Battery drain is one of the biggest problems of smartphones these days. This is the area where even the mighty smartphones fail, and Nexus 5, Google’s latest smartphone is no different. Some users are reporting faster battery drain while for some it just works great.
The Nexus 5 is the first device which is running on Google’s latest operating system, Android 4.4 KitKat. Google has mentioned that the OS is optimized to consume less battery, compared to Jelly Bean but still a few tweaks here and there won’t harm. In this post, we’ll be letting you know how to improve the battery life of Android 4.4 KitKat devices. So without any further ado, here we go.
Disable NFC
This tip is not specifically for KitKat, but for any version of Android. If your device is equipped with NFC, and if you don’t often use it, then it makes sense to disable it. Many Android phones and tablets like the Nexus 4, Nexus 5, HTC One, Samsung Galaxy S4 feature NFC.
To disable NFC, navigate to Settings > More (under Wireless and Networks) and uncheck NFC. If you really need it enabled, then ensure that Android Beam is disabled which will also save your precious battery life.
Disable “OK, Google”
If you’re on Android 4.4 then you should know that your phone is always listening to you. Ok, not always, but only when you’re on a home screen or on Google Now. Saying OK Google will launch Google Search and Voice Actions. But the downside is that this feature will drain your battery faster and thus it makes sense to disable it.
To turn off this feature, head over to Google Now > Settings > Voice and then disable Hotword Detection. This being done, from now onwards, your phone won’t take any action when you say OK Google.
Sync less accounts
Do you always keep Google Sync enabled? Think again, because you really don’t want to sync everything. While you might want to sync your Calendar, Contacts, Gmail and other such important stuff, syncing photos is a battery killing idea. If you’re using your camera often, then each time you snap a picture, Google uploads it online to back it up.
To change this behavior, go to Settings > Accounts and tap the email address for which you want to change the setting. Tap the account name to change sync setting and then uncheck “Google photos” option. Alternatively, you can also go to Gallery app > Settings and disable Google Photos Sync.
Use new GPS feature
These days, many apps feature location tracking, and not just the mapping ones. These apps use the location feature to track where the user is located, and then give him a more personalized experience. But the issue is that such apps eat your battery life.
Fortunately, Android 4.4 KitKat comes with a brand new Battery Saving GPS mode which lessens the reference points used by the system to detect your location. To use this feature, head over to Settings > Location > Mode and enable the Battery Saving option.
Use the battery tool
If you still can’t find out which application is draining your battery juice, then try using the in-built power monitor. It will give you an acute idea of which app is battery hogging.
To use it, go to the notification section and tap on Quick Setting icon. From there, tap on the Battery icon. You’ll now get a list of apps. Closely look at those apps and see which app is consuming more battery. Once you find it out, stop using that app or uninstall it. To stop that app, tap on it from the list and then tap on “Force stop.”
Tweak brightness and sleep time
Having a 5-inch Full HD screen has its perks, especially when the screen is lit for notification, when browsing, when on Facebook, when playing games, etc. Display is one area which will use a good amount of battery, and that’s why you’ll want to tweak it.
To conserve battery, you can lower your brightness level. To do this, go to Settings > Display > Brightness. For some, the Auto mode works fine, while some might want to set it around 30% level. Of course, the lower, the better.
Another setting that you’ll want to tweak is the Sleep setting. It means till how long your device will stay lit when not in use. Many people just leave the default setting as it is, but that’s not a good practice. Go to Settings > Display > Brightness and tap on Sleep. Change the sleep time to 30 seconds or less than that, but only if you’re comfortable with it. You can also press the sleep/wake button on your Android device to manually make the device go to the sleep mode when you’re done using it.
That’s it. Hope these tips help you to improve battery life on your Android 4.4 KitKat device.
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