Samsung continues to support its popular smartphone with constant software updates aimed at optimizing the user experience. But despite this, Note 4 still has some underlying issue related to excessive battery draining. The odd thing is the device ships with a 3220mAh battery, which in theory should provide a satisfactory battery life. But that’s often not the case since a lot of Note 4 users have reported battery issues just weeks after they’ve purchased the device. While causes for excessive battery draining can be quite diverse, some culprits are common occurrences:
Faulty batteryOS versions that are inefficient with battery managementApps and services that use a lot of powerCorrupt sectors on the SD card that force the phone to constantly try and fetch data resulting in excessive battery consumption
In an attempt to help you pinpoint the cause of the excessive draining on your Note’s 4 battery, I have created a collection of useful methods that will help you identify leaks and act accordingly to increase your battery life cycle.
Method 1: Identifying battery drainers
A critical aspect of a healthy battery management is keeping an eye out for third-party applications that consume a lot of battery. Once identified, we will take steps to manage them efficiently. Some apps continuously stress your battery, even if you don’t actively use them. This is the case with instant messaging apps, news apps or any other 3rd party software that runs background processes even when you lock your phone. Here’s what you can do:
Method 2: Disabling Background Sync
Background synchronization has the potential of draining a lot of battery in idle mode. The downside is you’ll probably miss some notifications and app updates. A good practice is to disable Background Sync when you know you don’t expect an important email or Facebook message. You can disable syncing by pulling down the quick settings menu and tap on Sync to disable it. A more customizable way to do it is to do it is to go to Settings > Accounts > Sync Settings and disable syncing for the apps you don’t use.
Method 3: Disabling Location, Bluetooth, NFC, and Wi-Fi
Bluetooth, location tracking, NFC, and Wi-Fi are features you don’t use all the time. Try to form a habit of disabling them whenever you don’t put them to use. You can do this easily by pulling down the quick setting menu and tap on each one to disable it.
Method 4: Modifying GPS Settings
If you rely a lot on your phone’s GPS, turning location off is not something you afford to do. If your GPS is set to High Accuracy mode, it will eat a huge chunk of your battery. It uses GPS, Wi-Fi, and your mobile network to determine your exact location. If you’re not using it for navigation purposes, there are few reasons why you would want your device to constantly fetch your exact location. Note 4 is pretty decent in determining the location just by using onboard GPS. Here’s what you need to do:
Method 5: Using Power-Saving Modes
Note 4 has an efficient power saving software that will automate a lot of the things we discussed in the previous methods. Samsung’s power saving mode is divided into two modes:
Power saving mode – Changes various settings that save battery without affecting the user experience too much.Ultra power saving mode – Extends standby time by reducing background processes and taking other aggressive measures that will limit the device’s functions.
You can easily switch between the two by pulling down the status bar from the top of the screen with two fingers. Tap on either Power Saving or U. power saving to enable them.
Method 6: Using a Black Wallpaper
Note 4 uses Samsung’s Super AMOLED display. Since it doesn’t have a back light like regular screens do, reducing the pixels you have on your screen during regular use can have a noticeable impact on your battery life. Here’s how to do it:
Method 7: Optimising your battery life with Greenify
If you don’t have time to constantly monitor usage statistics, why not let an efficient 3rd party app do it for you? Google Play is filled with apps claiming to do this, but you need to be careful which one you choose because it might end draining more battery than it saves. Greenify saves battery by pushing apps into hibernation mode – it keeps them from running background processes that drain your battery. I know it sounds like a glorified task killer, but Greenify does things a little different. Instead of killing all processes by default, you get to choose which apps you allow to enter into hibernation mode. It’s also worth noting that if you have a rooted Note 4 battery management will be a little more efficient and will require even less initial setup steps. In any case, here’s how to install and configure Greenify:
Method 8: Recalibrating the Battery
If you went through all the methods above and your battery life is still draining fast, you seriously need to consider buying a new battery. Li Po batteries usually last about 600 – 800 full recharges before their capacity falls under 80%. If you’ve had your device for more than a year without ever replacing the battery, chances are it’s dying out. Common signs that you’re dealing with a faulty battery are :
The phone shuts down when you’re trying to take a picture or do another battery-demanding activity.The screen flickers when you set your phone to maximum brightness.The phone alerts you of low charge and shuts down almost immediately.
Android keeps track of the battery status through a process called Battery Stats. But over time, it tends to display data that isn’t real, causing your phone to shut off before reaching 0%. Although you won’t restore your battery to previous capabilities, you can attempt to recalibrate it in order to display the correct status. Here’s how:
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