Five Hidden Android Settings That Can Dramatically Improve Battery Life

Simple changes to a few overlooked Android settings can noticeably increase your smartphone's battery life, helping you spend more time between charges while reducing long-term battery wear.

Disable Power-Hungry Features

Writing for MakeUseOf, technology journalist Jorge Aguilar highlighted several hidden Android settings that can improve battery performance.

One of his top recommendations is scheduling dark mode to activate automatically. Devices equipped with OLED displays consume less power when dark mode is enabled because black pixels require little or no energy.

Aguilar also advised users to avoid charging their phones beyond 80 percent whenever possible. Keeping the battery below full capacity can slow long-term battery degradation and help preserve its maximum health.

Reduce Display and System Resource Usage

Android also allows users to disable system animations, including transition effects, fading animations, and other visual enhancements. Turning these features off reduces the workload on both the processor and the battery.

Another effective step involves lowering the display refresh rate to 60 Hz instead of 120 Hz. According to Aguilar, most users stop noticing the smoother animation after only a short period, while the lower refresh rate can noticeably improve battery life.

Turn Off Always On Display

Aguilar also recommended disabling the Always On Display feature, which continuously shows the clock, notifications, and other information on the screen even when the phone is locked.

Because the display remains partially active, the device never fully enters its lowest-power sleep state, resulting in higher battery consumption throughout the day.

Earlier this month, journalists at How-To Geek also argued that Android is less open than many users believe, noting that Google continues to restrict access to a number of services and operating system features.