It’s normal to question if you should update your Android phone or whether it still has some life left in it if you’re using an older model. It’s possible that you won’t be able to use the latest version of Android on your phone, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still take use of its processing power.
It all comes down to the crucial adjustments you may make to your Android phone at this time. Therefore, don’t panic and don’t pull out your wallet just yet. With a few really easy tips and hacks, you may be able to improve your phone’s performance quickly.
It’s true that by making a few simple changes, you can probably extend the battery life and give your phone a new lease of life, regardless of whether you have a Samsung Galaxy, Motorola, or OnePlus phone.
Keep in mind that various Android devices may have some variances, and that phone manufacturers sometimes install their own software on top of Android. Depending on the phone’s manufacturer and the version of Android you’re using, certain options may be absent or located differently.
Do you need more Android advice? Learn how to utilize Android’s AI circle search tool and get five ideas to make your Android seem brand new again.
Taking an Android phone
A display that is too bright may quickly deplete your battery.
CNET/Óscar Gutiérrez
Configurations to extend the life of your battery
It might be frustrating to live with a phone that has a short battery life, but there are certain things you can do to get the most of every charge from the start:
- Set the brightness level slider to less than 50% and disable adaptive or auto screen brightness.
Your screen will consume more battery power if it is brighter.
Pull down the shortcut menu from the top of the screen to access the option, then use the slider to make any necessary adjustments. If your phone doesn’t have an auto brightness toggle in the shortcut panel, you’ll have to visit the settings app and search for “brightness” to locate and disable the option.
- Make use of battery optimization and adaptive batteries.
Through learning how you use your phone, including which applications you use and when, these features aim to optimize both the apps and their battery use.
While Samsung phones hide these options, other Android phones offer a distinct Battery area in the options app. Every phone has a somewhat different process. I suggest going into your settings and looking up “battery” to locate the appropriate screen. In order to maintain the health of your phone, it can also feature an adaptive charging mode that tracks how fast the battery charges over night.
Additional Tech Advice
Review of the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold is ongoing. A Novel Design Makes a Big Difference
How to Get Android 14 Beta 5.3 on Your Phone Immediately
Five-Minute Android Customizations That Will Restore the Original Feel of Your Phone
Reasons for using dark mode more often
Using Android’s specialized dark mode is another option to extend battery life and protect your eyes. There will be a distinct dark mode option on every Android phone running Android 10 or later.
Google claims that dark mode not only prolongs battery life but also lessens eye strain caused by smartphone screens since black backgrounds consume less power than white backgrounds on OLED screens, which are found in the majority of flagship phones.
You may need to go through the settings app for a dark mode, depending on the Android version and manufacturer of your phone. You may activate systemwide dark mode on your phone if it’s running Android 10 or later. Don’t give up if it is running Android 9. Whether or whether you have Android 10, you may utilize the dark mode option in the settings of many applications.
Search for Dark Mode, Dark Theme, or even Night Mode (as Samsung like to refer to it) in the Settings app to activate dark mode. I advise utilizing dark mode always, but if you’re unsure, you can always program it to activate automatically according to a schedule, such as 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. daily, or let it change automatically according to where you are at sunset and dawn.
Android phone settings for dark mode
Any phone may preserve battery life with ease and style by switching to dark mode.
Keep junk off of your home screen.
Are you planning to download a number of new Android applications from the Google Play Store? Every time you install anything, shortcuts arrive on your home screen, so be ready for a lot of icon clutter there.
There is a straightforward solution if you don’t want that: To access Settings, use a long-press on a blank section of your home screen. Look for and disable the option that says “Add icon to Home Screen” or “Add new apps to Home Screen.”
Well done! When you install new applications, the home screen will no longer have any icons. The shortcuts will not show up on your home screen unless you wish them to, but you can still create shortcuts by dragging the icon of an app out of the app drawer.
See also: Top Android Smartphones for 2024
Put Do Not Disturb on so you can concentrate better.
You probably don’t want your phone to buzz or beep every time you get a call, message, or Facebook alert if you often leave it on your nightstand at night, particularly while you’re attempting to fall asleep. During certain hours, Android’s Do Not Disturb mode will essentially keep the phone quiet. This is known as Quiet Time or even the Downtime setting on certain phones.
To find Do Not Disturb or a similar moniker, go to Settings > Sounds (or Notifications). Use the built-in search function in your settings to look for it if you are unable to locate it.
You may use the capability to program a range of hours for when you want to disable the digital noise. Don’t worry, however; when you wake up, any alerts you received while Do Not Disturb is on will still be there. Additionally, you can usually create an exception that lets calls from favored contacts and repeat callers get through. Activate that. It’s likely that someone will attempt again if they are phoning you in an emergency.
Android’s Find My Device feature
When you lock an Android phone using Find My Device, this is what someone who discovers a lost or stolen phone will see.
Cipriani, Jason/CNET
Be ready at all times in case your phone is stolen or lost.
Is there a worse situation than having your phone stolen or lost? Only the awareness that if you had activated Google’s Find My Device function, you could have located it.
The following actions are necessary to position yourself for a good recovery: Locate “Find My Device” by opening the Settings app. Usually, it may be found in the Settings app’s Security section.
You can also utilize Samsung’s Find My Mobile service, which can be accessed under Settings > Biometrics and security > Find My Mobile, if you own a Samsung handset.
Once enabled, you may access your account by going to android.com/find from any computer or mobile device. To locate a misplaced phone, Samsung customers may go to findmymobile.samsung.com.
Android phone TCL 10 Pro
It’s never enjoyable to lose a phone.
CNET/Angela Lang
Read our comprehensive guide to locating a misplaced Android phone if you have any difficulties with any of this.
You should be able to view the position of your phone on a map if it is turned on and connected to the internet. You may then set it to ring, lock it, leave a message on the lock screen instructing whomever is in possession of it how to return it to you, or, in the worst situation, remotely erase the whole device.
Additionally, always keep your phone updated.
As easy as it may sound, a software update may be able to resolve bugs and other problems that are causing your Android smartphone to lag.
Make sure your device is linked to Wi-Fi before downloading and installing the most recent software update, otherwise it won’t function.
Launch the Settings app now, then enter Update. A software update or a system update will then appear; choose one. When the program is available, just download it, wait a few minutes, and install it. The most recent software update will be installed when your Android smartphone reboots.
An Android device’s software update
To prevent bugs and other problems, make sure your phone is always running the most recent software.
Of course, there is much more to learn about a new phone. Here is a head-to-head comparison of flagship phones and the best methods for boosting your mobile signal. Also, have a look at CNET’s ranking of the top Samsung phone covers. Are you more of an Apple fan? We also provide advice on how to improve the performance of your iPhone.