8 Things that Are Killing Your Smartphone Battery—and How to Fix Them

You have bad service

We all know the dead zones or places with spotty reception at home or on our commute. While not being able to check how many double-taps your latest Insta got is annoying, it’s also draining your battery by the second. Here’s why: Your smartypants phone is working overtime to reconnect you. “It’s common for cell phones in bad reception areas to use more power in an attempt to make a better connection with a cellphone tower,” software engineer, entrepreneur, and former U.S. army electronic warfare specialist Kyle Logue explains. “While your phone is hanging around in your pocket, it’s constantly sending and receiving signals from nearby towers. In a way, it’s asking the nearby towers ‘Can you hear me?’ and if the tower can’t, the cell phone will try to send the message again with increased power.” To preserve your battery when you’re in no-text-possible area, switch your phone to airplane mode and try to connect to free WiFi in the area instead. Use these tech tricks to save data and lower your cell phone bill.