Make Your Smartphone’s Battery Last Longer in a Crisis

You’re probably spending more time indoors than normal these days. I think we all are. That might mean you’re using your smartphone more.

The last thing we wish for at this point is a power outage. But if one occurs, you’re going to want your smartphone’s battery to last as long as possible.

This is a great time to experiment with your phone and see what works best for saving battery life.

Here are a few low-risk tips and tricks to help you do that. Let’s take a look at them.

Keep Your Phone Charged

The first thing you should do – before a blackout – is always keep your phone as fully charged as possible.

When we’re home, we have it in the back of our mind that we can charge our phone anytime we want to.

So, we often let it get down to 25 percent power or less. But power outages happen without warning.

And then you find yourself with low power on your phone when it could have been fully charged by keeping it plugged in.

Turn off and Disable

A strategy for saving your smartphone battery after an outage occurs is by turning off wireless connections you’re not using.

That includes Bluetooth and WiFi. As well as GPS. You can also disable location services. Great for finding out where you are in unfamiliar territory, it isn’t needed when you’re home. It’s a battery drainer.

Another way is resisting the desire to frequently check your phone. Every time the display is turned on, the battery’s phone life is shortened.

Yet another option is switching your phone to airplane mode. Turn off airplane mode only when you really need to send a text or make a call.

Text, Don’t Call

Keep your back-up power sources fully charged as well. That includes power banks. As well as a laptop, which can be used to charge a cellphone through a USB connection.

If you need to connect with someone, use text messages rather than making phone calls. Text messages use less battery power.

Dimming your phone’s display will also prolong battery life. The brighter the screen, the more power is being used. Lock it and turn off the display when possible.

Avoid streaming services including videos and music. Only watch videos and listen to music that’s already been downloaded on your phone. Also avoid games that cause your phone to rev up its processor.

An App to Help You Un-App

Close your apps, don’t just minimize them. Double tap the home button to see which apps are running.

If you’re still getting more battery drainage than you think you should be, try this tactic.

Install an app that tracks your phone’s performance over the course of a few days. That should tell you which apps are your battery’s enemies.

And check out a tutorial for your particular phone. It will show you how to turn off the feature that alerts you when you have an email. Same with push notifications that let you know if you have a social media message or mention.

Patriot Power Cell to the Rescue

Of course, the best way to keep your smartphone and other electronic devices powered up during an outage is with a power bank.

The one we at 4Patriots recommend is the Patriot Power Cell. Basically, it’s a pocket-sized power plant.

It recharges through the free power of the sun. Or by connecting to a regular electrical outlet with the included USB charging cable. An LED-light meter shows how much power is stored.

The Patriot Power Cell is also “ruggedized” to handle the elements. The rubberized exterior protects against drops. And it stands up to splashes and rain. It also has a built-in flashlight. And it’s gotten tons of 5-star reviews from happy customers.

Free Power From the Sun

The Patriot Power Cell provides a lifeline to help when you need it most. It will give you the power you need to alert first responders.

And to call friends and relatives to let them know where you are. And that you are safe or need assistance. Not to mention checking on their safety.

Of course, the Patriot Power Cell charges more than just smartphones. Like tablets, GPS units, e-readers and Kindles. Plus cameras, handheld games and Bluetooth speakers. As well as radios and LED lights, to name a few.

And because there is a five-inch solar panel built right into the unit, you can charge it for free wherever there’s sunlight. In fact, you can charge it up and drain it down about 500 times. That’s how reliable it is. It’s peace of mind in your pocket.

Not in Stock for Long

One of the things we’ve discovered with the Patriot Power Cell is how quickly it sells out.

Probably because many people buy four of them at a time. So as to give some to family members.

It has become a big challenge to keep these babies in stock. We recently sold out our entire stock in 48 hours. All 2,717 of them. It was insane.

The good news is that we have more in stock right now. The bad news is they probably won’t last very long.

See more on this pocket-sized "power plant" here