Is Keeping Battery Saver Switched on All the Time Good for Your Mobile Device?
Want to switch on Battery Saver for the long haul? Think twice.
We all know the drill: your phone’s battery is about to die, and you flip the switch to turn on Battery Saver or Low Power Mode to keep things running. It's the perfect quick fix when you're running low on battery, I must admit. But have you ever wondered what happens when you leave it on all the time? Well, I did, and trust me, it’s not as great as it sounds.
While these modes are designed to extend battery life, keeping them on 24/7 can do more harm than good. Battery Saver and Low Power Mode are excellent for short-term fixes, but using them all the time is a bit like putting a brake on your car and expecting it to run efficiently. It might save gas in the moment, but it’s not sustainable, and it can lead to a slower, less efficient performance over time.
Let’s dive into why constantly using these features is a mistake and how it can impact your phone's performance and your experience.
What is the impact of Battery Saver on my phone's performance?
1/ Your Phone Might Feel Slower Than It Should
Battery-saving modes work by reducing the performance of your device to cut down on energy consumption. This means less processing power, which in turn slows things down. Save battery, make your phone last longer. But in practice, it leads to laggy performance. Whether you’re opening apps, scrolling through social media, or browsing the web, everything feels just a bit sluggish.
For instance, think about the last time you opened a photo-editing app. Normally, it should load quickly, but when Battery Saver is on, you might find yourself staring at a loading screen longer than expected. Apps, especially those requiring heavy processing like gaming apps or video editing software, can suffer even more. Ever tried gaming on your phone with Battery Saver turned on? I have, and the performance was dreadful.
2/ Apps May Not Work as Expected
Battery Saver limits the functionality of apps running in the background. Most of our apps today depend on constant updates, whether it’s for syncing new messages, refreshing your social media feed, or updating your location for real-time navigation. When you enable Battery Saver, apps are forced to pause or restrict background activities, and you may notice that apps don’t refresh as quickly or work as seamlessly as they should.
If you’re using apps like Google Maps or a weather app, you might find that they’re not updating as quickly as usual. Your location might take longer to refresh, or your weather update might be stuck on the same data from a few hours ago.
3/ Important Notifications Could Be Delayed
One of the most frustrating things you might experience when using Battery Saver or Low Power Mode is the delay in important notifications. You might miss a message, an important email, or even a time-sensitive update. Messaging apps like WhatsApp or Telegram are designed to deliver notifications as soon as a message arrives, but when you're on low-power mode, this feature gets throttled. The real issue arises when you’re expecting critical updates, like two-factor authentication codes or emergency alerts. Even if you're lucky enough to get high-priority notifications, those that aren’t as urgent can be delayed until you open the app manually.
Oyinebiladou Omemu
What are the best ways to save my phone battery?
Instead of relying on Battery Saver all the time, there are better ways to preserve battery life without sacrificing performance. Here are a few things you can do to extend battery life without constantly restricting your phone’s functionality.
- Lower your screen brightness: One of the biggest drains on battery life, adjusting your screen brightness can have a massive impact.
- Turn off Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Location Services when not in use: These features are major energy suckers, and turning them off when you don’t need them can save a lot of power.
- Manage background apps: Close apps you’re not actively using. You can see which apps are draining the most power in your battery usage stats and make informed decisions.
- Use adaptive power features: Most smartphones have built-in features like adaptive battery management and auto-brightness. These features adjust power usage dynamically and are much less intrusive than the Battery Saver mode.
Gabriel Ojeh
Conclusion
It’s easy to think that enabling Battery Saver all the time will stretch your phone’s battery life. But here’s the kicker: it’s not as effective as you might think. Modern smartphones are already designed to be efficient with power. They automatically adjust settings like screen brightness, refresh rates, and background processes based on your usage.
When you leave Battery Saver on permanently, you’re doing the same thing your phone already does but with an extra layer of restrictions that could be counterproductive. You end up forcing apps to refresh more often, you deal with sluggish performance, and sometimes, your phone works harder just to keep things running. These power-saving techniques might help in an emergency, but they’re not a long-term fix.
Save Battery Saver for the moments when you really need it, like when you’re stuck with low power and no charger in sight. But for the rest of the time, let your phone run at its full potential, it’ll save you frustration and ensure your phone works the way it was meant to.
