How to deal with an overheating smartphone

The advancements in the smartphone technologies have given rise to more powerful devices resulting in more temperature generated. Your smartphone can overheat for various reasons ranging from basic usage to faulty components. Some smartphones have measures like cooling apps and metallic boy parts to curb overheating issues.


But even if your phone has those features — and especially if it doesn’t — excess heat can be a serious issue. Not only does it make the phone less comfortable to use, but it also can slow down the phone’s hardware or even damage it .
To avoid these complications we’ve compiled a list of things to do in case you find your phone overheating.


Power down the phoneWhen you notice your smartphone overheating, you should power it down and let it cool down for about 15 minutes. Let it cool off in a place far away from heat sources or sunlight. You should, however, take note of moisture or humidity conditions so that the phone doesn’t get damaged. Also, don’t put it into a freezer to cool it off faster — the big and rapid change in temperature can be bad for your hardware.


After 15 minutes have passed, you can power up the smartphone and use it again. You’ll notice that the temperature has dropped back to normal. If your phone’s temperature spikes again you can repeat the procedure. But this should give an indication of an underlying problem causing the overheating, which you will need to look into.
Limit background running applicationsEvery app you are using or have running in the background uses your phone’s hardware resources — loading your processor, RAM, consuming the battery charge. The apps that you aren’t actively using still can be very demanding while running in the background. And the more load your hardware has to handle — the more heat it generates.


So in order to reduce the workload of your phone, you need to keep an eye on how many apps it is running. Remember to turn off applications that you’re no longer using to not overload your CPU. A lot of apps nowadays auto- launch in the background when you turn on your phone, so you might need to check which of them you need active, and which should be stopped until needed. This might not only reduce the generated heat but also increase your battery life.


Avoid exposing your phoneLeaving your phone in direct sunlight is never a good idea, but especially if you have problems with overheating. Anything left in the sun for long will be heated by it, but since your working phone is already generating some heat on it’s own, it will have harder time cooling off. Also additional temperature from sunlight can take it over the threshold where it starts to strain your hardware.
So even though you might do it without thinking — just the phone where it’s more putting comfortable right now — you need to be mindful of this. On this note, avoid putting several running gadgets together if a few of them — or even just one — have issues with overheating. Doing so may lead to accumulating excess temperature
Updating applicationsApps are constantly updated, not only to change or improve their functionality but also to solve existing issues or bugs. A poorly optimized app can overload your hardware and bugs can lead to performance issues as well. Developers seek to root out and solve those issues, improving the performance and decreasing their demand. And as we mentioned earlier lesser load on hardware mean less generated heat.


Properly charge the smartphoneThis is an aspect well covered in the phone’s user manual which nobody reads through nowadays. As such, many phones are poorly charged leading to overheating, damaging sensitive internal components, and the battery. Therefore, we should go back to the user manuals for basic care of our phones. Properly charging the phone follows three guidelines which are:
Using the specified charger onlyCharging away from heat sourcesPartially charging during daylight and fully charge at night.Installing battery health softwareThere are several software and apps developed for monitoring and the health of your battery. These apps monitor the internal temperature of the battery and immediately report any abnormalities. Likewise, you can run the star-code battery check from your Android smartphone using the code *#*#4636#*#*.


Most of all, these apps let you know whether your battery is the culprit, and gives you the ability to decide your first line of action. If your phone still heats up and the battery monitor app indicates no error on the battery, then the issue is on another component.
ConclusionYour phone can overheat for any reason which are software and technical reasons. There are several methods of temperature issues on your smartphone. Some are simpler, others require more technical knowledge.

Of course, if none of the given advice works for you and the overheating continues to pose a serious issue, you might have defective hardware and have to repair or change it — but that part is better left to the professionals. Do you have advice for effectively managing smartphone emperature? Share it in the comments!

Don’t Lose Your Cool: What to Do if Your Phone Is Overheating

Here’s why smartphones overheat, and steps you can take to help cool things down.
Heat is your phone’s worst enemy. Modern smartphones house powerful processors and large-capacity batteries inside slim cases, which make overheating a real concern, even under normal operating conditions (looking at you, Galaxy Note 7 and maybe iPhone 15).

Whether it’s charging , sitting idle, or performing more active tasks, your phone has a safe internal temperature it needs to maintain, lest it end up shorting out, catching fire, or even exploding.


Sometimes, internal defects can lead to major problems, other times it’s the way we treat our phones that dictate how long they last. Whatever the reason, if your phone overheats, there are a few steps you can take to help cool things down and prevent it from happening again.


What Temperature Should My Phone Be?

While phones have CPUs like your computer, they do not have internal fans to keep temperatures down, largely because phones aren’t doing as labor-intensive tasks as PCs. Smartphone manufacturers recommend you keep your device between 32-95° Fahrenheit/0 to 35° Celsius when it’s charging, performing tasks, or sitting idle.
It may run hotter than that if you’ve been playing games, streaming video, or mirroring your screen for hours, or you’re synching a huge amount of data to the cloud, restoring from backup, or using graphics-intensive or augmented- reality apps or features, among other things.


Unfortunately, there is no easy way to check your device’s internal temperature. In the past, some phones displayed this information within the settings menu, but that is no longer the case. Instead, you may be able to find a third-party app that can give you a look at the internal goings-on of your phone.


How to Help an Overheating Phoneiphone overheating
Even if you don’t know the phone’s exact temperature, modern smartphones will help you out here by posting a warning on the screen if the device gets too hot. It may also shut down certain features in order to help cool things down. If you see a heat warning on your phone, there are a few steps you can take to get things cooled down and prevent any serious issue.


1. Remove Your Phone From the EnvironmentManufacturers advise users to keep their device in an environment that is between -4 and 113 degrees Fahrenheit. Any lower and the phone could seize up; any higher and you risk permanent damage. If your device is in a hot environment, move it immediately. This could mean removing it from a hot car, taking it out of direct sunlight, or keeping it away from any heat sources, such as a radiator.
It should go without saying, but don’t put it in the freezer. Sudden shifts in temperature can seriously damage the phone because the components inside your device expand when they heat up, so intense cold can add unwanted moisture to the phone.
Take note of where you place your phone while charging. Since connecting it to power will naturally increase the temperature of the device, keep your phone free of any clutter. Don’t charge it in bed, or bury it under pillows, blankets, papers , or books. Your phone should instead sit on a hard, flat surface as much as possible.


2. Reset or Turn Off the PhoneUnplug your phone if it’s charging. If you have a phone case on the device, remove it. You may also want to power the phone down and let it sit in a cool place for a bit. Unfortunately, this last part may be more complicated that you might expect. Modern smartphones have made it so the power button on your device can do more than simply control power.


How you turn off your iPhone or Android device differs depending on which model you own, though it usually involves some combination of pressing the Side button (or Home button) and volume buttons. iPhone owners can also go to Settings > General > Shut Down to shut things down.


3. Try a Different ChargerIf the device was just charging, check for any damage on the power cord. Is the cable melted or shredded to the point where you can see the internal wiring? If so, dispose of it safely and use one without damage.
Even if there’s nothing physically wrong with the charger, double-check that it’s from a reputable brand. Ideally, you’ll only charge your phone with the charger that comes in the box. Otherwise, make sure the charger was made by Apple or Samsung , or stick with a known brand, such as Anker.
Cheap alternatives from no-name companies sold online are not safe; the potential hazards are not worth the few bucks you might save. If you’re not sure what to look for, Apple has a whole page dedicated to identifying fake MFi chargers for Lightning -based iPhones.


4. Put Offending Apps to Sleepsleeping apps(Credit: Apple/PCMag)Your device’s CPU works hard to process games, augmented reality features, and even GPS navigation. If the phone is heating up while running one of these apps, force-close the program and give your device a break.
Even if you are not actively using an app, it can still be running in the background and putting pressure on the CPU. If you have an iPhone, open Settings and select the offending app from the menu. Disable Background App Refresh to stop the app from working in the background .


On a Samsung device, you can put apps to sleep under Settings > Battery and device care > Battery > Background usage limits. The option Put unused apps to sleep should be turned on by default; if not, turn it on. You can add misbehaving apps under Sleeping apps—those that only occasionally run in the background—and Deep sleeping apps—those that only run when you open them. Choose the category, tap the plus (+) icon, select the offending apps, and click Add to put them to sleep.
For a Pixel phone, you can go to Settings > Apps > App battery usage, then select the offending program and change its battery restriction to one of the following settings:
Unrestricted: Allows battery usage in the background without any restrictions. This will use more battery.


Optimized: Optimize battery usage based on your usage. This is the recommended setting for most apps since it only restricts what you don’t use.
Restricted: Restricted battery usage while open in the background. This may prevent certain services within in the app to stop working while not in use.
Your phone device may even notify you when a specific app is using too many resources and prompt you to put the app to sleep or uninstall it. Don’t ignore these types of warnings.

5 Tips to Boost Your Android Phone’s Battery Life

Today’s Android phones pack big, bright screens and high-end features that suck plenty of power. Here’s how to squeeze the most juice out of your battery.
There are a number of factors that contribute to poor battery lifeon your Android phone. Thinner bodies, brighter screens, faster processors, more background software, and speedier internet connections all take their toll on phone batteries, but manufacturers are also incorporating more powerful batteries to compensate.


Most new flagship phones offer all-day battery. The Google Pixel 7 Pro’s 5,000mAh battery provided just under 11 hours of juice in our tests, while the Samsung Galaxy S22Ultra ran for a bit over 12 hours. Still, there are ways to get more out of any phone.
Menu settings will differ based on which phone you’re using and what operating system version you have; in this story, we used a Samsung Galaxy S20FE running Android 11. But all Android devices should have similar features. With this caveat in mind, here are some ways to improve the battery life on your Android phone.
1. Turn On Power Saving ModeThink you’re going to be stuck in a situation where you need your phone battery to last longer than it normally does? Switch your phone into power saving mode, which automatically cuts back on functions that may eat battery life. On our Samsung device, we opened Settings > Battery and device care, then tapped the Battery entry.


Below the battery usage chart, we enabled Power saving mode to immediately limit networking, syncing, and location services, and turn down the screen’s refresh rate. By tapping Power saving mode, we could further customize the feature by turning off the Always on Display, limiting CPU speed to 70%, or decreasing brightness by 10% in order to save even more battery life. There is also a Power Saving option in the Quick Settings menu.


For maximum power-saving, the Limit apps and Home screen option enables only selected apps and limits all background activity when power saving mode is turned on. For older versions of Android, you may be offered multiple power saving mode presets, each with a different balance between performance and battery life.
If you’re on a Google Pixel, you can set similar battery limits under Settings > Battery > Battery Saver. There are also options to schedule when Battery Saver turns on and enable Extreme Battery Saver to get even more battery life.


2. Adjust Screen BrightnessSmartphone screens are big, bright battery hogs. You probably don’t need your device turned up to the brightest setting. Go into your Display settings and turn down the brightness on the screen. You can also open the pull-down screen and control the brightness from there.
While you’re at it, consider disabling auto brightness. This feature adjusts based on your perceived needs but can also raise the brightness of your display higher than it needs to be. Turn off the switch next to Adaptive brightness and your eyes (and battery) will thank you.


3. Manage Your Lock ScreenAlways on Display may be a brand new feature for iPhone users, but it’s been available on Android devices for quite some time. This allows basic information, such as the time and date, to be visible on the screen when the display is otherwise turned off . The feature is meant to use as little energy as possible, but you can set limits to squeeze out every drop of power.If you own a Samsung Galaxy device, head to Settings > Lock screen and disable the switch next to Always on Display. You can also tap Always on Display to set it to only display when the screen is tapped or just at certain times if you don ‘t want to lose the feature completely. Most Pixel phones allow you to make changes under Display > Lock screen > Always show time and info.


4. Set When Your Screen Times Outscreen timeout settingsThe longer your phone’s screen stays on, the more battery life you use up. You can counter this by setting the screen to turn off sooner than it might normally. If you tend to abandon your unlocked phone on the table, this is the feature to change. On both Galaxy and Pixel phones, you can open Settings > Display > Screen timeout, and then select among a number of options, from 15 seconds to 10 minutes.


5. Turn Off Location and Wireless Servicesairplane modeEven when it’s sitting idle, there are all sorts of signals being sent from your phone that can ultimately drain your phone’s battery (even if it happens only a little bit at a time). If you want the maximum amount of power you can get, there are a few backend services you can turn off if you don’t want to go full Power Saving mode.


Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and mobile data use up battery life with each new ping you receive. An easy way to conserve somebattery is to open the pull-down shade on your phone and tap the Airplane mode button. This will instantly disconnect your phone from all these services and save some juice.


Location services may let you navigate with Google Maps, but all those GPS pings that happen in the background can wear down a battery quick. You can turn off location services completely from Settings > Location to stop Google from tracking you. However, this will stop a number of apps from working properly. Instead, you can select App permissions to revoke access to only specific apps that may be particularly bad about pinging your phone.

Smartphone Battery Overheating? 5 Tips For Device Longevity, Keeping It Cool

One of the main reasons for smartphone heating is the high temperature and excessive use of the device. If you operate your phone continuously, it can lead the battery working overtime, resulting in overheating.
Smartphone overheating is one of the drawbacks of this technological age which often takes place due to our lack of awareness. We fail to take care of our devices while we engross ourselves in outdoor activities in summer.

One of the main reasons for smartphone heating is the high temperature and excessive use of the device. If you operate your phone continuously throughout the day, then it can lead your phone battery to work overtime which may result in overheating of the phone. Another potential cause can be overcharging. Along with these activities, there can be various other reasons for the heating of your phone.


The overheating aspect of the smartphone is something which shouldn’t be taken lightly. Some of the consequences of smartphone heating are battery drain, forced shutdown and sometimes even meltdown. In some cases, the phone is unable to restart when it is forced to shut down after excessive heating.

Here are some tips that you can follow to avoid your phone from overheating:

1) Protect from direct sunlight: We all love going on adventures and to capture those we always carry our smartphones with us. In these situations, it’s important for you to protect your phone from excessively hot environments. One of the easiest ways to avoid overheating smartphones is to keep them out of direct sunlight. The phone catches the heat from the sun, retains it and it keeps getting hotter with the times it is left under the sun.


2) Avoid heavy performance tasks: Your phone also starts to overheat when you install high-performance apps on your phone. It consumes a lot of battery and with time it exerts a lot of pressure on the device’s performance. Due to this, your smartphone starts to get warm which can be felt while you play high graphics games on your device. In such cases, it’s better to avoid installing high-performance games or apps on your phone if it results in overheating.


3) Close unused apps: A large number of unused apps running in the background leads to your phone working harder hence resulting in overheating. To close the unused apps in Android, you can tap on the bottom left side of the menu to see the apps which are running in the background. If you have no need for such apps then you can close them by swiping up on that app window. Similarly, on iPhone, you can swipe up from the bottom of your screen to look at the unused apps and close them if not needed.

4) Switch to battery saving mode: It’s recommended that you enable the Battery Saving Mode in your device from time to time. This will keep your battery optimality in check and will give a refreshing boost to your device. You can also switch on DND ( Do Not Disturb) option occasionally to give rest to your phone.


5) Remove the protective covering / case: You can also remove the phone cover sometimes as it will help the phone to cool down. The phones are built to vanish heat from the device but the cases often trap the heat which further heats up the phone . To release some heat, it is recommended to remove the protective case once in a while.

How to Change the Battery on a Samsung Galaxy

Most Samsung Galaxy models have a removable battery, a rarity for many smartphones today. This wikiHow guide will help you swap out the battery on your Galaxy.
Part1Removing the Battery
1Press and hold the Power button. Powering off the phone properly is essential in making sure that no data get corrupted in case you power it off while the CPU is writing data. To switch off the phone safely, press and hold the Power button on your device.This is typically located at the right side of the device for easy reach.The power menu should come up.

2Tap on the “Power Off” or “Shut Off” option. A loading screen should appear, which you must wait for so the phone shuts off properly.You will know that it has powered off when the device vibrates briefly and the screen turns off.


3Remove the back plate. The removable backplate protects the battery, as well as the SIM card and the microSD card inserted into your device. It can easily be pried off, but you must locate the groove that will enable you to use your fingernail to remove it.Typically located around the corners of your device, the groove will let you pull out the backplate with just a little force needed.

4Remove the battery. Once you remove the back plate, the battery, SIM, and microSD card will be exposed. Remove the battery by prying it out with your fingernail.The battery has a lip where you will be able to pull it out with ease.


Part2

1Get the new battery. Ensure that the battery you are using is rated for the device you are using it with and has been fully charged. It is highly recommended that you use original Samsung batteries on your Galaxy device.Image titled Change the Battery on a Samsung Galaxy Step 6


2Insert the new battery. Now that you have your battery, insert it into your device’s battery bay by inserting the side with the gold terminals first.Image titled Change the Battery on a Samsung

Galaxy Step 7
3Put the back plate on again.

Do this by pressing down on the sides of the back plate against your phone. You should hear an audible clicking, which means the latches have been secured.Image titled Change the Battery on a Samsung Galaxy Step 8


4Turn on yourphoneby holding the Power button. The phone should vibrate briefly, and boot into your home screen shortly.

Taking the Battery Out a Samsung Galaxy Tablet Easily

Samsung’s Galaxy Tab has lithium-ion batteries that wear out over time and need replacement. Signs that your Galaxy Tab’s battery should be replaced include dramatically lower battery life and sudden shutdowns.

The battery in a Samsung Galaxy Tab can be easily removed with the help of special tools. You can purchase a battery replacement kit for your Samsung Galaxy Tab model online. This wikiHow article teaches you how to remove your Samsung Galaxy Tab battery.
Part1Removing the Battery From a Samsung Galaxy Tab
Image titled Take the Battery Out of a Samsung Galaxy Tablet Step 11Get the equipment needed. In order to remove the battery from a Samsung Galaxy Tab, you will need a plastic pry tool and a tiny screwdriver.

Some models require a tri-wing screwdriver. You can purchase all the tools you need, along with a replacement battery or you can just purchase a replacement battery kit that comes with all the tools. Be sure you get the correct battery or kit for your Samsung Galaxy Tab model.Make sure you purchase the correct kit for your Samsung Galaxy Tab model. The wrong kit may not have the right battery or tools.If you do not have a plastic pry tool, you can use any thin piece of plastic, such as a guitar pick, or a thin piece of plastic cut from a soda bottle.[1]Some types of Galaxy Tab, like the Tab-A, have non-removable batteries. If you have this type of tablet, you’ll need to take it to a Samsung authorized repair agent to get the battery replaced


Image titled Take the Battery Out of a Samsung Galaxy Tablet Step 22Turn off the Galaxy Tab. Press and hold the power button on the side of your Samsung Galaxy Tab unit to power off your device.
Image titled Take the Battery Out of a Samsung Galaxy Tablet Step 33Remove the two screw covers near the charging port (If present). Some Galaxy Tab 10 models have screws on both sides of the charging port. If your Galaxy Tab model has screws to the sides of the charging port, use a safety pin or sharp object to remove the screw covers, and then use a tri-wing screwdriver to remove the screws.If your Tab does not have screws, skip this step.


Image titled Take the Battery Out of a Samsung Galaxy Tablet Step 44Use the plastic pry tool to remove the back cover. Insert the plastic pry tool in between where the back cover attaches to the front. This is usually along the side edges of the device. On some models, the seam may be on the front of the screen. Go around the entire device while gently applying pressure to separate the front cover from the back.[3]Keep in mind that the clips that attach the back cover are easy to break, so go slowly and carefully. Be careful not to tear the microphone cable when you separate the front panel from the top left corner of the Galaxy Tab.
Image titled Take the Battery Out of a Samsung Galaxy Tablet Step 55Separate the back cover from the rest of the unit. Once all the clips are popped out, remove the back cover and set it aside.


Image titled Take the Battery Out of a Samsung Galaxy Tablet Step 66Remove the tape from the ribbon cables and battery. There may be tape covering the ribbon cable connectors and battery. Use the plastic pry tool to remove the tape and set it aside.Image titled Take the Battery Out of a Samsung Galaxy Tablet Step 77

Disconnect the ribbon cables covering the battery (if present). Many larger Samsung Galaxy Tab 10 models have 2 or 3 ribbon cables that go over the top of the battery. Use the plastic pry tool to pop the tab on the front of the connectors where the ribbon cables are attached. Then slide the ribbon cables out of the connectors. If no tab is present on the connectors, simply slide the ribbon cables out.If you don’t have a larger tablet with ribbon cables, skip this step.

Image titled Take the Battery Out of a Samsung Galaxy Tablet Step 88Remove the battery screws (if present). On some Galaxy Tab models, the battery may be screwed in place. Use a tiny Philips screwdriver to remove the screws on all sides of the battery.If you don’t have screws in your Tab, skip this step.Disconnect the battery from the board. There are 4 wires from the battery that are attached to a black clip connected to the mainboard. Place the plastic pry tool under the wires and apply upward pressure to disconnect the wire clip from the board.


Removing the Battery From a Samsung Galaxy Tab |Reassemble Your Samsung Galaxy Tab Samsung’s Galaxy Tab has lithium-ion batteries that wear out over time and need replacement. Signs that your Galaxy Tab’s battery should be replaced include dramatically lower battery life and sudden shutdowns.

The battery in a Samsung Galaxy Tab can be easily removed with the help of special tools. You can purchase a battery replacement kit for your Samsung Galaxy Tab model online. This wikiHow article teaches you how to remove your Samsung Galaxy Tab battery.

Things You Should KnowDepending on the model, your tablet may or may not have screws or ribbons. A quick check online will let you know what your specific model has.Don’t break the ribbon connecting the back of your tablet to your battery when you take the back panel off.Also avoid damaging the cables connecting the battery to your tablet’s mainboard.Some models of Galaxy Tab don’t have removable batteries. Check your user manual or do a search for your model to make sure.

How to Charge Your iPhone without a Charging Block

This teaches you how to charge your iPhone without using the charging block which plugs into a wall socket. The easiest way to charge your iPhone without the block is by using the charger cable with a USB port on your computer. If necessary, you can use various portable chargers to charge your iPhone via its cable. Keep in mind that you must have an iPhone charger cable in order to charge your iPhone.ethod

1Using a USB PortMake sure you have your iPhone’s charger cable. The iPhone’s charger cable, when separated from the charging brick, has a USB connector at one end. You can use this cable in conjunction with a USB port in order to charge your iPhone.iPhone 8, 8 Plus, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13 pro and pro max models can also use wireless chargers, which have wide, flat dishes on which you can place your iPhone back-down to charge it.You cannot charge your iPhone without a charger cable.


2.Find a USB port. 
The majority of USB ports—the rectangular ports found on computers—can be used to power USB items such as your iPhone’s charger.USB ports which aren’t connected to a computer (eg, those found on the back of TVs or in hubs in places like coffee shops or airports) are always powered unless they’re broken.If you have an iPhone 8 or newer, you’ll need to find a USB-C port. These are rarer than the USB 3.0 ports found on most computers, behind TVs, and so on. If you can’t find a USB- C port, try using a portable charger.


3Plug your iPhone’s cable into the USB port. The USB side of the iPhone’s charger should only fit one way into the USB port, so don’t force the connection.If you’re using a USB-C port, you can plug in the charger’s USB side in any direction.


4.Attach the cable to your iPhone. 
Plug the free end of the iPhone’s charger into the Lightning charging port at the bottom of your iPhone’s housing.If you’re using an iPhone 8, 8 Plus, or X, you can also use a wireless charging port or mat by placing your iPhone back-down on the charging surface. If you don’t have one, you can typically find these chargers in public spaces such as airports or cafes.[1]If you’re charging an iPhone 4S or older, you’ll need to make sure the rectangular icon on the base of the charging connector is on the same side as the iPhone’s screen.
5.Wait for the charging icon to appear.

Within a couple of seconds of plugging in your iPhone, you should see a colored battery icon appear on the screen, and the phone should lightly vibrate.You will also see a lightning bolt icon appear to the right of the battery indicator in the top-right corner of the screen.


6.Try a different USB port. Not all USB ports support charging.
If your iPhone isn’t charging within a few seconds of connecting to the USB port, disconnect the charger and try a different USB port.

Best of Android: Mid-2020 – The best Android phone of 2020 so far is…

Our comprehensive objective testing meets real-world considerations to crown the overall Best of Android: Mid-2020 winner.As an industry – and also as consumers – we often calculate the “best” as an obvious answer to a simple equation: more equals better More cameras, more RAM, more check marks on a specs sheet.

We flip flop between thinking the best is whatever’s most expensive and a similar product we somehow expect to be priced lower than it cost the manufacturer to make it.
Sometimes you get what you pay for – or more – and sometimes you overpay. Never has that been more evident than when a global pandemic coincides with the arrival of 5G silicon. These two factors, along with smartphones’ commodification, have conspired to push flagship prices even further northward.


As with many things, though, to get to the heart of the matter you have to dig a little deeper.
The best on paper isn’t much good if it all goes to pieces once it’s out of the box, and the most expensive thing isn’t necessarily the best. That’s why this year the raw data of Android Authority’s objective testing has been combined with real-world considerations that can and often do affect what’s really the best.
Read more: The best Android phones
How we decided and whyTo help us decide how objective performance fits in the grand scheme of things, we posed some additional questions to determine our overall Best of Android: Mid-2020 winner.


Is the product widely available through reputable channels? Can it be bought unlocked, through carriers, or both? Does the company have any meaningful customer service and support in place if something goes wrong? How likely are bugs to be fixed? Are there better- priced options available that do much the same thing or even more? What’s the build quality like? Are you guaranteed OS and security updates and how good, stable, and user-friendly is the software?


To calculate overall our winner, we combined the results of our objective testing with the admittedly complicated answers to the questions above. (If you’d like to see how the accumulated objective results played out, head to the bottom of this post) Once we combined the results of both objective and real-world considerations, we had enough data points to confidently crown the overall Best of Android: Mid-2020 winner.
Editor’s note: If you’re wondering why you don’t see your favorite phone here, remember that only major phones released in the first half of 2020 were included. Phones from late 2019 and those hitting shelves after June 30, 2020, were not eligible.
Best of Android: Mid-2020 Editor’s Choice winner – OnePlus 8 ProWhen all was said and done, we had a clear winner: the OnePlus 8 Pro.

Sometimes the Best of Android comes down to a photo finish, but not this year. OnePlus’ controversially more-expensive 2020 flagship posted a convincing lead, even over the phone in second place overall, the Samsung Galaxy S20 Plus.
As in previous years, Samsung ranked well not necessarily by consistently winning anything outright but by ranking very highly across the board.
But OnePlus was equally consistent, offers a better value proposition, and claimed outright victory in both our display and performance categories. That’s a very hard act to follow. TheOnePlus 8 Proalso ranked very highly for software, design, and build quality (often only just ahead of the S20 series).


Sometimes it comes down to a photo finish, but not this year. The OnePlus 8 Pro won convincingly.The S20 Plus did outrank the OnePlus 8 Pro in some of our additional categories, however, including availability and brand reputation/customer support. With any luck, these shortcomings might help provide a roadmap for what OnePlus should address in the future.


(If you want to see the top results for each of the additional categories we considered in order to crown our overall winner, head to the bottom of this post. You can also revisit each of our objective category posts, linked at the very bottom, for more on the rankings within those categories.)
Related: How OnePlus prices have changed over the years
What it all meansOnePlus 8 Pro screen in handFor a company that got its start by throwing everything it could at a specs sheet while maintaining a low price, the OnePlus 8 Pro proves that the best phone is more than just the sum of its parts. While many of us initially balked at the higher price tag, it’s hard to say it wasn’t justified with a result like this.


OnePlus promised a flagship killer years ago but never truly delivered on that promise until now. The OnePlus 8 Pro may cost three times more than the OnePlus One, but it’s still significantly cheaper than the Galaxy S20 Plus and to our reckoning, represents the better choice right now.
OnePlus promised a flagship killer years ago but never truly delivered on that promise until now.The OnePlus 8 Pro taking out Best of Android: Mid-2020 is a legacy to OnePlus’ rise from underdog enthusiast brand to world-class mainstream manufacturer. Few would have seriously expected OnePlus to go toe-to-toe with Samsung and win in just six short years. Samsung may still dominate on a global scale, but OnePlus clearly has a winning strategy on its hands.


In case you missed it, check out our OnePlus 8 Pro reviewBecause no one ever agrees on everything – Oscar winners, Yanny/Laurel, the ending of The Sopranos, burgers vs. pizza – we’d love to hear what you think should’ve won or what other factors we should have considered. As smartphones evolve, so too must our evaluation of them, so your suggestions might just make it into the end-of-year awards.


But first, get ready to cast your vote for your favorite phone released in the first half of 2020 in our Best of Android: Mid-2020 Reader’s Choice voting.
Since the June 30 cut-off date for eligibility in Best of Android: Mid-2020, we’ve already got the Sony Xperia 1 II, the ASUS ROG Phone 3, Google Pixel 4a, OnePlus Nord, and new releases from OPPO and vivo on the horizon, not to mention the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 and more. As always, our full-year Best ofAndroid awards are going to be hotly contested!

A definitive guide to everything that affects smartphone battery life

Here are all of the things that can contribute to bad battery life.
You’ve no doubt seen or read many articles online about saving battery life. It’s a popular topic because nobody likes tethering a phone to the wall multiple times a day. However, most battery-saving articles give you ideas about what to try in order to improve your battery life. This time around, we’re instead going to identify all of the various things that cause battery drain in smartphones.


The list is actually surprisingly long and that’s probably a good indicator of why so many people struggle with battery life. It is difficult to keep track of every little thing your phone does. However, we hope that giving you this knowledge will help you troubleshoot battery issues and adjust your usage to maximize your battery life. Here is our definitive guide to everything that affects smartphone battery life.


Battery sizeOnePlus 10 Pro top view showing battery statsWe’ll start with the most obvious influence on battery life — the size of the battery itself. Not all smartphones have the same battery size and it’s this size that helps determine how long your phone will go before hitting zero. Smartphone batteries are generally measured in milliamp-hours (mAh). This is mostly simple math. The more mAh a phone has, the longer it should be able to theoretically last. It doesn’t always work that way, but it’s a good place to start.


On the high end, phones like the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra and the Moto G Power have massive 5,000mAh cells while some other phones, like the regular Galaxy S22’s 3,590mAh battery, have smaller cells. Generally speaking, phones with larger batteries tend to have better battery life than ones with smaller batteries.
Of course, there are many other factors to take into account. More powerful processors and larger, high refresh-rate screens will drain your battery faster. More on those factors below. However, if the phones have identical specs, the one with the bigger battery will simply last longer.


DisplaySamsung Galaxy S22 Ultra vs Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max front on carpetThere are four different ways a display can affect battery life. The first is the size, as larger screens have more surface area and require more power to light up. Phones with larger displays also usually have larger batteries so there is a bit of a give -and-take there.
The second way a phone’s display affects battery life is the resolution. Admittedly, the differences aren’t huge, but it is objectively measurable. Displays with 1440p resolution have 77% more pixels than a 1080p display and it requires extra processing power (and therefore , more battery) to render those extra pixels. OEMs sometimes include a 1080p mode on a 1440p display to help cut back on the processing power and save battery.


Displays use more battery than any other phone component.Brightness is another significant power draw. This is also a matter of simple math. The brighter something is, the more power it requires. It’s not as noticeable if you go from 50% to 40% brightness. You’ll almost certainly see a difference when going between 80% to 20%, though.


Finally, the display’s refresh rate matters a lot. The refresh rate represents the number of times a screen refreshes every second and is measured in hertz (Hz). Newer phones have 90Hz and 120Hz displays which refresh 50%-100% more frequently than regular 60Hz displays.

That requires a whole bunch of extra processing power and puts further strain on your phone’s battery. Modern phones have adaptive refresh rates to help combat the battery drain, dropping down to as low as 1Hz when viewing static content.
Displays eat up more battery than any other individual component of a device because it is the main way we interact with a phone. This is why most battery-saving tricks revolve around display tweaks. However, lowering your brightness a few percentage points does virtually nothing and the resolution only matters if you have lots of screen-on time. Finally, using dark themes on AMOLED displays doesn’t work as well as most think it does.


ConnectionsSamsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G speed testConnections have a massive impact on battery life. The most common connections are your cell phone signal, data, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and location services. Connections drain the battery in a few different ways and the first one is fairly obvious.
If you enable these connections and don’t use them, they draw unnecessary power over the course of the day. Hardware and software optimizations have minimized this drain and it’s barely an inconvenience these days. It still drains the battery, but not nearly as much as it used to.


Additionally, a weak signal can greatly increase battery drain. It’s also a very difficult problem to fix. Your device regularly checks for signal strength. When the reception is bad, the phone checks more frequently, and this constant checking drains the battery. Usually, this only happens in certain types of buildings and in bad reception areas, but if you live (or work) in one of those places, it can be a constant and nearly unsolvable problem.


Every time your phone connects to something, it costs you battery life.Finally, actually using these connections drains your battery. If you go online and spend five minutes downloading a file, that’s five whole minutes your phone is actively using its networking hardware. The same is true of voice calls as your phone engages its radio for the entire length of the call.


A lot of people recommend using airplane mode to switch off all connections when not using your phone. To be honest, it doesn’t save that much battery and it ends up being invasive and annoying. We recommend staying connected to Wi-Fi while at home (or work). Additionally, the Google Play Store, Google Photos, Amazon Photos, and others all have settings that will postpone backups or updates until you’re connected to a charger. You should definitely check and see what can be put off until your phone is safely charging.

For regular users, the first thing that matters for the chipset is its generation. Every year chips get smaller, faster, and more energy-efficient. The Snapdragon 855 was faster and more energy-efficient than the Snapdragon 845, and the latest Qualcomm chipset , the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, continues the tradition. The same goes for HUAWEI’s Kirin SoCs, Samsung’s Exynos chips, and MediaTek’s silicon. This is a rather complex topic, but the super basic explanation is that newer chipsets can do the same work as older chipsets except faster, with less energy consumption, and with less heat. All of those things affectbattery life.

6 common battery myths you probably believe

Concerned about overcharging? Think it’s healthier to completely discharge your battery?Here’s the truth.We here at Android Authority are often asking you, dear reader, for feedback on the smartphones running our favorite operating system. One of the most consistent bugbears over the years has been to do with battery life — whether it’s finicky fast charging or just phones just downright not lasting long enough. These complaints are certainly warranted — there’s nothing more frustrating than suffering the dreaded battery anxiety at 5 pm, as you’re trying to make dinner plans.


Virtually everyone has experienced gadget battery problems at some point in their life, so it’s no surprise people hunt for smartphones continuously with the best battery life. And if that fails, they dole out all sorts of little tips and tricks to make their batteries healthier and healthier longer-lasting. However, knowing the scientifically-backed tips from the plethora of absolute malarkey is increasingly difficult. In fact, you probably believe one of the many prevailing battery myths (I know I did!). So now it’s time to go on a battery myth-busting spree.

Does leaving a phone on the charger all night overcharge its battery?

samsung galaxy s22 ultra chargingThis is one of the most common rumors we come across but it’s just plain wrong. Or at least the overcharging part is. It’s complicated, as leaving your smartphone plugged in overnight certainly isn’t dangerous but it might make your battery age marginally faster.

“Overcharging” is the term that gets thrown around a lot with this one. The misnomer is if you leave your phone on the charger for a while after it hits 100%, it will keep pumping in the current and that will reduce the capacity of the battery, or even cause it to catch fire.
You don’t have to worry about overcharging modern smartphones.This myth has some origins, so it’s no surprise it’s stuck around. In the days of yore, lithium-ion batteries could overheat if you left charging them for too long. This did, in fact, cause damage to the battery and reduce performance .

Hell, it even led some to explode.
Modern devices and wall chargers are way smarter with managing power and will gradually reduce the amount of current as the phone fills up. However, there is some truth to the reduced capacity issue, as both extreme heat and high charging power levels do cause lithium- ion batteries to age faster. Charging all the way to 100% quickly is slightly worse for your battery than stopping before then. It might surprise you to note that manufacturers will often lie about when your smartphone really hits 100% just to eke out a little more battery longevity.


If you have a poorly designed case that doesn’t allow for heat dissipation, or you tuck your phone under your pillow at night, the heat build-up is definitely bad for the battery. The same applies if you leave your phone charging on a hot dashboard too.
Should you completely discharge a battery before charging it?

Google Pixel 7a wireless charging 1OK so, anyone thinking they need to discharge their batteries before charging them up is thinking about a different kind of battery entirely. Nickel-cadmium or nickel-metal hydride batteries are what these folks are talking about, but smartphones use lithium-ion and lithium -polymer batteries.
Once again, the myth’s origin has a firm basis. It’s absolutely true that older nickel-centric batteries would ‘forget’ their full capacity if you didn’t fully drain them before charging again. But lithium-ion is a different ballgame. It doesn ‘t forget and can retain a working charge across the entire battery. In fact, discharging your battery to 0% lowers its voltage and places some additional strain on the battery when recharging.


It’s true that lithium-ion diminishing batteries in capacity with every charge cycle, but this effect is quite small. While not quite draining and filling up your smartphone battery can have marginal benefits, it’s unlikely to have a notable effect on your smartphone’s battery capacity unless you keep the phone for many years. Most smartphone batteries retain 80% or more of their original charge capacity even after several years of heavy use. And even then, it’s easy to replace smartphone batteries if you want to restore its full capacity.

Do you have to use the official brand charger for your phone?

Google 30W USB C Power Charger upright next to boxOh boy, this one. This has its roots in what is essentially marketing. Whenever you buy your shiny new phone from a given manufacturer, the odds are pretty good that the manual or spec sheet will suggest you buy chargers from the company that made your device. They want you to buy their accessories, after all.


There are still plenty of smartphones that use proprietary charging standards and therefore won’t fast-charge with third-party plugs. However, plenty of phones now support universal charging standards like USB Power Delivery. Handsets include the ever-popular Apple iPhone 14, Google Pixel 7, and Samsung Galaxy S23 series. That’s right, you don’t have to buy the official chargers for these smartphones in order to power them up as quickly as possible.


You’ll have to pay attention to the charging standard and power you require, but with those bits of information at hand, there’s a wide market of affordable third-party chargers that are great buys for your new smartphone. If you want to steer clear of the few bad eggs, be sure to pick out a charger from our carefully curated list below:

To combat this issue, a small selection of phones, such as the Sony Xperia 1 IV’s Heat Suppression Power Control, offer a power pass-through option that draws power directly from the mains and doesn’t charge the battery while you’re gaming. It’s a smart option if you’re planning a prolonged gaming session as your phone is more likely to warm up.

Does disabling Bluetooth and Location drastically improve battery life?

The Google Pixel Buds 2020 true wireless earbuds case open and next to a Pixel smartphone with the Bluetooth dropdown menu displayed.This is another one of those rumors that have stuck around because it actually used to be good advice. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth used to latch onto your smartphone’s battery life like a vampire bat, but they’re nowhere near so bloodthirsty today. Location services are even leaner.
Don’t believe me, we even tested screen-on time with Bluetooth enabled and disabled. The result — on average less than 4% extra battery drain by leaving Bluetooth on. That works out to maybe a few minutes of screen-on time, hardly worth fretting about if you forget to turn the toggle off.


So while it’s true that disabling all these options or going into airplane mode will save some battery life, we’re talking a very tiny sliver — like half an hour over the span of an entire day — so the gains are arguably not worth the trouble . Furthermore, chipsets and technologies are more efficient every year, drawing less and less power when idle. So leave the services that you use on regular running all you want. Yourphone is designed to handle it.