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5 Hidden Android Settings You Should Turn Off Right Now To Save Battery Life: Always On Display, More

September 21, 2025 by Abigail Connolly

 
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For many Android users, their smartphones are their lives, and it can be super annoying when their battery seems to be constantly draining.

Many Android users don’t realize that the way they use certain settings on their phones could be draining their battery faster than they think. Several features may seem necessary or harmless to your battery, but over time, they can take a serious toll on battery life. Even settings designed to be helpful can quietly shorten the amount of time your phone lasts on a single charge. If your device feels like it dies way too quickly, or like your battery is constantly needing to be charged, you may want to look at your settings before you consider getting a new phone. Read more about five Android settings that could be draining your battery below.

1. Background Data Usage

One sneaky setting that can mess with Android phone batteries is background data usage. When apps are allowed to run and refresh in the background, they constantly pull information like notifications, updates, and location details—even when you're not actively using them. This frequent activity essentially forces your smartphone to work harder, using up both data and battery life throughout the day. Turning off or limiting this setting feature for some social media apps and more can make a noticeable difference in how long your battery lasts.

2. Animation Speed

Androids are famous for their visual animations, which can consist of menu fades and other effects that can be exciting to look at when you open your phone. However, having them on and using them frequently can easily slow down your phone's performance and drain the battery. If you want to preserve your battery and keep your Android from feeling extra slow, you can reduce or turn off Window animation scale, Transition animation scale, and Animator duration scale.

3. Location Services

These days, many smartphones and smartphone apps rely on location services. However, when apps request your location, and you give them access to it at all times in your settings, it can cause your apps to drain your battery further behind the scenes. It means your phone is constantly using GPS, WiFi, and mobile networks to pinpoint where you are, putting a heavy strain on your battery. To help preserve it, you can switch location services to "while in use" or turn them off for apps that don't really need it.

4. WiFi And Bluetooth

While this may sound a bit strange, having your WiFi and Bluetooth constantly on can also impact your battery health. When these settings are on, your Android is likely continually searching for connections, therefore using more of its power and battery life. Although many people use their WiFi signals frequently, if you're leaving the house, you can turn it off. Additionally, if you're not about to connect your Android to headphones or another Bluetooth device, you can turn that off as well. Small changes make a big difference!

5. Always On Display

The Android 'Always On Display' feature makes it so that users can always see the time, their notifications, or other information glowing on their screen even when their phone is locked. It's great for busy people who are always on the go, but other than that, it can easily drain battery life. The constant low-level activity adds up and can shave hours off your battery. Disabling the always-on display or setting it to only appear at certain times can help extend your charge.

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