If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you’re a bit addicted to at least one social media app that’s on your phone.
While social media can be a gift in many ways, entertaining us and connecting us to our loved ones near and far, it also has several downsides. You’ve likely heard plenty about how social media can do some damage to your mental health, but it’s also important to note the impact it can have on your device itself. As it turns out, specific social media apps can do a number on your battery life. If you’re worried about keeping your battery as young and healthy as possible, you should consider deleting the biggest offenders. We spoke with health experts about the one social media app you should delete if you’re worried about your phone’s battery. Read more about it below.
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The One Social Media App You Should Consider Deleting To Save Your Battery
Social media apps may be fairly easy to use, but their systems are often complex, and there's often a lot going on behind the scenes that you might not be aware of.
In the Meta-verse, the group of apps like Instagram and Facebook, several tech experts have noticed that these apps can be detrimental to your battery life, given all the activity that goes into them. However, out of the two, it looks like the resounding answer as to which app can do the most damage is Instagram. Instagram has evolved so drastically over the years, and it's so much more than a platform to share pictures, as it used to be. Now, you can upload reels, go live, post several photos at a time, add music, etc. Because of all these great features, your phone often works overtime to get them up and running smoothly.
"In my experience, Instagram is one of the biggest hidden battery drainers," says tech expert Natasha Mukhtiar with the Houston Video Agency. "The app continuously runs background processes from auto-refreshing feeds and loading Reels to syncing stories and notifications, even when users aren't actively engaging."
"High-resolution visuals and autoplay videos require heavy GPU and network usage, which causes fast battery drain, especially on older phones," she continues. "Users can reduce this by disabling background app refresh and limiting video autoplay in settings."
What To Do If You Don't Want To Delete It
At the end of the day, one of the best ways to stop Instagram from demolishing your battery life and, over time, taking its toll on your phone, is to simply delete it and stop using it. However, numerous smartphone owners out there feel like they can't live without it.
So, if you refuse to delete Instagram but can feel your battery draining faster and faster these days, there are a few things you can do to lessen the impact.
"To make your phone last longer, lower your screen brightness, turn off Bluetooth when you do not need it, and disable background refresh for less important apps," says Dewi Lawrence Gale, Founder of Fittux Ltd. "Even switching to dark mode can make a difference."
