Adjustments, tips and tricks to maximize Battery Life on Samsung Galaxy S6/edge

[emad1995]

I'm still trying to figure out how to avoid the standby battery drain. I noticed that with the screen off and WiFi off I only lose about 1% every 2hrs. The problem is, I have to manually toggle the WiFi on and off which is annoying.

Is there a way to automatically turn off WiFi when the screen is off unless it is plugged in?

dreaming of electric sheep

Actually there is, looked at my attached picture

Posted with my shiny s6

 

[erasat]

I'm still trying to figure out how to avoid the standby battery drain. I noticed that with the screen off and WiFi off I only lose about 1% every 2hrs. The problem is, I have to manually toggle the WiFi on and off which is annoying.

Is there a way to automatically turn off WiFi when the screen is off unless it is plugged in?

dreaming of electric sheep

I wifi settings you have the option that says Keep WiFi on while sleeping, turn it off.

 

[razza1987]

I found the problem, AVG Antivirus knocked 3 hours off my screen time

Posted via the Android Central App

That app and weather channel were my biggest battery drains too

 

[biggbrother2]

Over the years, I've always read that using WiFi uses less battery than 4G LTE, Is this not the case anymore?

Also, does anyone know if WiFi Calling on T-Mobile is more battery-efficient than calling over the regular cell network?

 

[drone3]

Over the years, I've always read that using WiFi uses less battery than 4G LTE, Is this not the case anymore?

Also, does anyone know if WiFi Calling on T-Mobile is more battery-efficient than calling over the regular cell network?

The S6 should save more battery on WiFi, but I'm pretty sure this is a lollipop bug that is causing so much battery drain on WiFi.

dreaming of electric sheep

 

[Dennis Ou]

Why is my WiFi active so high it wasn't this high when I was using WiFi but once I switch to my mobile network it skyrocketed and I turned off WiFi when I switched

Posted via the Android Central App on the Galaxy S6

 

[erasat]

Why is my WiFi active so high it wasn't this high when I was using WiFi but once I switch to my mobile network it skyrocketed and I turned off WiFi when I switched

Posted via the Android Central App on the Galaxy S6

Do you have Scanning Always Available on?, Are you on T-Mobile or Sprint and have Wifi calling? In a summary which of the Wifi related options I mention here in this thread you are turning off and which one you have on right now?

 

[lutin]

My extensive overnight battery drain experiments show that for my situation, having wireless ON drains the batter more than having it OFF. Now this could be due to many factor (weak wireless signal etc), so your mileage may vary.

 

[SlamTheDoor]

My extensive overnight battery drain experiments show that for my situation, having wireless ON drains the batter more than having it OFF. .

I am an extensive overnight tester too and this has been my experience as well. The difference is a loss of between 5% and 10% more in an eight hour period.


Sent from my SM-G920T using Tapatalk

 

[razza1987]

My extensive overnight battery drain experiments show that for my situation, having wireless ON drains the batter more than having it OFF. Now this could be due to many factor (weak wireless signal etc), so your mileage may vary.

What exactly do you mean by wireless

 

[Dennis Ou]

Do you have Scanning Always Available on?, Are you on T-Mobile or Sprint and have Wifi calling? In a summary which of the Wifi related options I mention here in this thread you are turning off and which one you have on right now?

I've done everything I turned everything off and I have T-Mobile

Posted via the Android Central App on the Galaxy S6

 

[jcp007]

If it is a signal strength issue, try getting a signal extender. Cisco makes a good one that is easy to set up and plugs into your wall. My router and modem are upstairs in my office and the extender is on the first floor. I have nearly full strength anywhere in the house and out side in my yard.

 

[razza1987]

The inconsistency of this battery life. Times like this where my battery drains by almost 10% in half an hour and I'm like wtf is causing it

 

[erasat]

The inconsistency of this battery life. Times like this where my battery drains by almost 10% in half an hour and I'm like wtf is causing it

Razza, seeing that you have been on cell signal all that time and you have 33 minutes of SoT already in 9% of battery life that seems normal to me, I mean you are averaging about 5.25 of SoT with that same usage and that on the same ballpark that me and others are.

Just remember, when you use your phone constantly or in this case every single second since it was unplugged, it's just draining as its normal pace, and more if that usage is just for Web browser, all browsers are draining the battery more than any other app as it's constantly using data and refreshing plus the normal white pages for background.

Like I mentioned above in this case with over 5.25 of SoT it's very good battery life not just for this phone but for a lot out there. When things get complicated to understand and troubleshoot is when there is the regular usage of turn it on a couple of minutes, then off, then a game, then a browser, etc... But just pure constant usage helps to really give you an idea of the battery life your phone is really giving you.


I unplugged my phone 31 minutes ago and like you it has been 31 minutes of SoT basically all Web browser usage and I'm at 93%, basically the same than you, but one little difference, mine has been at wifi all the time, so don't feel bad, if you ask me, what you have posted is very good.

 

[razza1987]

Razza, seeing that you have been on cell signal all that time and you have 33 minutes of SoT already in 9% of battery life that seems normal to me, I mean you are averaging about 5.25 of SoT with that same usage and that on the same ballpark that me and others are.

Just remember, when you use your phone constantly or in this case every single second since it was unplugged, it's just draining as its normal pace, and more if that usage is just for Web browser, all browsers are draining the battery more than any other app as it's constantly using data and refreshing plus the normal white pages for background.

Like I mentioned above in this case with over 5.25 of SoT it's very good battery life not just for this phone but for a lot out there. When things get complicated to understand and troubleshoot is when there is the regular usage of turn it on a couple of minutes, then off, then a game, then a browser, etc... But just pure constant usage helps to really give you an idea of the battery life your phone is really giving you.


I unplugged my phone 31 minutes ago and like you it has been 31 minutes of SoT basically all Web browser usage and I'm at 93%, basically the same than you, but one little difference, mine has been at wifi all the time, so don't feel bad, if you ask me, what you have posted is very good.

Trust me. It's not consistent at all with what I usually get. I usually get to the one hour mark with 87% of battery and now since I originally posted this it has only dropped only 7% in the last hour. This battery is just weird.

Also as those screen shots I posted showed I was doing NOTHING on the phone yet it still dropped 9% in half an hour. The battery on this phone doesn't know the meaning of consistency. It's frustrating. I'm used to using my iPhone six plus and it always averaging the exact same amount of time on each charge. Especially when I'm not even doing anything on the phone

 

[razza1987]

The inconsistency in the battery is the only thing I hate about the battery on this phone. Like sometimes it will drain at 16% per hour doing absolutely nothing as above. Then other times only 11-12% going flat out. Like wtf. Other than that I love it but it's really frustrating

 

[erasat]

Trust me. It's not consistent at all with what I usually get. I usually get to the one hour mark with 87% of battery and now since I originally posted this it has only dropped 7% in the last hour. This battery is just weird

Well, if you are used to get an specific amount of time with exact same usage, then you're right, but if the usage is slightly different then it gets complicated like I mentioned before as then there are tons of variables that can affect it.

I've always thought that in your case and maybe some others in your area it may be a combination of some specific carrier software bug and poor signal, that's the only possible explanation of your battery issues, and looking at your screenshot, I'm almost sure now that is, I mean you are just using cell, no wifi but your cell signal is showing just a bar, and that my friend will take a huge toll.

Go to Settings-About device-Status and in Signal Strength you will see your real cell signal strength. A signal of -60dBm is nearly perfect, and -112dBm is call-dropping bad. If you're above about -87 dBm, (lower is better) Android will report a full 4 bars of signal, and you showing just 1 bar tells me that you should be getting a very bad signal there. That will never helps you in that department and will clearly explain your inconsistencies.

 

[razza1987]

You tell me that it's my signal that's the issue. I would understand that being the case if I was in different locations and getting the drastically different battery life. But I'm not. I'm disabled and on the pension so I am at home 24/7 so where I am seeing the variables in battery life is in the exact same location. It's just weird to me and doesn't make any sense whatsoever. It's a great battery on the S6. When it wants to be

 

[erasat]

You tell me that it's my signal that's the issue. I would understand that being the case if I was in different locations and getting the drastically different battery life. But I'm not. I'm disabled and on the pension so I am at home 24/7 so where I am seeing the variables in battery life is in the exact same location. It's just weird to me and doesn't make any sense whatsoever. It's a great battery on the S6. When it wants to be

And that's the part that defies logic, but that's how bad signal affects, it can come as a strong signal one minute then the other not, and those fluctuations (that by the way they are never the same or constant in a daily basis, hence why some days you can get better battery life than others) are the ones that kill your battery.

I'm telling you by experience as my mom lives in a fringe area too, similar signal, she can get signal at her kitchen but none in the living room, in her bedroom, but not in the bathroom, etc... And her battery life is just like yours, one day better than the other, and she barely gets out of her house. Do you see the similarity?

Do you have wifi at your house? If so, do this, full charge it, then put it in airplane mode and then turn wifi on and see how different the battery is.

 

[razza1987]

And that's the part that defies logic, but that's how bad signal affects, it can come as a strong signal one minute then the other not, and those fluctuations (that by the way they are never the same or constant in a daily basis, hence why some days you can get better battery life than others) are the ones that kill your battery.

I'm telling you by experience as my mom lives in a fringe area too, similar signal, she can get signal at her kitchen but none in the living room, in her bedroom, but not in the bathroom, etc... And her battery life is just like yours, one day better than the other, and she barely gets out of her house. Do you see the similarity?

Do you have wifi at your house? If so, do this, full charge it, then put it in airplane mode and then turn wifi on and see how different the battery is.

I see what you mean though my house is only one room and a bathroom and I am bed ridden most days. Though I will try your suggestion on my next charge and see what happens. I only get 25gb of data a month on my wifi. I'm one of those unlucky people that can't get a landline internet connection and has to use mobile broadband but I will definitely try this suggestion on my next charge and see what happens