By Mihir Patkar
It’s no secret now that some Android apps are killing your battery. These apps keep working in the background all the time, even when you aren’t using them. They’re pinging the internet and using motion sensors, all of it sucking the battery’s life.
While several apps do this, some are far worse than others. The biggest leeches are often some of the most popular apps.
Find out Which Apps Are Killing Your Android BatteryIf you're getting poor battery life on your device, you likely have an app abusing your battery in the background. Find out how to identify those apps and solve your battery problems.READ MORE
We can also now identify these apps thanks to research conducted by mobile carriers, antivirusmakers Avast and AVG, and tech enthusiasts. Here are the worst apps that drain battery on Android devices.
1. Snapchat
Bad news, Snapchat users. This is the most battery-hogging social media app according to every survey out there. Snapchat was ranked #4 in Avast’s list and #2 in AVG’s list. Several users on the XDA Developers forum mentioned a significant battery boost after uninstalling Snapchat.
What You Can Do
Enable Travel Mode, one of the new Snapchat features you need to know about. Travel Mode prevents Snapchat from pre-loading images and videos in your feed. You’ll find it in the app’s settings. The 15 Newest Snapchat Features You Need To Know AboutFew apps update quite as frequently or as dramatically as Snapchat. The app's most recent update featured a major overhaul that offers brand new features, new filters, a new font and tons of confusion.READ MORE
You should also disable location tracking, a major battery leech. But be warned, this also disables geofilters, one of Snapchat’s cool new features.
Alternatives to Snapchat
Every social network seems to be doing what Snapchat does, copying filters, masks, “stories”, and so on. You might want to try Instagram Stories instead of Snapchat. Snapchat Stories vs. Instagram Stories: What's the Difference?At first glance Instagram Stories and Snapchat Stories are very similar, but there are a couple key differences that mean they aren't interchangeable. You'll want to avoid a social media faux pas!READ MORE
2. Tinder
Tinder boosts your social life, but it also sucks the life out of your battery. The app is all about finding people who are around you, so it constantly tracks your location and refreshes the data based on that.
What You Can Do
Go from an “always active” Tinder user to a more passive one. Switch off the app’s background refresh so it stops working silently when you aren’t even looking at it. You might also want to disable all notifications while you’re at it. This combination leads to better battery performance, according to several user reports. And when you can, use Tinder Online through desktop browsers. Tinder Online Lets You Swipe Right on Your LaptopTinder now has a home on the web as well as on your phone. This is thanks to Tinder launching Tinder Online, a browser-based version of its infamous online dating app.READ MORE
Alternatives to Tinder
For an app like Tinder, you need to find an alternative that has a similar user base and the same mentality. OkCupid and Match.com are among the most popular apps for online dating. However, all these apps use similar resources if you’re an “always active” user type, so stick with Tinder and changing the settings.
3. BBC News (or Any News App)
News apps are important to stay updated, but this comes at the cost of battery life. Apps for BBC News, NYTimes, NDTV, CNN, and others constantly refresh in the background. Thankfully, this is the easiest to fix. The 5 Best News Curation Apps to Fight Information OverloadYou've got so much vying for your attention -- news articles, Reddit posts, tweets, Facebook posts -- but what if you could get it all curated in one place?READ MORE
What You Can Do
Ditch the apps. Uninstall any news app you have. It offers nothing substantially more than their mobile site. So simply turn the mobile web site into a Chrome-based app. It’s easy, and it takes less space, data, and battery. How to Turn Any Website into an Android App in SecondsWith this app, it's super easy and quick to make Lite versions of apps, saving you battery life and improving your phone's performance.READ MORE
Alternatives to News Apps
For timely updates, you might want to ditch apps altogether and use Twitter as your news source. All the major news media houses are active on it.
4. Microsoft Outlook
This is a surprising contender on the battery hogs list. Microsoft makes some great Android apps, and the Outlook email app has been winning people over. Unfortunately, it was #10 in Avast’s list, so it might be time to reconsider. How Microsoft Took Over My Android PhoneIt's honestly surprising how many Microsoft apps are available for Android -- and they're really good!READ MORE
What You Can Do
Email apps would be useless if they didn’t refresh in the background. While one can make a case to disable email notifications, you’re better off simply changing to a different app.
Alternatives to Microsoft Outlook
There is no shortage of email apps on the Play Store, so take your pick. Personally, I would recommend Inbox by Gmail, the productivity-email hybrid. As a full-time user and someone who gets hundreds of emails every day, I can vouch for its battery efficiency. Google Inbox Review: A Breath Of Fresh AirGmail is a household name in the email department, but Google wasn't content with it. Meet Google Inbox, a new way of approaching email.READ MORE
Download — Inbox by Gmail for Android (Free)
5. Facebook and Messenger
The biggest social network in the world is also one of the biggest battery drainers. The Facebook app, and its sister app Messenger, constantly rank high in all these reports. It’s logical when you consider how many Android permissions Facebook asks for. How To Use Facebook On Android Without All The Invasive PermissionsFacebook's Android app requires a ton of permissions, and it shouldn't be trusted with them. The Tinfoil app for Facebook is the privacy-conscious solution.READ MORE
What You Can Do
Remove the main apps and install Facebook Lite and Messenger Lite, the company’s lightweight alternatives. Both apps use less data, resources, and battery. You’ll miss a few functions, like video calling, but the overall experience is excellent. Facebook Messenger Lite Is the App We've All Been Waiting ForIf your Android smartphone is running slow or running out of battery too quickly, one app might be to blame: Messenger. The good news is Facebook has launched Messenger Lite.READ MORE
Alternatives to Facebook
Let’s face it, there is no social network that is a real alternative to Facebook. The best you can do is not to use any of its apps, and instead use the Facebook mobile web site instead.
6. Amazon Shopping
If you have the Amazon Shopping app installed on your phone, get rid of it right now. Amazon has plenty of deals and offers, but the app is not well optimized for Android, according to Android Pit. The result is that it drains battery as the app constantly pings servers in the background to get you the latest deals.
What You Can Do
The Amazon Shopping app is hardly any different from the Amazon mobile web site. Uninstall the app and do all your shopping from a browser instead. Or browse clutter-free Amazon sites on desktops. 5 Clutter-Free Sites for Better Amazon ShoppingAmazon is like Wal-Mart – cluttered, visually overwhelming, and busy. There's nothing wrong with that, but if you'd like a change of pace here are 5 sites worth chekcing out.READ MORE
Alternatives to Amazon Shopping
No online store really compares to Amazon, so don’t bother looking for alternatives.
7. Samsung’s Default Apps
Android has a bloatware problem, and it’s most evident with Samsung. Samsung devices come preinstalled with a whole bunch of their proprietary apps. You probably don’t use many of these, but they are working in the background, using up precious battery. The three biggest culprits are Samsung Link (or AllShare), Beaming Service for Samsung, and WatchON.
What You Can Do
Unless you root the Android device, you can’t remove these preinstalled apps. The next best thing is to disable them. Go to Settings > Applications > Applications Manager > All and tap on the Samsung Link app. Uncheck the “Show notifications” box, which is ticked by default. Then tap Clear Data, followed by tapping Disable. Do this for all the Samsung apps you don’t use.
Alternatives to Samsung’s Default Apps
Several of the preinstalled Samsung apps are redundant, so install better alternatives from the Play Store. For example, instead of the S-Voice app, you can use Google Assistant. Replace Samsung Apps With These Better AlternativesWhether you have a Samsung device and want to avoid the built-in apps, or you just want some of those cool Samsung features, these are apps you should check out.READ MORE
8. musical.ly
This relatively-new social network for aspiring music stars has been growing in popularity and taking its slice of battery life with it. Musical.ly is filling the void left by Vine, but it isn’t the background process that kills battery here. When you run the app, it uses a tremendous amount of hardware resources and is a data hog as well. The result is that it consumes far more battery than the average app.
What You Can Do
Like Facebook and Messenger, you can download musical.ly lite for Android. This lightweight version has most of the features of the main app, but uses less resources and data.
Alternatives to musical.ly
This isn’t the first app of its kind. You can try out Dubsmash for a similar experience.
9. YouTube, Netflix, and Other Streaming Apps
If you prefer to stream all your movies and music, then it’s only natural that those apps will use a lot of battery. After all, they’re using either Wi-Fi or data, and in the case of video streaming, your screen is also on all the time.
What You Can Do
There’s not much you can do here, since the experience requires battery usage. The best you can hope to achieve is through small tricks. For example, manually set the screen brightness to the lowest for comfortable viewing when streaming videos, or use wired headphones instead of Bluetooth ones.
Alternatives to Streaming Apps
There aren’t any real alternatives to streaming apps except the new YouTube Go for Android. It’s more battery-efficient and reduces data usage too. You Can Now Test the Brand New YouTube AppYouTube Go is hiding in plain sight on the Google Play Store right now, so it would be rude not to give it a quick spin, right?!READ MORE
Download — YouTube Go for Android (Free)
10. LionMobi Power Battery and CleanMaster
Ironically, battery optimizers and system cleaners are some of the biggest battery culprits. Avastfound LionMobi’s Power Battery series to be among the top 10 guzzlers. AVG has similarly warned users about the popular Clean Master.
What You Can Do
It’s simple, actually. Stop looking for these magical optimization cures and uninstall these popular apps. Do Not Install These 10 Popular Android AppsThese Android apps are extremely popular, but they also compromise your security and privacy. If you have them installed, you'll want to uninstall them after reading this.READ MORE
Alternatives for Battery Optimization
The only battery optimization app we can recommend is Greenify. It stops apps from running in the background until you actually use the app yourself. It’s just one of our excellent tips to make Android faster.
Download — Greenify for Android (Free)
How Is Your Battery Life?
Android makers are increasing battery sizes in phones. Now you can get Android devices with batteries as large as 5000 mAh.
Is that the most important specification for you? How big is your Android’s battery?
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