On paper that sounds amazing, and in practice it’s pretty amazing too, but the hard part is figuring out how to get there. Luckily, we’ve already done the hard part for you. IFTTT doesn’t take long to setup, and once you finally do take the plunge, there’s a lot to gain. From this point on I’ll assume you know how to use IFTTT, and are familiar with its purpose. If this is your first time hearing about it; there’s still time to read up on how to set up the service, and some examples of what it can do for you. Since you already know what you’re doing, let’s go over one more thing, the Battery Channel.
What’s the Battery Channel?
The Battery Channel was introduced in June 2015 as another Android channel that works with IFTTT. It’s basically a big repository of helpful recipes to deal with your Android battery and you. If you haven’t tuned into this channel before, never heard about it, or haven’t seen the point in it; I’ll go over the best recipes available to make sure you squeeze the most out of your battery life.
1. Turn off Wi-Fi when Phone’s Battery is Low
(by maxmeyer) When your battery is starting to run low, there are a number of things you can turn off to hang around the 10% bubble. Wi-Fi connectivity is one of them, but why turn it off yourself when your phone can do it for you? Recipe Download Once your battery dives into the red, this recipe will shut off your Wi-Fi connectivity to help preserve that precious battery life for just a little while longer. It’s something that may only save you a few seconds, but in time, you’ll be thankful it’s a part of your recipe book.
2. Turn off Bluetooth When You Stop Communicating with a Bluetooth Device
(by mach3malestrom) I don’t keep Bluetooth on all the time, so when I turn it on for something specific, I’ll usually forget to turn it off again when I’m done. Even if you aren’t doing anything with it, keeping Bluetooth connectivity on will put stress on your battery. With this recipe, you can make sure Bluetooth only stays on for as long as it needs to stay connected. Recipe Download If you’re as forgetful about this as I am, this recipe is a must have!
3. Mute Your Phone While Charging / Unmute When Unplugged
(by maxmeyers) These next two recipes won’t help you save your phone’s battery, but it will help save your batteries while you’re trying to sleep. If you’ve ever been woken up by a notification or forgot to unmute your phone after waking up; these two recipes are for you. Recipe Download Recipe Download I’m definitely guilty of checking my phone when I should be sleeping, so having the sound turned off automatically when I have it charging at night will make things a little easier.
4. Turn Wi-Fi Back on While Charging
(by vineetkjain) This is almost like a companion recipe to one that turns your Wi-Fi off in certain situations. This makes sure your Wi-Fi comes right back on as soon as you plug your phone into a charger. Many Android users turn their network back on once they’ve got some power flowing through their phone, so why not have the process done for you? Recipe Download This recipe won’t turn your Wi-Fi back off once you’re unplugged unless, of course, you add another recipe that does that for you.
5. Have Your Android Wear Device Tell You When Your Battery is Low
(by maxmeyers) Do you own an Android Wear? If you do, this recipe will notify you when your battery is running low. You’ll never miss when you hit that 15% threshold when your wrist will keep you notified. Recipe Download If you don’t have an Android Smartwatch but are looking to buy one soon, check out our top picks for 2016 before you make your decision.
The Savings Don’t Stop Outside of the Battery Channel
While the recipes I’ve listed are specifically designed to combat excess battery usage, there are other recipes available throughout the service that help in more ways than one. In fact, you can even create your own battery saving recipes if the ones inside the Battery Channel, and outside of it, don’t suit your needs. As far as programming goes, IFTTT has a very low barrier to entry, so a few minutes of your time can open up a whole new world of Android optimization.
Conclusion
IFTTT may seem intimidating at first, but it’s easy to learn and offers plenty of benefits to make the short time investment more than worth it. The service won’t magically double your battery life, but it offers plenty of shortcuts to squeeze some more juice out your morning charge. If you’re still on the fence about IFTTT or are looking for something similar, but more in-depth; Tasker might be a better choice for you. New to IFTTT, or a longtime user of the service? Leave a comment down below with your experience or questions! Featured Image Credit
