My Battery Keeps Dying, and I'm Tired of the Funerals

There are many reasons why your battery might be dying on you. The good news is that half the time, it's easily fixable! Depending on circumstances, though, you may decide it's worth it to upgrade to a new phone.

What Is Killing My Battery?

Too Many Apps Are Open
Many people forget to close their apps. Just like how your electronic devices use electricity when they are plugged into an outlet, your apps take up power from your phone, even if they are turned off. To quit an app on an iPhone, press the home key until you see several home pages for open apps on your screen. Then, swipe every single app upward.

How hot or cold is it?
Your phone works best in a certain temperature range. Luckily, it happens to be the same range that you work well in (32º-95º Fahrenheit, 0º-35º Celsius), but it can be a surprise if you're out in the desert or the Tundra for the first time. I was actually working in Wisconsin the first time I saw it, and thought, "Well...good thing we aren't stranded..." My coworker just kept the phone warm in her jacket, and then she would take it out to make super quick calls before it registered how cold it was again.

Your Battery Is Just Worn Out
Most batteries do have a shelf life. If your battery is 5 years old, it may just be time to replace it. Certain factors also cause the battery to wear out faster, such as constant plugging and unplugging, letting the battery drain regularly, or constant extremes in temperatures. In this scenario, you could either get a new phone or a new battery. When I bought a new battery in 2019, it cost around $50 to have it installed in the store. If my phone had been closer to the end of its lifecycle, I might have opted for a new phone entirely.

For a more in depth overview of what is happening in your phone, check out this video on the subject.

What Else Can I Do?

If you're sure it's not the settings on your phone, and you're sure it's not that you have to many apps open, and the weather is fine, and your battery hasn't had time to wear out yet, it's possible that you're just spending a lot of time on it or not charging it regularly. 

Let's talk about Airplane Mode, which you can also use outside of an airplane. Airplane Mode causes your phone not to try to communicate with WiFi signals or Cell Towers. As a result, your phone's power lasts longer, and the battery will charge faster. This is great on long flights (hence the name), but only recommended if you're not planning on talking to anyone for a while, and if you remember to take your phone off Airplane Mode.

You could also buy a Power Bank. They usually cost $25, with the higher end models going for about $50 and some models only costing $5. Think of it as an extension on your battery. I've already written about this in the past. Even though I'm usually never away from an outlet for more than an hour or two a day, I like to keep a power bank just in case. 

​Thanks for reading, and I'll see you on the internet!