Boosting your smartphone’s battery life for gaming can sometimes feel like solving a puzzle. Which settings should you adjust? What can you change to stretch that last bit of charge? Most of us would probably trade some of our phone's less-used features if it meant the battery could last a bit longer, especially for gaming. Unfortunately, the push for thin, sleek designs often comes at the expense of battery capacity, so if you’re gaming on your commute, you might find your charge running out before the day’s done.

To help extend your gaming time, here are a few tips to make the most of your phone’s battery.

1. Use Auto-Brightness or Dim the Screen

Keeping brightness too high can be a battery drain, especially if you’re gaming indoors. Switching on auto-brightness allows your phone’s light sensor to adjust brightness based on ambient lighting, saving power. If you’re on Android, adding a brightness widget to your home screen gives you quick control.

2. Adjust Screen Timeout Settings

Screen timeout controls how long your display stays lit after you stop interacting with it. If it’s set too high, your screen could stay on longer than necessary, draining power. Setting it to around 30 seconds is standard, but you could go even shorter if needed—just be careful not to set it so low it becomes frustrating.

How to Boost Your Smartphone's Battery Life


3. Try Battery Saver Mode

Different phones offer various battery-saving modes that limit performance or background data. On iPhones, this turns off some visual effects, while on Android, it may reduce performance, background data, and location services. Some brands like Samsung and Sony have their own optimized battery-saving settings that don’t feel too limiting for everyday use and can be easily turned off when you want to play.

4. Use Airplane Mode or Data Saver Mode When Possible

Enabling Airplane Mode saves a ton of power, but it also cuts off calls and mobile data. If you’re playing an offline game or moving through areas with poor signal (which can cause your phone to search for networks), this can help extend battery life. Alternatively, turning off mobile data reduces data-related battery use while still allowing you to receive calls.

5. Turn Off Vibration

Your phone’s vibration feature uses a motor that can drain your battery. Turning off haptic feedback, especially for notifications and keyboard presses, is a quick way to save energy.

6. Remove Unused Apps

Having too many apps installed can occasionally lead to background processes and notifications, draining battery life. Delete apps or games you don’t use to prevent these from running in the background.

7. Consider an External Battery

Carrying an external battery can relieve battery anxiety entirely. A portable charger, like the Anker PowerCore 15600, can charge your phone multiple times, keeping you gaming without worrying about conserving battery life.

Using these battery-saving tips can help extend your gaming time and keep your phone powered longer. Happy gaming!