Does your smartphone, tablet, smartwatch, or laptop’s battery seem to drain faster than it should? You may want to enable battery-saver mode, also called low-power or power-saver mode, and leave it on permanently.
But is that ideal? Should you always leave your battery saver mode on, or will that damage your battery in the long term?
Benefits of Leaving Battery-Saver Mode On
The biggest benefit of constantly enabling battery-saver mode is that you can use your device longer without worrying about your battery running out. Your device will turn off or limit applications and features that consume a lot of power, like always on display andbackground app refresh, resulting in extra hours of use per charge.
More hours per charge will save you from charging your devices frequently or looking for a power outlet when you’re outside. Charging your devices less frequently may also improve the lifespan of your battery. While batteries naturally degrade as time passes,good charging habitscan significantly slow down this process.
Another benefit of leaving battery-saver mode on is reduced mobile data usage. Since your device will limit data syncing and background activity, it’ll consume less data as time passes. This can be a big pro if you have capped mobile data plans.
Downsides of Leaving Battery-Saver Mode On
Despite its benefits, you might not enjoy your device if you always leave battery-saver mode on.
Your screen will be perpetually dimmer and harder to see, your user interface might be less responsive, and essential apps and features like notifications and GPS may not work properly—or at all.
Also, with battery saver constantly enabled, you’ll keep apps from syncing in the background. As a result, you might miss essential information, news, updates, messages, or even calls. You might also find connecting to the internet or other devices harder.
However, it appears that leaving battery saver mode on doesn’t cause any specific damage to your smartphone or laptop battery. In fact, decreasing the overall load and rate of power draw could even be beneficial, stopping your battery from draining fast and reducing the load on the device. If the battery goes through less complete recharge cycles, it stands to reason that it will last longer. However, unfortunately, there are very few publicized studies on this topic.
When to Enable Battery-Saver Mode
Given the pros and cons, how should you use battery-saver mode? While it depends on your preferences, one thing is clear: always leaving battery-saver mode on makes your smartphone, tablet, or laptop less smart.
Given the trade-offs, consider the following before enabling battery saver.
Generally, the battery-saver mode works better as a temporary, absolutely required battery-saving method than a regular one.
Only Enable Battery-Saver Mode When You Need a Bit More Battery
Battery-saver mode can help you extend your phone’s battery life. However, it isn’t something you want to be enabled all the time.
While more power per charge sounds great, enabling battery-saver mode has downsides. These downsides are bearable if your phone is dying, but it’s not worth it when your battery has enough juice.
