How to Save Battery While Playing Pokémon GO
Turn off in-game effects., Search for stronger signal., Lower your screen brightness., Turn off Augmented Reality., Close the app when traveling between locations., Limit your use of the game's map functions., Turn off Bluetooth., Bring a battery...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Turn off in-game effects.
Unless you're using earphones, the Pokémon GO app will constantly be emitting sounds and vibrations that drain your phone's energy.
Turn these off to save precious battery life.
From the app's main screen, tap the PokéBall at the bottom of the screen.
Tap the "Settings" icon at the top-right corner of the screen.
Uncheck Music, Sound Effects, and Vibration.
Check Battery Saver. -
Step 2: Search for stronger signal.
A weak signal can often drain your phone's battery by causing your phone to work harder to search for a connection.
Avoid this by limiting your gameplay when your phone is struggling to connect to the internet. , Since Pokémon requires your screen to be open at all times, by limiting your phone's brightness, you will use far less power and drain its battery less quickly.
To turn down your phone's brightness:
On an iPhone, head to Settings
-> Wallpaper & Brightness.
Turn off Auto-Brightness and drag the brightness bar to its lowest option.
On an Android, go to Settings
-> Device
-> Brightness.
Adjust your brightness to be at its lowest setting. , When attempting to capture Pokémon, toggle the "AR" switch at the top-right corner of the screen to off (gray).
This will significantly lessen the amount of power your phone uses during battles. , If you're venturing from Point A to Point B (such as a Gym or PokéStop) and don't plan on catching Pokémon, find out where that location is and the directions you need to reach it.
Then, close the app until you arrive so that it doesn't continue to use battery-exhausting location services while you walk. , Zooming in and out of the map and using its 3D functions all use valuable battery life.
Whenever possible, refrain from using them to extend your play time. , Pokémon GO doesn't require the use of your phone's Bluetooth function, but with it on, your phone will constantly search for signals to connect with.
To turn off Bluetooth:
On an iPhone, swipe your screen upwards from the very bottom at any time.
Tap the Bluetooth icon (pictured above) so that it appears as dark gray.
From the home screen on an Android, go to Apps
-> Settings.
Under "Wireless and networks"
toggle the Bluetooth button to off., Equipping an external battery pack can extend your phone's battery life by up to 9 times.
Find a cost-effective battery pack (typically in the range of $20-50 USD) that will allow you to embark on a journey of your desired length without having to stop to charge your phone. -
Step 3: Lower your screen brightness.
-
Step 4: Turn off Augmented Reality.
-
Step 5: Close the app when traveling between locations.
-
Step 6: Limit your use of the game's map functions.
-
Step 7: Turn off Bluetooth.
-
Step 8: Bring a battery pack.
Detailed Guide
Unless you're using earphones, the Pokémon GO app will constantly be emitting sounds and vibrations that drain your phone's energy.
Turn these off to save precious battery life.
From the app's main screen, tap the PokéBall at the bottom of the screen.
Tap the "Settings" icon at the top-right corner of the screen.
Uncheck Music, Sound Effects, and Vibration.
Check Battery Saver.
A weak signal can often drain your phone's battery by causing your phone to work harder to search for a connection.
Avoid this by limiting your gameplay when your phone is struggling to connect to the internet. , Since Pokémon requires your screen to be open at all times, by limiting your phone's brightness, you will use far less power and drain its battery less quickly.
To turn down your phone's brightness:
On an iPhone, head to Settings
-> Wallpaper & Brightness.
Turn off Auto-Brightness and drag the brightness bar to its lowest option.
On an Android, go to Settings
-> Device
-> Brightness.
Adjust your brightness to be at its lowest setting. , When attempting to capture Pokémon, toggle the "AR" switch at the top-right corner of the screen to off (gray).
This will significantly lessen the amount of power your phone uses during battles. , If you're venturing from Point A to Point B (such as a Gym or PokéStop) and don't plan on catching Pokémon, find out where that location is and the directions you need to reach it.
Then, close the app until you arrive so that it doesn't continue to use battery-exhausting location services while you walk. , Zooming in and out of the map and using its 3D functions all use valuable battery life.
Whenever possible, refrain from using them to extend your play time. , Pokémon GO doesn't require the use of your phone's Bluetooth function, but with it on, your phone will constantly search for signals to connect with.
To turn off Bluetooth:
On an iPhone, swipe your screen upwards from the very bottom at any time.
Tap the Bluetooth icon (pictured above) so that it appears as dark gray.
From the home screen on an Android, go to Apps
-> Settings.
Under "Wireless and networks"
toggle the Bluetooth button to off., Equipping an external battery pack can extend your phone's battery life by up to 9 times.
Find a cost-effective battery pack (typically in the range of $20-50 USD) that will allow you to embark on a journey of your desired length without having to stop to charge your phone.
About the Author
Sharon Carter
Brings years of experience writing about home improvement and related subjects.
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