To speed up the amount of time it takes to charge your cell phone, you can:
- Switch it to Airplane Mode while charging
- Use a wall charger versus charging it from your computer or laptop
- Use a fast battery charger with cables from PiCharge
- Turn it off or stop using it while charging
- Turn off unnecessary features
A dying smartphone battery is an all-too-common first world problem, with devices always seeming to run out of power just when you need them the most. Charging your phone beforehand is the obvious solution to the problem, but refueling your handset’s battery isn’t always a speedy process.
We’ve talked before about ways to conserve your phone’s battery when don’t have a phone charger, but there are also a few quick hacks you can use for faster charging on those days when you should have been out the door 5 minutes ago.
Turn on Airplane Mode
The easiest way to speed up the charging process is to switch your phone to Airplane Mode before connecting your charger. What this does is shut off your cell phone’s connections to the cellular, Bluetooth, radio and WiFi services that sneakily suck power in the background, even when you’re not using your device.
Whether you’re an Android, iOS or Windows Phone user, you can turn on Airplane mode by tapping the Settings app on your home screen, selecting ‘Airplane Mode’, and sliding the toggle to On. You’ll know this mode is enabled by the small airplane icon that will appear at the top of your phone’s screen.
Switching to Airplane mode means you won’t be able to make or receive calls or texts, or use data or GPS until you go back to your phone’s normal settings, but it should help charge your phone faster.
Use a Wall Charger
When it comes to how to charge your phone, official wall chargers that come packaged with your smartphone are the optimal choice. Wall chargers have a stronger amp output than the USB ports on your laptop or computer.
While a wall socket is best, sometimes it is most convenient to plug your phone into the USB port on your laptop. The downside here is that the power output from a USB port is much lower, which will significantly slow down your charge time. It can take hours to go from empty to fully charged.
And if you’re using an iPhone and have a newer model Macbook or iMac at home, your Apple product will automatically recognize your iPhone when it is connected, and will increase the output to your phone to speed up charging. Genius.
Use fast charging cables from Picharge
Our fast charging cables are the best fit for your phones as they charge your phones 2x faster than the regular charging cables with a durable and stylish fit in pouch that helps you to carry them without having to bend the cables or twist them.
Turn Your Phone Off
This option may not be a favorite among many of you, since it means you won’t be able to use your cell phone at all while you’re charging it. This includes receiving texts, alerts, calls, listening to music, playing games, etc. However, similar to how turning Airplane Mode on, turning off your cell phone can help charge your phone much faster since the battery isn’t being used to run any other processes.