SIMCEL ONLINE

You charged to 100% in the morning and by afternoon you are hunting for a socket. Fast battery drain usually comes from a few settings and apps, not a broken phone. Try these 12 fixes in order. Most cost nothing.

Start here: find the culprit

Open Settings > Battery (on Samsung, Battery and device care). Look at which apps used the most power. If one app is at the top and you barely used it, that app is your problem.

12 fixes

1. Lower screen brightness and shorten screen timeout to 30 seconds. The screen is the biggest battery user.
2. Use dark mode, especially on AMOLED screens.
3. Turn down refresh rate from 120Hz to 60Hz or adaptive if your phone allows it.
4. Restrict background apps. Social media and some loan or betting apps run constantly in the background.
5. Turn off location for apps that do not need it.
6. Switch off Bluetooth, NFC and hotspot when you are not using them.
7. Watch your signal. In weak-signal areas, the phone burns power searching. Use Wi-Fi where available, or Airplane mode when you do not need calls.
8. Turn off 5G if your area has patchy 5G; switching between networks drains power.
9. Update apps and system software. Updates often fix drain bugs.
10. Remove live wallpapers and heavy widgets.
11. Use battery saver when you know you will be out all day.
12. Check battery health. If the battery is old or swollen, no setting will fix it. A replacement will.

Is it the battery or the phone?

Warning signs of a worn battery include sudden shutdowns at 20% to 30%, the percentage jumping up and down, and the phone getting hot when idle. If you see these, read our guide to battery replacement costs in Ghana. A new battery is far cheaper than a new phone.

Habits that protect your battery

• Keep the phone out of direct sun.
• Use a genuine charger.
• Avoid draining to 0% often; charge between about 20% and 80% when you can.
• Do not game while charging.

Need a phone that lasts all day? From Simcel

• itel Power 80: a 7000mAh battery that easily handles a long day.
• Infinix Hot 70 (4GB+128GB): 6000mAh with 45W fast charging.
• Tecno Spark 50C: a 5200mAh battery in a tough IP68/IP69 body.