Does your smartphone's battery seem to disappear much faster than it used to? While an ageing battery can certainly be responsible, excessive battery drain is often caused by apps, connectivity features and background processes running even when you aren't actively using the phone.

The good news is that a few simple checks can help identify what's consuming the most power.

Check which apps are using the most battery

Both Android and iPhone provide battery-usage information that shows which apps have consumed the most power.

If an application that you rarely use appears near the top of the list, investigate its background activity. An app constantly refreshing content or accessing location services can consume considerably more power than expected.

Background activity can quietly drain your battery

Many apps continue performing tasks after you leave them. They may refresh feeds, synchronise information, check for notifications or update location data.

You don't necessarily need to disable background activity for every application. Instead, restrict it for apps that don't need to remain active.

Messaging, navigation and other time-sensitive applications may require some background access, while less important apps can often be restricted.

Location services can be a major contributor

GPS and other location technologies can increase battery consumption, particularly when an application repeatedly requests your location.

Review which apps have location permission and whether they actually need it. Where possible, choose an option such as "While Using the App" instead of allowing continuous access.

A bright display consumes more power

The display is one of the biggest sources of smartphone power consumption.

Keeping brightness at maximum throughout the day can significantly increase battery usage. Automatic or adaptive brightness can help adjust the screen according to surrounding light.

Reducing the screen timeout can also prevent the display from remaining active unnecessarily.

High refresh rates can affect battery life

Modern smartphones often offer 90Hz, 120Hz or even higher refresh rates. They make scrolling and animations look smoother, but maintaining a higher refresh rate can consume more power.

If battery life is more important than maximum smoothness, switching to a standard or adaptive refresh rate may help.

Weak mobile signals can drain the battery

Your phone uses more power when it struggles to maintain a cellular connection.

This can happen inside buildings, underground areas or locations with weak network coverage. The phone may repeatedly search for a stronger signal, increasing energy consumption.

If you are somewhere with no usable cellular signal for an extended period and don't need connectivity, Airplane Mode can prevent unnecessary network searching.

Keep software updated

Software updates don't always increase battery life, but they can fix bugs and optimise power management.

Keeping your operating system and applications updated can therefore help avoid battery drain caused by outdated software.

Don't worry about closing every app constantly

Many people repeatedly open the recent-apps screen and close everything to "save battery." This isn't necessarily helpful.

Modern smartphone operating systems are designed to manage applications and memory automatically. Constantly force-closing and reopening apps can sometimes use additional energy.

It's generally better to identify the apps actually causing excessive battery consumption.

When should you suspect battery ageing?

If your usage hasn't changed but the battery suddenly lasts much less than before, the battery itself may have degraded.

Lithium-ion batteries naturally lose capacity over time. If your phone is several years old and battery health has declined substantially, changing the battery may provide a much bigger improvement than repeatedly changing settings.

A five-minute battery check can make a difference

If your phone is losing charge unusually quickly, start with the basics:

• Check battery usage by app.

• Restrict unnecessary background activity.

• Review location permissions.

• Reduce excessive screen brightness.

• Use adaptive refresh rate if available.

• Avoid unnecessary network searching.

• Keep the phone's software updated.

• Check battery health if the device is older.

You don't need to switch off every smartphone feature to get better battery life. The key is identifying what is actually consuming power and adjusting only the settings that make a meaningful difference.