system animations. The entire phone is then optimized for energy saving.
Battery Saving on Android Smartphones
To optimize battery performance for energy saving, simply expand the basic menu with functionality and settings icons (where you connect to Wi-Fi, for example) and look for the battery saver icon. After clicking, your Android device will dim the screen and optimize its operation to serve you longer without needing a charge.
For battery saving on an Android smartphone, you can also use a number of individual functions, such as:
- setting a shorter screen timeout,
- permanently reducing screen brightness,
- setting automatic screen brightness,
- disabling keyboard sounds and vibrations,
- setting limits for apps that consume a lot of energy,
- removing unused accounts,
- avoiding actions that keep the screen on,
- limiting connectivity and location services,
- and last but not least – turning on dark mode, which saves not only energy but also a Viking's eyes!
Battery Saving for Lonnnnng Years
Vikings are loyal and Scandinavian beasts. If they like something, it's hard to pry them away from what they've recognized and valued. And that's good. Better is the enemy of good! 😉
Nevertheless, when it comes to phones, the battery is a sensitive component. Its deficiencies are one of the most common reasons for replacing a smartphone with a new model. However, there are a few simple tricks that extend the battery life of a smartphone.
Firstly, avoid exposing your phone to very high and very low temperatures. Extreme values reduce battery efficiency and affect its future performance.
Secondly, use the chargers included with the purchased device. Other chargers, USB cables of unknown origin, or other contraptions can potentially damage the phone or battery.
It's commonly believed that it's best to discharge your phone almost completely and then charge it to 100% battery capacity. However, tests have not shown this to be a "must-have" for proper smartphone use.
Manufacturers sometimes recommend draining the battery to below 10%, but only "from time to time," with no clear indication to do it always. So, this is another Nordic myth!
Does Battery Saver Mode Damage the Battery?
Permanently reducing battery consumption by consistently using battery saver mode DOES NOT damage the battery. End of story, case closed. It would be the first time in history that saving something has been harmful ;).
A standard lithium-ion battery installed in a smartphone, if used "sustainably," typically maintains full efficiency for about 400-500 charge cycles. After that, its performance gradually drops to 90-80%, and chemical degradation progresses more and more. This is a natural process, and no sensible way to deal with it has been invented yet.
Fast, But Safe – A Motoring Motto at the Service of Smartphones
Many users have concerns about how to charge a smartphone battery.
Modern models have capabilities or even automatically activate faster charging, which involves an increase in voltage that could theoretically cause the battery to overheat and degrade.
In practice, however, manufacturers have implemented a number of safety features that disable turbo mode if higher temperatures are detected.
Fast charging will NOT degrade your phone's battery, so relax and as sailors sing: way-hey! Hook up the power!
And Finally – Why Do We Sleep Separately?
What's worth paying attention to regarding phone charging is the fact that our phone should sleep without dangling cables. Charging "overnight" can cause a significant temperature increase in the device and damage the battery in the long run. We sleep separately, and that's final! 😉
