How to get an extended battery life for Samsung Galaxy S6

No one likes that sensation of stress you get when you realize your phone is about to die. You can only strategically seat yourself by a wall outlet in restaurants or coffee shops so many times before all you can do is give the unsuspecting person who took that seat dirty looks and hope they leave. You’ve probably typed “Extended battery for Samsung Galaxy S6” hoping for some quick answers, well you’re in luck because I’ve found ways on how you can extend your phone’s battery life.

Instead of resenting others for their choice of seating or merely for existing, why not try to address the real problem–your S6’s battery life? The S6 is a nice phone, but its battery leaves something more to be desired. Depending on your usage, it can be difficult to get a full day out of this phone. The battery simply isn’t very large, at 2,550 mAh. To put that in perspective, compare it to the Motorola Moto X Play that comes with a 3,630 mAh battery.

To compound the issue, the battery isn’t removable. The battery has been cited as one of the S6’s key disadvantages by many a user; not just you. Nonetheless, you are probably still wanting to get some life out of this phone. No need to throw the baby out with the bathwater (who would really do that and where did that saying come from?) – extend Galaxy S6 battery life with these tips I put together.

Related: How to increase RAM in Android phones


Method 1: Disable or uninstall problematic or unneeded apps

Apps can be a big contributor to battery drain. Extend the Galaxy S6 battery with these tips.

Uninstall apps to extend battery life of Samsung Galaxy S6
Uninstall apps you don’t need
  • If you have used an app recently that was acting a little funny or you really don’t need anymore, you can long press its icon in the app tray and it will give you the option to uninstall. You may need to drag it to the “Uninstall” section.
  • You can also use an app like Disabler Pro or GSam Battery Monitor.
  • The “Battery” section in “Settings” will show you what resources each app is consuming.
  • If you don’t want to disable or uninstall, try reinstalling the app to see if that corrects the issue.
  • If you still can’t pinpoint the problem, use Safe Mode to narrow it down.

Method 2: Use Greenify

Apps don’t always do more harm to the battery than good. Take Greenify for instance. Greenify is not a task killer. Instead, it puts battery leaching apps to sleep without totally disabling them. Greenify used to only work on rooted devices, but recently the developers made its “Auto Hibernation” functions completely accessible to unrooted phones. Extend your smartphone’s battery life by installing Greenify.

Must Read: 10 Best Battery Saver Apps for Android: Give Your Phone a Boost


Step 1: Download and install Greenify (Free)

When installing Greenify, keep in mind Android 4.1 or greater is required.

Google Play
  • The link above is to download the free version.
  • There’s also a Paid Donation version that helps support the developers and offers more experimental features.
Install Greenify to extend battery life of Samsung Galaxy S6
Install Greenify

Step 2: Accept terms and conditions.

  • The app is harmless and doesn’t have any underhanded data-stealing tactics.
  • You’ll find the Greenify icon on your home screen.

Step 3: Open the Greenify app and determine which apps you want to hibernate.

  • Tap the “+” icon.
    • If you have root access, be more careful during this process.
    • Some apps are necessary to maintain stability.
Run Greenify to Extend Battery Life of Samsung Galaxy S6
Tap on “+” to hibernate apps

Step 4: Select the apps destined for hibernation.

  1. Long press an app, it will highlight green.
  2. Now tap on all other apps you want to put to sleep.

Step 5: Click on the checkmark icon.

  1. It’s located in the upper right-hand corner.
  2. If your device is not rooted, you will want to read the pop-up window that Greenify displays and press OK.
Tap on the Checkmark Icon
Tap on this check

Step 6: Initiate manual hibernation for pending apps.

  1. Many apps will hibernate immediately, but some do not.
  2. Select the Pending Apps and tap the Zzz Hibernate Now button to start hibernation.
Manual Hibernation
Tap Zzz to start the app hibernation

Step 7: Tap “Force Stop” on the app info screen.

  • A pop-up window will warn you that the app may misbehave if it’s force-stopped.

Step 8: Tap “OK.”

  • If you know that the app is not vital to your phone’s overall functionality, tap “OK.”
  • The app will show under the “Hibernated” category now.
Tap OK to Hibernate
Tap “OK”

Step 9: Repeat with each app that requires manual hibernation or enable automation.

  • Clicking on “Enable Automation” on the Manual Hibernation screen will make this process so much easier.
    • In the “Accessibility” screen, turn on Greenify.
    • Now in the Greenify Settings screen swipe the slider to: “On
    • You will be prompted to stop Greenify temporarily to apply changes. Tap “OK
    • Re-enable Greenify.

Method 3: Use power saving mode when possible

This will limit CPU speeds, turn and turn off the lights, and shorten the display timeout, among other things. So it can be somewhat of a tradeoff—user experience for extended battery life. When the choice is your phone dying or remaining on a limited state, these options don’t seem too bad. In that case, use the following tips to extend smartphone battery life.

You can get to where you want to go by either:

Visiting the Notifications menu or Going to Battery Settings.

You can automatically enable Power Saving Mode

You have choices for 50, 20, 15, or 5 percent battery if you choose.

  • These options become available by tapping on “Start Power Saving.”

Enable Ultra Power Saving Mode as a last resort.

  • This also darkens the screen, and additionally, it will disable Wi-Fi and set your phone to a basic Home screen as well as limit usage to certain apps.

Method 4: Reduce Brightness and Use Black, Standard Wallpaper

Always being like a ray of sunshine is exhausting for your phone. The OLED display the S6 uses consumes the most power when it emits lighter colors. Pure black will use the least amount of power. And although Live wallpapers can look really cool, they too use more energy.

Here’s another way you can extend the life of your smartphone battery:

Reducing overall light usage

  1. Go to “Settings.”
  2. Tap on “Personal.”
  3. Choose from “Gallery.”
    • You won’t see anything totally black, but the darker, the better. Also, use a static wallpaper.
  4. Choose a dark theme from the Home screen
    • For other options and to create your own wallpaper, please read the following link.
  5. Reduce brightness by going back to Settings, but this time click on “Display.”
    • Or access it right below Quick Panel Shortcuts from the Notification bar.
  6. Tap on “Brightness
  7. Untick “Automatic Brightness
  8. Touch and drag the slider to the left for a darker screen.
    • Tap “OK” to confirm.

Method 5: Disable GPS and Google Now

This a one-two punch to get your battery life back. While you are in there disabling GPS you might as well go ahead and disable Google Now. Both will prove highly effective.

Disabling GPS

  1. Go to Settings
  2. Select Privacy and Safety
    • You will see “Location.
  3. Turn off Location
    • You can turn on your Location settings if you need it

Disabling Google Now.

  1. From the Home screen, press “Apps.”
  2. Tap on the Google icon
    • Look for a blue background with a white letter  G
  3. Tap the Menu button in the upper left-hand corner
  4. Select “Settings
  5. Tap on “Now Cards
  6. Disable the settings you don’t need
    • To disable Google Now altogether, turn off “Show Cards.”

Method 6: Disable Smart Network Switch and/or switch to 3G

Your phone is really doing more multitasking than you realize. Not only does it have to keep tabs on your physical location with GPS—it is also constantly keeping tabs on the strength of your Wi-Fi and scanning the horizon for something better. All the while it has to be on-call for your every Google search whim, because you simply must keep apprised to see if you will win the lotto. Odds are you will still have to go back to work tomorrow even after you check, but at least cut your phone some slack.

Disabling Smart Network Switch

  1. Navigate to Apps from the Home screen
  2. Select “Settings
  3. Tap “Wi-Fi
  4. Choose “More
    • If you don’t see that option, tap the Menu icon on the upper-right.
  5. Tap “Smart Network Switch.
    • From here, you can turn Smart Network Switch on or off.

Switching to 3G

  1. Switch to 3G if you are using 4G. Swipe down the Status bar with your finger.
  2. Select “Settings.
  3. Locate and tap “Mobile Networks.”
  4. Select “Network Mode.”
  5. Choose “CDMA” for 3G access
    • Tap “OK” to apply.

Method 7: Perform a Factory Reset

This is a last resort and should only be done if your phone’s battery life is way below the average lifespan. Follow these steps below:

  1. Backup your files
  2. Turn off your S6 and boot into Recovery Mode
    • You can enter Recovery Mode by pressing Volume Up, Volume Down, and Power simultaneously.
    • When you see a warning on the screen, release all of the keys.
  3. Press the button configuration
    • Press the “Volume Up” button to reach the Recovery Mode Main Menu. The “Volume Down” button will help you move your cursor downward.
  4. Select Recovery Mode and press the “Power button.”
  5. Choose “Wipe data or Factory Reset.
  6. When finished, reboot your Samsung.

Observe if your device’s battery life performs better than before you rebooted it.


Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my Samsung Galaxy S6’s battery draining too fast?

You may have background apps and unused features active on your phone. Disable all unused apps and restart your phone regularly. Also, take care of your phone’s battery life and keep your phone charged to only up to 80%.

Is it safe to charge my device overnight?

Yes. Modern phones have a failsafe in their chipsets that prevents your device from overcharging. You don’t have to worry about overcharging your device and ruining your battery. Although a healthy regimen of charging your phone only up to 80% will improve your phone’s battery life.


Conclusion

An ideal permanent fix would require an update from Samsung that fixes the battery life issues the phone is known to have. Since that isn’t exactly within our control, the methods listed above help you make it through the day with more power in the meantime. If you still can’t discern a difference, your battery may need replaced. Visit your nearest Samsung Service Center to inquire.

Which tips and tricks work the best for you? Do you have any advice on extending your smartphone battery? Have you found other apps, besides Greenify, that work just as well or better? Send me your thoughts and comments!

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