Battery life is important to all of us. No matter how powerful, ultra-versatile, and ultra-fast our smartphones are, they’re of no use without juice.
Android, like iOS, offers a low battery mode that kicks in when your gadget’s life expectancy is low. It’s called Battery Saver and optimizes power by imposing certain performance restrictions, such as how often messaging apps can check for new messages.
But unlike iOS, Android lets you change which apps are affected by Battery Saver, so if you absolutely need a particular platform to stay fully operational (albeit at the expense of battery life), you have the option to choose.
How Battery Saver Works
Android’s battery saver mode restricts apps and features so that the system only refreshes content when you open the corresponding app. Also, in this mode, location services will only work when the screen is on, the dark theme will take over, and if you have it enabled, your device will stop listening for the “hey Google” command.
Battery saver mode also does not allow apps to run in the background, and some of your notifications may be delayed. Exactly how this plays out varies from app to app, in part based on what the developers have done with their code. Fitness tracking apps are a good example. They usually run in the background to sync your stats as you go, but since they’re not essential to the operation of your phone, they’re one of the first tools the system will shut down.
[Related: 4 ways to keep your Android phone from dying when you need it most]
Google’s operating system also has an Extreme Battery Saver mode. True to its name, this feature goes beyond battery saving mode, pausing most apps (effectively disabling their notifications) and slowing down your phone’s chipset speed. In this mode, your device will set your screen timeout to 30 seconds, disable the hotspot connection, and prevent Wi-Fi and Bluetooth radios from searching for location data
To manually enable battery saving mode, in Settings, go to Batterytake battery saver and switch it Use battery saver to change. To turn it on automatically, choose Set a schedule– you can use it as part of a typical routine (so Android can make decisions based on when you usually charge your phone), or have it start when your device reaches a certain battery percentage.
For an even more advanced energy saving strategy, Battery screen, touch Extreme battery saver and When to use. You can set it so that whenever battery saver turns on, your phone will prompt you to use extreme mode or turn it on automatically. You can also make your device never activate extreme mode.
These instructions apply to Google Pixel phones and other Android handsets with a stock or near-stock version of the operating system. If you are using an Android device from another manufacturer, these screens may vary slightly. From the Settings app on Samsung phones, for example, tap Battery and Device Care so what Battery to manage low battery mode.
Defining Application Exemptions
Now that you know how Battery Saver works, you can start setting exemptions for the apps you want to bypass the restrictions. These apps will not slow down, delay notifications, and can run in the background.
But before you start whitelisting apps, keep in mind that it’s hard to accurately predict the mode’s impact on each program. It may therefore be useful to test what Battery Saver does on an individual level. Remember that apps that you allow to run normally will drain more battery than they otherwise would.
In Settings, tap apps and See all apps, then choose the one you want to exempt from Battery Saver. Select Battery and you will find that it is set to Optimized-this is the default option and it lets Android decide how it handles the app. To reverse this, choose Free. You can also choose Limit for apps that you know consume a lot of battery. This basically keeps battery saver enabled for that particular app all the time.
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When Extreme Battery Saver triggers, the situation changes again. To exclude applications from this mode, you must press Battery in Settings, then choose battery saver, Extreme battery saverand Essential apps. All critical apps such as Clock and Camera are already set to continue working as normal, but you can add apps to this list using the checkboxes next to them.
Again, you might find that the menus and options are slightly different if you’re using a phone that’s not running Android. With a Samsung handset, access Battery and Device Care and Battery in Settings, tap Background Usage Limitsand Applications that never sleep. There you will be able to choose the programs you don’t want the phone to slow down or pause – tap the + button (top right) to add a new application.
Back on the previous screen, you can press Energy saving to further customize low battery mode. You can, for example, decide whether the battery saver mode limits the speed of the phone’s chipset and whether your device can limit applications in terms of background activity. These are all options you don’t get with Battery Saver on the standard Android edition.