The new Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Android 5.0 Lollipop update brings a bunch of new features to the company’s former flagship. According to some Galaxy Note 3 users, it also brings battery life issues. With that in mind, we want to take an in-depth look at how we can fix bad Galaxy Note 3 battery life before and after Android 5.0 Lollipop.
When Samsung first announced the Galaxy Note 3 in the fall of 2013, the company had confirmed that it would be running Android 4.3 Jelly Bean. Back then, Android 4.3 Jelly Bean was Google’s current version of Android. Shortly after the Galaxy Note 3 hit the shelves, Google announced a brand new Android update to Android 4.4 KitKat, and in January of last year the Galaxy Note 3 received its first major Android upgrade.
This year, the Galaxy Note 3 is getting something new. In late January, the Galaxy Note 3 became one of the first Galaxy smartphones to receive Google’s Android 5.0 Lollipop operating system. The Galaxy Note 3 Lollipop update brings some big time features to Galaxy Note 3 users, including the new Material Design. And while some Galaxy Note 3 users have enjoyed the changes, others are still waiting for the update to roll out.
The new Galaxy Note 3 Android 5.0 update brings some big changes to the device but also brings Android 5.0 Lollipop issues including battery life issues. Complaints about poor Galaxy Note 3 battery life have started to pile up as the software has now moved to more variants and more regions around the world, including the United States, where it’s available on T-Mobile.
Battery life issues always seem to plague Galaxy users after a new Android update, but most of the time it’s not the actual update that’s causing the problems. Apps and other services are often the culprit. For now, these Galaxy Note 3 battery life issues seem somewhat isolated, but we expect them to grow as more updates come out.
How To Fix Bad Galaxy Note 3 Battery Life
With that in mind, we want to try and fix bad Samsung Galaxy Note 3 battery life for you. This guide provides help to get better battery life on Samsung’s old flagship. These fixes should work if you are using Android 4.4 KitKat or if you are using Android 5.0 Lollipop. We’ve set this up for Android 5.0 Lollipop users, but we know many people are still using the old version of Google’s software.
Find Apps That Eat Your Battery
The first piece of advice we always give to people with bad battery life is to check for third-party apps. If you’re looking to fix your bad Galaxy Note 3 battery life, you’ll want to keep an eye on apps for potential issues. Most of the time, they are the culprits.
Third-party apps tend to take a huge toll on the battery life of Galaxy Note 3 or other smartphones regardless of the firmware. If you use an app a lot, it will drain your battery. There are also times when bugs or issues can cause an app to cheat and start draining the device abnormally. And this may be here after Android 5.0 Lollipop.
First, go to your settings and take a look at the impact apps have on the device’s battery life. If you notice anything unusual, it’s time to start taking a closer look.
If you think an app is consuming more battery life than it should, try reinstalling it to see if that fixes the problem. If the problem persists, try uninstalling it to see if it has a positive effect. If you can’t find which app is causing the problem, you’ll want to boot the Galaxy Note 3 into Safe Mode to reveal any potential troublemakers.
Booting the device in Safe Mode disables third-party apps and allows you to isolate apps that might cause problems. Here is how to start Galaxy Note 3 in Safe Mode:
- Turn off the device. Next, press and hold the button and the volume down key.
- Once it boots up, you can release the power button but hold the volume key.
- When you enter Safe Mode successfully, you will see the text ‘Safe Mode’ in the lower left corner of the screen.
Restart Galaxy Note 3
This is a really simple fix but it has worked for us and others in the past. Try restarting the Galaxy Note 3 especially if you haven’t done it for a while. This will clear the cache and is likely to get rid of any detected battery life issues as well. Most of you know how to restart Galaxy Note 3 but we will remind you anyway. Press and hold the power button, confirm you want to turn it off, and then press and hold the power button to turn it back on.
Disable Unnecessary Services
If the apps aren’t the problem and a simple restart of the Galaxy Note 3 doesn’t fix it, it’s time to dig a little deeper. In our experience, disabling features when not in use tends to have a positive effect on overall battery life.
If you think your battery is draining faster than normal, we recommend turning off Wi-Fi when you don’t need it, Bluetooth when you don’t, NFC when you don’t need it, and turn off GPS when you don’t. you don’t need and cellular data when you don’t need it. You can turn them all off from the Galaxy Note 3’s settings, and the device’s quick menu makes it even easier to turn them off.
One thing we noticed is that poor cellular coverage is often to blame for bad Android battery life. When your Galaxy Note 3 needs to seek a signal, its battery drains faster, so keep that in mind when you’re in spotty areas. You should consider turning on Airplane Mode when there is no strong 4G or LTE signal in the area.
Try Using Black Wallpaper
Switching to a black wallpaper can help provide better Galaxy Note 3 battery life this way Samsung’s Super AMOLED displays drain power. The device doesn’t come with a default black wallpaper, but you can search online for one.
After downloading one, go to Settings -> Wallpaper -> Home & Lock Screens -> More Images -> and set your black Galaxy Note 3 wallpaper. This is a quick fix but can help provide a better charge.
Replace Stock Launcher
You might also consider replacing the stock TouchWiz launcher on the Galaxy Note 3 with something new. TouchWiz launcher is known to hinder performance and can be changed. There are tons of different launches to choose from. Nova Launcher It is one of the most popular options of Android. If these other simple fixes don’t work, give this a try.
Upgrade to Android 4.4 KitKat
If you’ve already upgraded to Android 5.0 Lollipop and some of you have, keep in mind that you can revert to Android 4.4 KitKat if Android 5.0 isn’t on par with your Android 4.4 experience.
We’ve recently put together a guide on how to achieve this, so this will be a great starting point for those who want to go back to Android 4.4. Follow these steps using the correct files and you should be able to get Android 4.4 KitKat up and running in no time.
Factory Reset Galaxy Note 3
If you do not want to downgrade to Android 4.4 KitKat and cannot find any fix for your battery problems, you can factory reset your Galaxy Note 3. This will delete all your files so you should make a backup. before going this route.
To factory reset the Samsung Galaxy Note 3, go to Settings, User & Backup and select Backup & Reset. From there choose Factory Data Reset. From there, select Reset Device and then Erase All.
If for some reason this does not work, you can also do a factory reset using the hardware keys on the phone. Here’s how to do it. It is a much more difficult process. We recommend the above route if possible.
We’ve heard from several Galaxy smartphone users saying that factory reset fixes bad battery life on Lollipop, but this should be viewed as a last-ditch effort. This is an extremely time-consuming process, but one that could potentially solve your problems once and for all.
If that doesn’t work, it’s probably time to look at your warranty. You will want to contact Samsung or your carrier directly to see if they can be of any help. In some cases, they can be helpful.
