Image: Pexels: John Tekeridis

Samsung's Galaxy smartphones are consistently top contenders in the Android world, partly thanks to their smooth performance and extensive feature set. However, many Galaxy devices – especially the high-end models like the upcoming Galaxy S25 Ultra, Z Fold 6, and Z Flip 6 – come loaded with numerous features that you might not actually use daily. If you find your new Galaxy phone isn't quite making it through a full day on a single charge, there are effective ways to improve its longevity without sacrificing the core user experience you enjoy.

Here are seven practical adjustments you can make to get more out of your Galaxy phone's battery. And no, you won't find obvious advice here like just reducing the screen resolution or sticking to a low refresh rate constantly. These recommendations are focused on improving the phone's efficiency while still allowing you to use its best features. Let's dive in.

1. Switch to Dark Mode

Most Samsung Galaxy phones use AMOLED screen technology. A key advantage of AMOLED is that individual pixels can be turned completely off. So, when you enable a system-wide dark theme or use a dark background image, any part of the screen that displays pure black actually has those pixels completely off. This significantly cuts down on the power consumed by the display, leading to a noticeable boost in how long your battery lasts.

How to Do It:
Open the main Settings app, then navigate to Display. You'll see options for Light and Dark. Simply tap the Dark option. While changing just your wallpaper to something dark might look nice, it won't provide the same power savings as enabling the full Dark mode theme.

2. Turn On Adaptive Brightness

This setting is often enabled by default on new phones, but some users might disable it if it doesn't feel perfectly accurate initially. However, Samsung's technology for sensing ambient light has gotten much better over time. Your Galaxy phone can now pretty reliably detect the lighting around you and automatically adjust the screen brightness accordingly. This ensures your display uses power more efficiently because it's never brighter than needed for your current environment.

How to Do It:
Go to Settings > Display and toggle on the Adaptive Brightness switch. While it works well in most situations, you can always manually fine-tune the brightness using the Quick Settings panel that appears when you swipe down from the top of the screen.

Also Read: Wallet-Friendly Winners: The 2 Best Budget Android Phones of 2025

3. Identify and Disable Unused, Battery-Heavy Apps

Samsung phones, like many others, often come with a variety of pre-installed apps. These can include apps from Facebook, Microsoft (like Microsoft 365 and OneDrive), and several apps from both Samsung and Google. It's worth identifying the apps you truly don't need or use frequently. Removing or disabling them prevents them from running in the background and consuming precious battery power.

For example, many users might not need pre-installed apps like the Samsung Smart TV app or OneDrive. When setting up a new Galaxy phone, I typically uninstall these and others like Facebook, Outlook, and Tutor if they came pre-installed and I don't plan to use them.

How to Do It:
Simply tap and hold the icon of the app you want to remove. A small menu should pop up. Tap Uninstall. Apps that can't be uninstalled can often be disabled, preventing them from running. This simple step stops those non-essential apps from drawing power in the background.

4. Monitor Power-Hungry Apps

Certain apps inherently use more power than others depending on various factors like your location services, use of 5G connectivity, or background activity. Fortunately, Samsung's software allows you to easily identify which apps are consuming the most battery so you can manage their usage more effectively.

How to Do It:
On your Galaxy phone, go to Settings > Battery and device care > Battery. Look for the Background usage limits section. Here, you can see which apps are using battery in the background and choose to put specific apps to "sleep" or deep sleep to limit their background power use.

5. Download Content Before You Leave Home

If you often listen to the same music, podcasts, or take the same route using navigation apps, it's highly beneficial for your battery to download this content before you leave a Wi-Fi connection. Streaming media or loading maps over cellular data (especially 5G or LTE) is power-intensive. Doing this outdoors can also make your phone noticeably warm. A little bit of planning can tackle this: just download your favorite playlists, podcast episodes, or maps using Wi-Fi before you head out.

How to Do It:
Open your favorite streaming apps (music, video, podcasts) or mapping apps. Most offer a download feature for offline use. For instance, YouTube has a prominent download button on video pages, and Spotify allows you to download entire playlists to your device.

6. Use Always-On Display on a Schedule

Always-On Display (AOD) can be a super convenient feature on devices like the Galaxy S25 Ultra, especially with its efficient LTPO screen technology that can drop the refresh rate down to just 1Hz. On phones with screens that can't refresh that slowly, AOD might not be as energy-efficient when left on all the time. However, you can optimize its battery impact by scheduling it to appear only when you need it most.

For example, you could set AOD to display notifications and quick info during specific hours, perhaps when you're at work or out, ensuring you don't miss important alerts without the screen being active 24/7.

How to Do It:
Go to Settings > Lock screen and AOD. Tap on Always On Display, then under "When to show," select As scheduled. You can then set your desired times. While you're in these settings, you might also want to turn off the option to "Show lock screen wallpaper" within AOD settings for a tiny extra power saving.

7. Select the "Light" Performance Profile

Samsung's software allows you to pick a performance mode based on how you typically use your phone. If you're not heavily into mobile gaming or running other very demanding apps regularly and mostly use your phone for general tasks like browsing, messaging, and calls, consider switching to the "Light" Performance profile instead of the default "Standard." This profile prioritizes battery life and keeping the phone cooler over pushing maximum processing speed, which is perfectly fine for average everyday use.

How to Do It:
Open the Settings app and find Device care > Performance profile. Select the Light option. This setting is well-suited for most users who aren't constantly pushing their phone to its absolute performance limit.

Quick Tips for When Battery is Low

While the settings above help maximize daily efficiency, sometimes you're just far from a charger and your battery is getting critically low. In those urgent situations, here’s what to do to squeeze out the last bit of power:

• Enable Power Saving Mode.

• Turn off data roaming if you're traveling.

• Disable location services (GPS) temporarily.

• Switch off Always-On Display completely.

Activating these stricter measures when your phone's battery level is low (say, below 15%) can significantly extend its life until you can plug it in. Implementing the main seven settings discussed earlier will generally help prevent you from hitting this critical low point as often, allowing you to enjoy your Galaxy phone with better power efficiency every day.