Smartphone question?

[leftyladyfrommo]

I have a Galaxy s6 and it didn't come with instructions. And I am a tech idiot.

But if you download different apps but are not using them does it effect how long your battery stays charged?

Does it hurt anything to download apps? I have several weather apps that I use a lot and also just downloaded some different things like MapQuest. Do I need to be careful about downloading apps? I just do the free ones.

And do I need to download a battery saving app? Or does that mess stuff up?

[sharp_stick]

1. Most apps don't make a big difference

as long as they're off, not just backgrounded.

If you look at the bottom of the phone, you might have to swipe down, click on the square and it should show all of your open apps. You can close the apps you don't want with a swipe or by pressing clear.

I like the CleanMaster app to keep it running smoothly. It seems to work well and well it doesn't really increase battery life on it's own it lets you know of any battery sucking apps and will help you close them.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.cleanmaster.mguard&hl=en

[leftyladyfrommo]

2. Thank you

I'll downlaoad the clean master. I've seen that one out there.

[Goblinmonger]

3. The recent versions of Android shut down an app when it isn't active.

Sometimes an app will keep running because it needs to. I don't have an S6, but my LG G3 which runs, I think, one earlier version of Android tells me if a particular app is using a lot of battery. You should be able to go into your settings and look for battery usage and it will tell you where your battery is going to and you can make decisions about that app.

Don't download a battery saving app. The Android system is managing that for you and if you get a different app, you will mess with that.

[IcyPeas]

4. weather apps can use up battery because

they are always updating in the background. There are weather apps that use less battery. check them out. Things that are automatically syncing eat up battery. Screen brightness eats up a lot of battery, use a lower setting if you can. Live wallpapers eat tons of battery. some pedometers use up batteries quicker than others.

[leftyladyfrommo]

5. Thank you

[blogslut]

6. One great way to reduce battery drain is to

...lower your screen brightness.

[leftyladyfrommo]

7. I did that. I had it pretty bright.

I uninstalled the apps I don't really need and just kept 1 weather app. I use the weather info when I am on the road.

And I had pretty complex flip thing going so I deleted that. I can just Google stuff if I need it.


Thanks for the tips. I don't have a computers so I really depend on my phone for personal use and for business

[pokerfan]

8. Apps that aren't running just use storage space

Clicking the square (in the lower right) will show you what aps are currently running and let you close them.

A couple of potential battery killers are WiFi and Location. If WiFi is enabled when you aren't in a hotspot it will waste battery constantly looking for the presence of a signal. If you don't need it disable it. Same thing with location (GPS). If you don't need it, disable it. Enable it when you need like for maps. Both of these (along with screen brightness) can be quickly enabled/disabled by pulling down the notification drawer from the top of the screen with your finger.

If you're new to Android, here are a couple of guides:

http://www.howtogeek.com/163624/welcome-to-android-a-beginners-guide-to-getting-started-with-android/

http://www.computerworld.com/article/2505708/android/android-4-0-the-ultimate-guide-plus-cheat-sheet.html

HTH.

[leftyladyfrommo]

9. Ok. Did that.

I can tell a difference.

[LiberalElite]

10. re: downloading apps, whether free or not - (I have a MotoG 1st gen)

I recommend only getting them from the Google Play Store. So-called third-party apps can harbor viruses, malware etc. Also don't download apps that just pop up on their own. They could be trouble too. Download a security app for viruses. I downloaded CM Security. It scans the whole phone with one tap.

I also have Battery Doctor which helps prolong the battery power; Clean Master, this cleans out junk files and 1 Tap Boost which frees up RAM. All these are free but there are plenty more to consider in the Google Play Store.

I go for the free apps whenever possible because - I learned the hard way that if something happens to your phone and you have to get it replaced, the apps generally can't be migrated to the replacement phone, so you end up paying again.

Also, for more specific info you can get instructions for your phone on Google and there are often instructional videos on YouTube too.

[CBGLuthier]

11. Some do some don't. Some apps install services that can run when you are not using them.

You can check what an app is doing in your settings. You can also download system apps to monitor things better. I use one called system info for android.

I would never mess with a battery saving app. Most of them don't do anything.
If you click on settings and then battery it will show what is using up your battery to a certain point.

[hibbing]

12. task manager

You can always go to task manager and close all the running apps. I do that all the time for my Galaxy 5. On that is the soft screen button on the lower left, not sure about the 6.

Peace