Check Battery Health Using Built-in Android Settings
Understanding your battery’s health is one of the most essential steps in keeping your smartphone performing smoothly throughout the day. Whether you’ve had your phone for years or it’s relatively new, checking the condition of your battery regularly can help you make better decisions about usage and charging habits. Thankfully, Android devices offer built-in tools to help you do just that, and it doesn’t require any advanced technical knowledge.
Why Battery Health Matters
Battery health refers to the overall condition of your phone’s battery in terms of how much charge it can hold compared to when it was brand new. Over time, due to repeated charging and discharging, batteries tend to degrade. This means that even if your battery indicator shows 100%, it might not last as long as it used to. Poor battery health can result in your phone dying quickly, lagging, or even shutting off unexpectedly. By keeping an eye on your battery’s health, you can avoid surprises and prolong your phone’s usable life.
Accessing Battery Settings on Android
Most modern Android phones come with a dedicated battery section in the settings menu. To check it, go to the “Settings” app on your device and look for “Battery” or “Battery & performance.” Depending on your phone manufacturer, it might appear differently. For example, on Samsung, you might see it under “Device care,” while on Xiaomi, it might appear under “Battery & performance.”
Once inside the battery menu, you can view essential stats such as screen-on time, power usage by apps, and power-saving modes. While this section does not always show the exact battery health percentage, it gives you insights into how your battery is performing in day-to-day use. If you notice that a particular app is consuming too much power or your battery is draining faster than expected, this is the first place to investigate.
Use Diagnostic Codes on Some Devices
Some Android phones allow you to access deeper battery information using secret diagnostic codes. These codes are typed directly into your dialer (phone app), just like a phone number. For example, on many Samsung devices, you can type ##4636## to open a hidden menu that provides battery information.
In this menu, you may find details such as battery health, battery voltage, and temperature. Look for the section labeled “Battery Information” or “Battery Status.” If your battery health is listed as “Good,” it generally means that the battery is still performing well. If it shows “Poor” or “Needs service,” it might be time to consider replacing the battery.
Do keep in mind that not all phones support this feature. If the code doesn’t work or the information is limited, don’t worry—there are still other ways to monitor battery health using your phone’s settings or reliable apps.
Using Battery Usage Stats for Daily Monitoring
Even if your phone doesn’t show battery health directly, Android’s battery usage stats are very helpful in assessing performance. In the “Battery” section, tap on “Battery usage” or “Battery usage history.” This shows how much power each app has used since the last full charge. If you see apps draining power abnormally—especially those you don’t use often—it may indicate background activity or an issue.
Check for unusual spikes in power consumption and observe how long your phone lasts during regular usage. If the standby time is low or the screen-on time is much shorter than it used to be, that could signal battery wear. Make sure to close unnecessary apps running in the background, reduce brightness, and avoid extreme temperatures to maintain battery health.
Check Adaptive Battery and Optimisation Options
Android has introduced features like “Adaptive Battery” and “Battery Optimization” to help prolong battery life and efficiency. These can be found under the battery settings menu. Adaptive Battery uses machine learning to understand your usage patterns and limits battery use for less-used apps.
Battery Optimization ensures apps don’t run unnecessarily in the background. You can manually review and enable optimization for specific apps. If you’re facing quick battery drain, checking these options and making adjustments can improve performance and help your battery last longer each day.
Check Battery Usage with Digital Wellbeing
Another helpful section in Android is “Digital Wellbeing.” Although it is primarily designed to help you manage screen time and app usage habits, it indirectly helps monitor battery health too. By checking how long you spend on apps each day, you can see which apps are contributing to battery drain and take steps to limit them when needed.
Reducing usage of heavy apps like video streaming or games, especially when not connected to a charger, will put less strain on your battery. Keeping your screen time balanced not only helps mental focus but also improves the longevity of your device’s battery.
Consider Battery Saver Mode for Efficiency
Enabling Battery Saver mode is a great way to protect your battery when it’s running low or when you want to extend usage during travel. You can turn this on manually from the battery settings, or set it to activate automatically at a certain percentage.
When activated, Battery Saver reduces background activity, limits visual effects, and pauses updates. This mode can be a good temporary solution to stretch the last bit of battery until you find a charger. While it doesn’t “repair” battery health, using it smartly helps reduce unnecessary load on the battery, especially when it’s older.
When to Consider a Battery Replacement
If after all checks and tweaks, your phone still shuts down quickly or the battery doesn’t last more than a few hours even on light usage, it may be time to get the battery replaced. Most Android phones use lithium-ion batteries that naturally degrade over time. If your device is over two years old and showing signs of battery aging despite optimisations, professional replacement may be the most effective solution.
Visit a certified service center to have your battery checked officially. Avoid third-party repairs unless you’re certain of their credibility, as using non-original batteries may lead to poor performance or safety issues.
Final Thoughts
Checking battery health using your Android’s built-in settings is a simple yet powerful way to stay in control of your device’s performance. By regularly monitoring power usage, exploring settings like Adaptive Battery and optimisation features, and making small habit changes, you can extend your battery’s life significantly.
It’s not only about getting through a full day of usage—it’s about maintaining a healthy phone experience that doesn’t leave you frustrated with low battery warnings. Take a few minutes today to explore your battery settings. Your phone—and your peace of mind—will thank you.