Modern phones, whether it’s a budget Android device or the latest flagship, have batteries that can last through the day. Still, you might occasionally find that your phone’s charge drains faster than expected. The culprit isn’t always a bad battery. In many cases, it might be the web apps you use.
While many people are aware of battery-intensive Android apps, they overlook web apps running via their browsers. These apps can consume a lot of battery by running in the background and auto-refreshing. And it’s hard to spot them because they don’t show up clearly in your phone’s battery usage stats either. If you’re unable to pinpoint what’s causing your battery to drain, check if you’re running these web apps.
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6 TikTok
You likely already know that social media platforms can drain your battery, much like gaming apps do. So it’s not surprising that TikTok is up there in terms of battery use. The platform is designed to get you to keep scrolling. This keeps your screen turned on, and your phone keeps loading fresh content.
The videos on TikTok also play in fairly high resolution and loop endlessly. So, if you leave your phone unlocked and idle with a tab open, the videos might just keep playing, using up more and more of your battery. All of this can add up and drain your battery significantly. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use apps like TikTok. But it’s important that you time your sessions if you’re a regular user. Additionally, don’t let it run in the background. Close the tab if you’re done using the service to keep TikTok from draining your battery when you’re not paying attention.
5 Facebook
There have been claims that Facebook engages in negative testing, which involves deliberately draining users’ phone batteries to test how certain features perform. Companies do this to identify potential errors and security issues, but it can have a negative impact on your battery.
Facebook is also one of the platforms that continues running in the background even when you’re not actively using it. This helps your feed refresh, and you get to see new posts and notifications in real-time. All of this can contribute to battery drain over time. So, close your Facebook tab when you’re done scrolling or use the mobile app with restrictions on background activity. You can also disable notifications to save your battery. If you end up using Facebook’s mobile app, be mindful of how much battery the companion apps like Messenger consume as well.
4 YouTube
YouTube is one of the best video streaming platforms. But following a long and complex recipe video or passively watching a documentary while you multitask can eat into your battery life. Just like a lot of social media and gaming apps, YouTube keeps your screen on constantly, which can contribute immensely to battery drain.
Add high-resolution video streaming to the mix, and your phone ends up working overtime. Remember that high-quality videos consume more system resources and battery. And this high-resolution video might continue playing for longer than you want if you accidentally leave YouTube open. Consider lowering the video quality if you watch YouTube on your phone a lot. Also, be mindful of just how long the video is and your autoplay settings, which can keep things going long after you’re done watching.
3 Prime Video
Jules Wang / AP
Unlike social media apps, streaming platforms, like Prime Video and Netflix, don’t constantly refresh content or pull in notifications. However, they can still drain your battery if the video quality is high enough and if you’re watching videos for an extended period. Additionally, using your mobile data to stream content can also cause your battery to drain fast. Although you might not notice any buffering, your phone works hard to maintain a stable connection. This puts a lot of load on your battery.
Lowering the video quality when streaming can help reduce the impact on your battery. If you need to stream while you travel, download the movies or shows beforehand, so you’re not using your mobile data excessively. If that’s not an option, keep your phone fully charged and dim your screen to a more comfortable level while streaming.
2 Spotify
Spotify is a popular music streaming service, but it drains a surprising amount of battery. A key reason for this is that it is easy to use passively, like when you’re working, commuting, or shopping. You might start a new playlist and forget it’s running for hours. But your phone stays active during this time and might even use mobile data to maintain connectivity. This has a massive effect on your battery.
Using Spotify’s mobile app could help, since you might be able to set a timer to manage your usage. But some users report that they experience a massive drain on their battery life due to the Spotify app, even when not using it at all. So, no matter how you use the service, it’s a good idea to monitor how long it stays active. If you have Spotify Premium, you can even download playlists and tracks for offline listening, which might help save your battery if you have a long commute.
1 Discord
Discord is a popular messaging app, especially among gamers. The platform supports text, voice, and video chat, which allows users to engage in discussions within their communities. Sadly, the service can also drain your battery.
Discord maintains a constant connection to its servers, which means your phone is always working in the background to load new messages and media. To reduce its impact, close the tab when you’re done chatting.
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Get more life from your Android device’s battery
These are just some of the many apps that might be draining your battery. If you’re still noticing a lot of battery drain, look at what other services and apps you use. Gaming apps and navigation apps, for instance, are notorious when it comes to battery drain. Gaming apps run intense graphics, keep your screen on, and require stable internet connectivity. All of this can affect your battery. Navigation apps, on the other hand, use location services and mobile data, and update in real time to show you the fastest route and traffic conditions, using up a lot of battery.
Paying attention to the web apps you use can improve your phone’s battery life significantly. Regardless of the type of app, being mindful of how long you use a service can improve your battery life. If that doesn’t help, try letting your screen turn off sooner. You can also reduce screen brightness, restrict Android apps with high battery use, and turn on adaptive battery. These strategies should help keep your phone’s battery in good shape. If your phone is draining faster than it should, even after making these changes, it might be time to get a new phone battery.
