9 Ways to Conserve Smartphone Battery Power Without Using It Less

Did you know that data connections use up to four times as much power as phone calls? No wonder your smartphone bleeds power! If you want to make sure your smartphone has enough power left to actually make a call, here are nine super-simple battery-saving tips to keep you hopping along … longer:

1. Turn off WiFi when you don’t need it, otherwise your phone will keep looking for new networks to access

2. Use 50% brightness and make sure “auto-brightness” is on if you have that feature

3. Close apps and websites you’re not currently using (including radios)

4. Adjust your data “push” settings so your phone isn’t checking for email and other services more often than you need (remember: you can always change them again when you’re waiting for an important notification)

5. Turn off alerts that don’t alert you to something that’s actually important

6. Update your operating system since updates often include battery usage improvements

7. Choose simple ring tones instead of battery-sucking musical ones

8. Use a corded headset instead of Bluetooth

9. Turn off 3G or 4G when you’re not using the Internet

Lastly, a few ownership tips from Leapfrog Labs: choose a phone with good battery-life reviews; buy charging devices along with your phone (car adapters, travel kits and backup batteries are a must for heavy users); recharge your phone when possible even if the battery’s not low yet (this is fine for new battery technology); and replace your battery when it no longer holds a charge, which is usually after about 500 cycles or one calendar year.