Many people believe that closing background apps helps with battery life, but that's not true. If you're one of those people who closes these apps right after using them, then you should know that this action doesn't help your battery, but on the contrary, it can hurt its performance.
The myth that closing apps running in the background helps your battery has been reinforced for years by both iPhone and Android users, but it's time to debunk this myth.
No, closing background apps does not save battery
The main reason behind this misunderstanding with background apps is that people confuse “open in background” with “running in background.” When your apps are open in the background, they are in a state where they can be easily restored at any time. This does not mean that background apps are using a lot of your resources.
Apps only use device resources when they perform an action, such as uploading a file, tracking a location, or playing audio. This applies to both Android and iOS devices.
In fact, closing apps uses more battery. When you close an app, you use some of the resources and battery for it and to clear the RAM. Furthermore, the resources will be used when you open it again, leading to increased battery usage.
What can be done to optimize battery life?
If you want to improve your smartphone's battery life, you can use the following tips instead of closing background apps.
Turn off Notifications for frequently used apps
Reducing notifications is one of the most effective ways to optimize battery life. Disabling notifications for certain apps could be helpful. If you don't want to miss notifications, you can alternatively increase the time it takes for apps to sync. However, very few apps allow you to increase the time it takes for notifications to sync.
Minimize data usage
You can restrict background data for rarely used apps. This can be done by revoking the permission granted to apps to use background data.
Disable vibration for notifications and calls
Vibrate when you receive notifications and calls is undoubtedly a handy feature. However, every time your phone vibrates, a small vibration motor installed in your device is activated and uses battery power. You can turn off vibration if you want to optimize battery life.
Use Custom Brightness
Most smartphones have the option to monitor the services that are draining your battery. You'll be surprised to see that your display tops this list. You can extend your phone's battery life by using custom brightness or keeping it to a minimum when you're indoors.
In conclusion, the myth surrounding the relationship between background apps and battery performance has been debunked. You are not saving your battery by closing these apps, but this habit of yours is worsening the battery performance of your smartphone. You can adopt the tips mentioned above to improve battery life on Android and iPhones.
