Android phones can extend both battery runtime and battery lifespan by adjusting screen settings, managing background apps and changing charging habits. On Sept. 28, IT outlet Engadget introduced ways to reduce battery drain without causing major inconvenience in everyday use.

The first area to check is the screen. The display is the biggest battery drain on a smartphone. Lowering brightness manually or turning on auto brightness can reduce unnecessary power use in dark environments. Cutting the screen timeout to 30 seconds also helps.

If a device supports a 120Hz refresh rate, another option is to use 60Hz for regular use. It can make scrolling and game screens less smooth, but it helps save battery. Dark mode is also effective on some devices. Purdue University research shows OLED and AMOLED screens can cut display power consumption by 39 to 47 percent at maximum brightness. At typical indoor brightness, the savings falls to 3 to 9 percent.

System features can also help. Battery saver mode limits activity when the remaining battery level drops below a certain point. Adaptive battery reduces power use by apps that are not used often.

Charging habits also matter for long-term battery life. Many users charge overnight to keep the phone at 100 percent, but this habit can reduce battery performance over time. Lithium-ion batteries stay healthiest in the 20 to 80 percent range. If possible, charge only to around 80 percent, and if a device does not have a charging limit feature, it is better to unplug the charger before going to sleep.

Many Android phones now allow users to set a charging cap between 80 and 95 percent in battery settings. If a full charge is needed, users can choose the default setting. In that case, charging stops when the battery reaches 100 percent and resumes only when it drops to 95 percent. Topping up only to 70 percent puts less strain on the battery than charging from fully drained to 100 percent. Fast charging is convenient, but it generates more heat than regular charging, and heat is a main cause of battery performance degradation.

If the battery continues to drain quickly after changing settings, users should check the battery usage menu to see which apps used the most power over at least the past 24 hours. Common cases include a navigation app running in the background all day, a social media app repeatedly refreshing, or a game not fully shutting down.

On each app screen, users can restrict background use and set an app to battery saver or deep battery saver status. Battery saver apps can run in the background occasionally, but deep battery saver apps do not run in the background at all. Malware infection can also cause abnormal battery drain, so spyware should be found and deleted.

If there is still no change, it is necessary to diagnose battery condition. Samsung Electronics smartphones can check status by running the diagnostics menu in the Members app. Other manufacturers may also provide a battery health menu. If the status is not shown as "Normal" or "Good", users should consider replacing the battery.