Most of the devices we use every day are portable and rely on batteries. We try to get as much battery life as we can so our devices can hopefully last most of the day. There are plenty of tips out there that tell people how to improve battery life, but which are true? Thankfully Apple has compiled some in-depth lists that illustrate how to get the best battery life possible.
Here are some of the better ones.
iOS Devices
For iOS devices like the iPad and iPhone, the tips are similar. One important tip is to make sure iOS is updated to the most recent version. Apple may have found a better way to improve battery life and patched . Go to Settings > General > Software Update to check out if there is an iOS update.
Wireless connections can be a real drain on a battery. If you are not using them and don’t need them, turn the features off. This includes cellular or Wi-fi, or even airplane mode if you are in an area with bad coverage.
One more tip is to make sure to use your iOS devices frequently to keep the electrons moving occasionally. Apple recommends having the battery drain completely once per month.
iPods
iPods follow some of the same tips as other iOS devices (were applicable). Some things to improve the battery life of iPods include not using the Equalizer settings, which uses more processor power when listening to music. Instead, change it to “Flat.” Also, having smaller music files that are compressed lets the iPod cache work more efficiently.
MacBooks
Finally, notebooks have many settings that can be changed to make your battery life last longer. Check out the Energy Saver section in System Preferences and put your computer and display to sleep sooner. Also, turn down your brightness if you don’t need it high at full capacity. This alone can drastically increase your battery life.
There are many ways to improve your battery life. Click on the links above to find out more tips from Apple on how to give your devices the best battery life possible.
When in doubt, close apps (OS X), and minimize wireless connections. Those are the two best places to start. Well, that and upgrade to OS X Mavericks when it’s out in a couple months.
