This app is one of the biggest drains on your battery – Here’s how to stop it

April 6, 2022

By Kim Komando

Even though mobile phones released in the last few years have larger batteries, there seems always to be something that drains them faster than before. A recent update to Apple’s operating system caused battery issues.

But it isn’t always internal hardware that is to blame. Phones are jam-packed with applications that run in the background, sapping battery life without your knowledge. There are a few things that you can do about it, but there is one category of apps that is a significant culprit.

Keep reading to find out which apps are most likely draining your phone’s battery and how to delete them properly.

Here’s the backstory

Many apps operate in the background, even when your smartphone is locked. For example, applications such as Gmail periodically check for new messages or updates.

But according to Apple experts, the one type of app that drains more battery power than others is social media. It is not the app itself that runs your phone flat, but your social media behavior. Most people check Twitter, Facebook or Instagram several times a day.

The unlocking, scrolling, refreshing and watching embedded videos contribute to battery drainage faster than usual. According to a 2021 study by Pew Research, 72% of adult Americans have at least one social media account. And 70% said they use Facebook daily, while 59% said they use Snapchat or Instagram daily.

Last year cloud computing company pCloud set out to find which iOS and Android apps are the biggest offenders. By looking at the functions used by the app, battery drainage under regular use, and whether a dark mode is available, the culprits soon emerged.

Six of the top 20 apps are social media related, with Facebook taking the top spot. According to pCloud, Facebook can constitute up to 82% of battery usage, while Instagram, Snapchat and Tinder can make up more than 70%. Twitter ranked 25th on its list.  

How to delete apps the right way

The average time spent on these apps climbed from 26 minutes in 2016 to 147 minutes per day in 2021. Several factors contribute to the battery’s depletion.

Apps like Facebook and Twitter use a constant Wi-Fi or mobile data connection to check for updates and load content. Location tracking is also activated to know where you are. Unfortunately, most of this happens in the background and uses battery power.

If you want better battery life, your best bet is to remove apps that you no longer use or are known to be massive battery drains. Here’s how to remove them properly:

Removing apps on iPhone:

• Touch and hold an app, then tap Remove App > Delete App > Delete. 
• You can also use the App Library, introduced in iOS 14, to get a curated list of your apps grouped by category. Swipe past the last page of your Home screen to access it. Tap and hold the app, then select Delete App > Delete. 

Removing apps on Android:

• Long-press an app, then tap App Info > Uninstall. 
• Go to Settings > Apps & Notifications to see a list of your apps and delete them the same way. 
• Or you can open the Google Play Store app and navigate to Menu > My apps & games. Tap on the app and hit Uninstall. 
• Note: Samsung and OnePlus phones have an Uninstall option under the app shortcuts menu. 

Keep reading

Correcting this simple mistake could improve your iPhone’s battery life

Is your MacBook’s battery life draining overnight? Here’s the strange reason why