Ten Phone Habits That Save Battery and Storage

Start with the screen, which is usually the biggest drain on your battery. Lower the brightness or turn on automatic brightness, and shorten the time before the screen turns itself off. These two settings alone can add noticeable hours to your day.

Review which apps are allowed to run in the background. Many apps refresh content, track location or send notifications even when you are not using them. Restrict background activity for apps you rarely open, and switch location access to only while using the app where possible.

Keep your battery healthy by avoiding extremes. Lithium batteries age faster when they are always at full charge, always empty, or very hot. If your phone offers optimised or limited charging, turn it on, and do not leave it in a hot car or under a pillow while charging.

Clear out storage regularly. Photos, videos and chat media take up most of the space. Back up the ones you want to keep, then delete duplicates, screenshots you no longer need and large videos. Many messaging apps let you review and clear their cache and downloaded media.

Uninstall apps you have not opened in months. Even unused apps can take up space and update in the background. If you are unsure, check the usage list in your settings to see what you actually use.

Update your software and apps. Updates often include battery and performance improvements as well as security fixes. Install them over Wi-Fi while the phone is charging.

Use Wi-Fi when you can, because a weak mobile signal makes the phone work harder and drains the battery faster. For the same reason, turn on airplane mode in places with very poor coverage.

Restart your phone once in a while. It clears temporary processes and can fix small slowdowns. Finally, keep an eye on the battery health setting if your phone has one. If it has dropped a lot, a battery replacement can make an older phone feel new again.