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If you’re worried about the health of the battery in your Samsung Galaxy smartphone or tablet, then I can show you how to check its condition with a simple application.
People tend to depend on their smartphone to make it through a full day on a single charge. And while some OEMs refuse to put in a larger battery, they seem to be more inclined to add flashy features like fast charging, super fast charging, quick charge, and others. The downside to charging a battery faster (and more often) is that you end up reducing its longevity over time.
The Importance of Battery Health
The batteries used inside our smartphones and tablets are able to handle a certain number of charge cycles. Once we reach that number, we begin to notice that the overall capacity begins to diminish. This is why it seems as if your 3+ year-old device does not last as long as it used to. There have been many studies published about battery life charge cycles and why they end up being degraded over time.
Using these fast chargers puts more stress on the battery than typical charging speeds. Which, in turn, actually accelerates the degradation of the battery. Heat is a major stressor of these lithium-ion batteries and using quick charging technology almost always generates more heat than using a standard charger.
However, I understand that the added convenience of charging your smartphone or tablet faster is very tempting. There are even some situations where getting the phone topped off as quickly as possible is critical.
So let me show you how to monitor the health of the battery in your Samsung Galaxy device. This will work for just about all modern smartphones and tablets under the Samsung Galaxy brand including the Galaxy S series, Galaxy A series, and even the Galaxy Tab tablets. It doesn’t matter if your phone is the Galaxy S23, S22, A54, or Tab S7. This process will work the same for all smartphones and tablets released by Samsung.
How to Access the Samsung Members App
The first step in accessing the health of your battery involves downloading and installing an application published by Samsung. The application you want to look for is called Samsung Members and it can be found in the Google Play Store or the Galaxy Store (Samsung’s own mobile app store).
It doesn’t matter if you get the app from either of these sources. I just implore you to download it from one of these app stores since you don’t want this application tampered with.
Testing Your Samsung Galaxy Battery Health
With the Samsung Members application installed, let’s go ahead and launch it. We then need to follow these steps in order to actually evaluate the health of your Samsung Galaxy S23 battery.
- Tap the Support tab at the bottom.
- Then select the Diagnostics card.
- Scroll through the list of tests and choose Battery Health.
- Wait for the test to complete. . .
- Or tap the “Test Again” button to confirm the test was finished properly.
You should be told the condition of your Samsung Galaxy battery right here.
It will either say the status is Normal and that the battery life is in Good condition. Or the Samsung Members application will tell you that the battery is in poor health.
Interpreting Your Battery Status Results
If you are told the status of your battery is “Normal” then there isn’t anything that needs to be done. This means your device is charging properly and it hasn’t been overused at this point in time. It’s a good idea to keep an eye on this test and re-run it every few months just to make sure nothing has changed. You are expected to get at least 2 full years of optimal use from the battery inside your Galaxy S22 before it begins to degrade.
However, if you notice that the status message here says the battery is failing, it is in poor condition, or anything like that, then you need to look into ways to prolong its life. I’ll discuss some of these options later on in this article.
Video Guide
Replacing Your Samsung Galaxy Battery
I would like to talk about how to troubleshoot battery life on Android in another article, so today I’ll just focus on how to replace your battery. This is going to be required every few years if you do not intend to upgrade to a newer device. I like to use my smartphone for 3-5 years (at minimum) and that requires me to replace the battery when I notice the battery capacity is half of what it used to be.
DIY vs. Professional Battery Replacement
If you choose to go the DIY route then be aware of what you are doing ahead of time. I recommend watching a teardown video of the Galaxy S20 smartphone if that is the device you’re currently working on. But if you’d rather read a written article about the topic, then I recommend iFixit.
It can be very stressful if you don’t know what you’re doing and that could result in the phone breaking due to a wire being ripped off or an internal part being damaged during the process.
On the other hand, not everyone has the time and patience to dedicate to a task like this. uBreakiFix is a popular store here in the United States that offers a service to replace the battery of your Galaxy S21 smartphone. But you can check which professional services are around your local area and then contact them to see if they’re up for the job. Most gadget repair shops are well equipped to handle these types of tasks.
Where to Buy a New Battery
If you are willing to do the replacement yourself, be sure to purchase an actual OEM part for your device. There are a number of highly recommended websites that sell these parts but again, I’ll recommend iFixit if you need to find Samsung Galaxy parts like a new battery. These OEM parts can be purchased from a number of different retailers. Just make sure you acquire your parts from a company or seller who has a good reputation.
Conclusion: Taking Care of Your Samsung Galaxy Battery
If you’re not the type of person who buys a new smartphone or tablet every 2-3 years then it is recommended that you take care of your battery. This includes making sure the device is not plugged in throughout the night, avoiding fast chargers whenever possible, and doing your best to keep the phone (and its battery) from getting too hot.
I know that using a wireless charger is also highly convenient and something that many people enjoy.
Which is a great accessory to have if you don’t mind the added wear and tear that it does to your battery. Some people are able to afford buying a new device every few years. But some of us dislike the idea of getting a new device every few years. Especially when you get so used to the one you’ve been using. I know I really hated switching from my Galaxy Note 10+ as I really like the build quality, form factor, and size of it.
So if you can take care of your battery while you own the smartphone or tablet then you’ll be able to use it for many years to come. Even if that means you have to replace the battery in 3-5 years time.
