Does Airplane Mode Save Battery? Yes But There are Better Options

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There are several myths surrounding battery power and how to save it. Some prefer to switch off Bluetooth to save energy, while others believe switching their phone to airplane mode will help save battery. But does airplane mode save battery? 

Yes, airplane mode can help save your battery. This mode restricts your phone from receiving or sending text messages. It also stops the phone from searching for networks, thus saving battery. 

Besides saving battery, airplane mode can also help your phone charge faster. 

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What Does Airplane Mode Do

The airplane mode, also called offline mode or flight mode, stops a phone or a laptop from searching for a network. When you switch airplane mode on your device, it won’t send or receive messages. 

The airplane mode disables wireless transmissions on a plane, keeping the plane’s sensors safe. 

Airplane mode comes in handy in the following scenarios.

Saving Battery 

Airplane mode restricts active wireless transmissions. The reduced number of activities relieves the battery’s workload, extending the battery life.

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Charging More Quickly

Having your phone or laptop on airplane mode reduces the number of active activities the phone carries. This feature helps the phone concentrate on charging as the main activity. Thus, the device will charge quickly. This life hack should be helpful, especially if you don’t have a fast charger. 

Does Airplane Mode Help Save Battery?

Yes, airplane mode helps save battery. Your phone is always searching for active cell towers. If it detects one, it will continue sending signals to the cell tower. Airplane mode will block your device from searching for surrounding cell towers, limiting workload, thus saving battery. Also, plane mode stops your phone from searching for WiFi or Bluetooth devices. 

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However, airplane mode will block your phone from some essential activities. First, you won’t have active communication, both incoming and outgoing, unless you switch on WiFi. Also, you won’t get location updates on GPS. Moreover, your installed applications will stop communicating with external servers, thus cutting off services. The good thing is that all these features end up saving your battery. 

Does Airplane Mode Use More Power?

Airplane mode doesn’t use your battery power. However, that doesn’t mean the battery power will remain unchanged throughout. There might be a slight drop in the battery power. The battery level drops by a small margin to cater to other functions. Unlike a battery drain, the decline in battery power while in airplane mode is unnoticeable. 

If your device is on airplane mode, but you realize a significant battery drain, check your phone for apps that might be running in the background. Apps left running in the background will continue using your battery even if the phone is in airplane mode. 

Related: How to Turn Off Optimized Battery Charging – Follow These Easy Steps

Is It Better to Turn Phone off or Airplane Mode?

It is better to use airplane mode rather than turning the phone off in areas with bad reception. If you realize your phone is consuming a lot of power but are far from recharging, it’s better to turn the airplane mode on. Opting for this option bars you from sending and receiving messages, but you’ll still access other functions like music and games. 

On the other hand, powering your phone off cuts you entirely from all functions. You won’t access any feature, not even check the time. However, your battery level will remain unchanged. Switching off the phone turns off all functions, and apps won’t run in the background. Thus, the battery power stays the same. 

While both have their advantage, they also have disadvantages. Depending on your needs, you should be able to find the one that suits you well. However, you shouldn’t use any of these methods as your routine battery-saving procedures; use them only if you have to.

How Can I Reduce My Battery Usage?

There are several practices you can implement to reduce power usage. Below are some of the ways you can use them.

• Reduce the phone brightness.
• Block adds by an appropriate ad blocker.
• Local music storage saves battery. 
• Switch to airplane mode
• Uninstall the power-intensive apps that you need least.
• Use low-power mode

• Limit push notifications 
• Turn off the WiFi or cellular connection when the signal is unstable.
• Turn off GPS for power-intensive apps and ones you don’t need.
• Avoid extreme temperatures. Do not expose your phone to direct sunlight for long.
• Fetch emails rather than push them if you have more than one account.
• AirPlay consumes more battery power. On the other hand, Bluetooth consumes less battery power. When listening to music wirelessly, opt for the latter option to save battery. 

Does Airplane Mode Save Battery Android

Airplane mode is very efficient for saving battery for Android devices. While this mode was meant to prevent devices from interfering with airline communications, it significantly saves battery. The mode cuts off wireless connections. It also cuts off radio connections. Cutting off these connections reduces battery usage, thus saving battery. 

Is It Good to Keep Battery Saver on All the Time

There’s no risk when you always put your phone on airplane mode. The mode doesn’t ruin your battery or interfere with applications. Therefore, you should always have it on when your phone battery is low and you won’t be able to charge it soon. 

However, it is not good to always have the battery-saver mode on. While turning on this mode helps save your phone battery, it also has several downsides. First, battery saver significantly reduces the processor’s clock speed, lowering your device’s performance. Also, the mode limits background sync, which may result in the loss of essential data. In addition, your phone won’t vibrate on touch buttons if you have activated the settings. Last but not least, the phone won’t have GPS and location services. 

Airplane Mode or Turn Off Phone to Save Battery?

Switching off the phone rather than turning on airplane mode is better for saving power. When you switch off your phone, the phone deactivates all running activities. Since there won’t be any app running in the background, no power will be used. The battery level will change when you switch your phone back on. While switching the phone on might use some power, it can’t go beyond 1% of your battery. 

On the other hand, airplane mode cuts off the radio and wireless connections. While this may help save battery, other features will still run in the background. With time, the battery may significantly lose its power. 

Does Airplane Mode Save Data?

No, airplane mode doesn’t save data. Rather than saving data, airplane mode restricts your phone from the mobile provider’s cellular network. Thus, your phone won’t use any data while in airplane mode. 

The mode turns off all cellular transmissions. You’ll also not have voice services while your phone is in airplane mode. 

Does Dark Mode Save Battery?

Yes, the dark mode can save your device’s battery. However, this mode only saves battery on some devices. It only saves the battery of devices with OLED screens. OLED displays manipulate crystals to block light without using energy in dark mode. Therefore, if your phone has an LCD screen, having dark mode on won’t help save your battery. 

Does Turning Off Bluetooth Save Battery iPhone?

Turning off Bluetooth on your iPhone does not help save your iPhone battery. This theory is a myth that many people believe. Bluetooth was meant to consume less power on iPhone phones. We recommend using it over AirPlay when listening to music wirelessly. 

If you leave Bluetooth on your iPhone but are not connected to any device, it consumes insignificant battery power over an extended period. Also, connecting your iPhone Bluetooth to Bluetooth Low Energy devices consumes less power. Bluetooth consumes much power only when you stream audio to an active soundbar or headphones. 

Does Airplane Mode Save Battery FAQs

Does Airplane Mode Reduce Battery Drain?

Yes, airplane mode reduces battery drain. It cuts off wireless and radio connections disabling the phone from searching for active signals. By doing so, the battery usage reduces, reducing battery drain. 

Why Is My Battery Draining in Airplane Mode?

Your battery is draining during airplane mode because apps run in the background. Airplane mode doesn’t prevent the processor from running background functions. So, power will still be consumed, causing your battery to drain. 

Which Mode Drains Battery?

The mode that drains the battery is high brightness mode. Airplane and Do Not Disturb modes will reduce battery usage, but putting your device brightness too high won’t. This mode requires much energy to run and will consume more battery power than usual, thus draining your battery. 

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