I use a OnePlus 6 smartphone which has a great battery life but I use it not over a long period of time but sporadically that gives me access to the web and what’s happening around the world while also saving a huge chunk of battery that would otherwise will be used up if I constantly use the phone. If you use this technique, you are in for a treat but there are smartphones users who have reported various battery draining problems irrespective of how less they use their phones and that is what I have addressed in this extract. The various ways you to curb the battery draining problems as well as ways to extend battery life and much more, so read along.

Restart the phone

If the phone’s battery is draining too quickly than usual, it could be a minor software issue and what better way to fix this issue then to restart the phone. Doing so will stop all the apps and background processes abruptly and release all the memory and resources that were hoarded earlier and thus, relieving the battery from much strain. This will effectively increase the performance of the device too.

Check for power-hungry apps

These are apps that consume a chunk of your battery when used while some of these apps use the same amount of battery when in the background. You can check for the power-hungry apps by opening the Settings » Battery feature on your phone that will provide inputs on which apps that consuming the most power. Further, you can download that helps to find out battery hungry apps and take necessary steps to prevent such as the influx of energy. You can either Force Stop such apps or you can Uninstall such apps if not needed. You can also disable apps temporarily to prevent it from starting up again.

Close apps when not required

It’s pretty self-explanatory that you must close the apps when not in use instead of stacking it in the ‘Recent’ list. This will free off RAM as well as speed up the phone and most importantly, it will lower the amount of battery being consumed.

Uninstall unwanted apps

The Google Play Store has millions of apps that allows users to choose tens and hundreds of apps to download and install on the phone but doing so can affect phone’ performance to a great extent. It is because apps consume space, memory, and other resources including battery backup when in use while some might use the battery even when not in use. Further, downloading apps that are not from the trusted vendor can introduce bugs and errors and you might end up losing much more than battery life such as sensitive data stored on your phone, etc. Therefore, you must uninstall unwanted apps right away.

Turn off services when not required

It is a common sight that when users need to work on Wifi, they would turn it on but would care to turn it off. The same goes for Bluetooth, GPS, etc and these are high powering consuming services that need to be kept under strict observation or it could drain the battery much faster than you think. Thus, it is recommended to turn off the wifi, GPS, Bluetooth, and other services when not required.

Use power saving modes

Using power saving mode built-in with your smartphone or downloading one from the play store benefits the system a lot. First of all, the power saving mode will limit the battery backup being used by the apps and thus providing limiting the battery being used or inversely, the amount of battery being used. Different apps have different functionalities and thus, the effectiveness could differ.

Deploy these battery optimization techniques

Smartphones use Lithium-Ion or Lithium-Polymer batteries. Although these batteries have great battery life, they tend to have a certain term called depth of discharge (DoD) that can render it useless if not followed well. According to the experts, one can follow either 80-20 percent or 90-10 percent proportion wherein you can charge the battery till 80 or 90 percent maximum and let it drain till 20 or 10 percent respectively so that you can plug in the charger again. This is a great practice that can optimize the battery life along with all other methods that I have listed in this extract that will provide an extended battery life.

Check for software updates

The Android firmware is basically the architecture that handles all the apps and hardware components on smartphone and thus, must be updated as soon as the updates are available. Updating the firmware strengthens its resistance against bugs and errors while elevating its features and that’s what makes it important. You can check for available updates at ‘Settings » About Device » Software Updates » Check for Updates’. If you are unable to receive an update in case the phone is out-of-support, you can opt for either downgrading the last firmware available or you can also install a custom ROM available on the web.

Check for app updates

As a matter of fact, apps must be frequently updated as it prevents the device from any foreign elements such as viruses, malware, etc that could cause problems. Since app developers would provide updates for their apps frequently, it wouldn’t be a problem that the updates aren’t available. You can check for available updates by opening the Google Play Store and navigating to the ‘My apps and games’ section.

Wipe cache partition

Cache files may decrease overheads but these temporary files are also known to cause problems if corrupted. Thus, it is highly recommended that you delete the cache files if you are facing the battery draining problems or any other issues parse. To wipe cache partition, you’ll have to boot into the recovery mode for which, the procedure is explained below.

  • First of all, turn off the phone.
  • Next is to press the power button and volume up button together and you’ll have to hold the buttons together until the phone boots into the recovery mode.
  • An Android logo will appear on the screen and that’s when you can let go of the buttons.
  • Once in recovery mode, press the power button to select an option and press the volume rockers to scroll.
  • You need to select ‘wipe cache partition’ from the menu and that’s all.

Wipe storage and app cache

There are basically two methods available to clear the two types of cache files stored by the phone. The first method revolves around clearing the storage cache that you can delete by proceeding towards the Settings » Storage and then, tapping on the Cache Memory option. To delete app cache which is done app-by-app, you need to get back to the Settings app on your phone and proceed to Apps section where a list of all the apps installed on the phone are enlisted. Direct towards the Downloaded section and tap on any given app, tap on ‘Clear Cache’ and ‘Clear Data’ and that must clear the said files altogether.

Perform a factory reset

If you are unable to resolve the battery draining problems on your phone, you can opt for restoring it to factory settings that will completely erase all the data ever saved on your phone permanently as well as help get rid of the problem that you are facing.

  • To commence with the factory reset, you can opt for Backup and Reset feature which is available in the Settings app.
  • You can select ‘Reset the phone’, enter the PIN or password as asked and confirm by selecting ‘Reset everything’ and that’s it.
  • The alternative method available to restore the phone is to use the recovery mode which can be accessed by following the said procedure.
  • Firstly, switch off the phone.
  • Now, press the power button and volume up button together and gently hold it until the phone boots up.
  • You can release the buttons when an Android logo or the screen notifying recovery mode is displayed.
  • Select ‘wipe data/factory reset’.
  • Tap on ‘Yes — delete all user data’ and you have successfully restored the phone to its original factory settings.

Check whether the battery is damaged

Since you are facing battery draining problems, it could be due to a faulty, damaged or deteriorated battery as well. You need to remove the battery if removable and verify if it is working properly or not. Do the same with a non-removable battery or you can take help from a technician to gauge if the battery is damaged or not.

Get professional help

If you are unable to fix the battery draining problems on your Archos smartphone, you must report it to a nearby service center. You can opt for an authorized service center or a partnered service center to resolve the issue or you can get the help from third-party service provided although the warranty might void.

Other ways to extend battery life

There are practically hundreds of ways you can combat battery draining problems such as –

  • Turn on airplane mode during bedtime
  • Try Scheduled ON/OFF to save on battery life
  • Turn off notifications or limit it
  • Use Silent profile on your phone when ‘Ring’ isn’t required.
  • Turn on airplane mode when network coverage isn’t expected.