{
  "id": 1245136,
  "title": "4 quick software tweaks to extend your phone’s battery life by 30 percent",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/16/4-quick-software-tweaks-to-extend-your-phones-battery-life-by-30",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-08-16T09:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Fast Company",
    "slug": "fast-company",
    "url": "https://www.fastcompany.com/91581492/save-phone-battery-life-iphone-android"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Here are four quick software adjustments that can extend your phone's battery life by approximately 30 percent without compromising functionality:\n\n1. Restrict Background App Refresh: Disable Background App Refresh on iOS or set it to Wi-Fi Only. On Android, manually restrict background usage for non-essential apps. This prevents apps from silently updating ads and content while your phone is idle, conserving battery power.\n\n2. Optimize Location Tracking Permissions: Limit GPS usage to when necessary. On iOS, go to Settings > Privacy > Location Services and change location permissions for non-essential apps to \"While Using the App\" or off. On Android, navigate to Settings > Location > App permissions and adjust settings accordingly. Reduce GPS usage for apps that don't need constant location tracking, such as certain home automation devices.\n\n3. Adjust Display Settings: Reduce your screen's power consumption. Enable true dark mode on OLED displays, as black pixels consume no power. On iOS, go to Settings > Display & Brightness > Dark, and optionally disable automatic dark mode switching. On Android, enable Dark theme in Settings > Display. Disable always-on display, as it wastes about 1-2% of battery hourly. On iOS, turn off Always On Display in Settings > Display & Brightness. On Android, disable Always show time and info in Settings > Display > Lock screen or adjust settings under Samsung Lock Screen.\n\n4. Limit High Refresh Rate Displays and Avoid 5G: Reduce screen redraw rates and switch to stable 4G/LTE networks. On iOS, limit frame rate to 60Hz in Settings > Accessibility > Motion. On Android, switch from High/Adaptive motion smoothness to Standard. For 5G, configure settings to switch to LTE/3G/2G when 5G isn't providing noticeably better speeds. On iPhone, go to Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data Options > Voice & Data, and select 5G Auto or LTE. On Android, adjust Network mode to LTE/3G/2G (Auto connect) or LTE in Settings > Network & internet (or Connections).",
  "summary": "Modern smartphones don’t run out of juice mid-afternoon because their batteries are defective. They run out because dozens of invisible background services are constantly running full-throttle in your pocket. Apps are pinging GPS satellites, pulling fresh data over weak cellular connections, and redrawing high-resolution screens 120 times per second. If your charger’s at home on the counter,…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}