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- Apple’s ‘Wi-Fi Assist’ can dramatically increase battery life and eat up your data
- The tool allows users to switch to mobile data when networks lag
There’s nothing more frustrating than heading out with a fully charged phone only to find it completely dead a few hours later.
But you might be surprised to learn that battery drain is often exacerbated by the so-called “vampire setting” hidden deep inside an iPhone.
Despite its scary nickname, the life-sucking feature is more commonly known as “Wi-Fi Assist” and allows Apple users to use cellular data when networks are down.
Whether you’re streaming Netflix on the bus or downloading a file in the mountains, this can be an incredibly useful tool on the go.
However, users should be aware that it can also quickly drain battery life as the tool is automatically enabled on all iPhones.
Apple’s “Wi-Fi Assist” feature can dramatically increase battery life and eat up your data
To see for yourself, head to the “Settings” menu before tapping the “Cellular Data” tab.
Here you can see personal hotspot information and insights into how data is used for different apps on the device.
The “Wi-Fi Assist” toggle is way below that, so you’ll need to scroll all the way down, where you’ll find it just above “iCloud Drive.”
To turn this off, tap the switch once to turn it from green to gray. This change is saved automatically.
Wi-Fi Assist can be used for a variety of apps, including but not limited to Safari, Apple Music, Mail, and Maps.
While the setting may affect battery life, it’s important to note that it won’t automatically switch to “cellular” if you have data roaming enabled.
Data roaming usually occurs when using a mobile phone on holiday, where the internet switches to an internet network in the country where you are.
The tool allows users to switch to mobile data when Wi-Fi networks are slow and lagging
Wi-Fi Assist focuses exclusively on apps that are also running in the foreground and does not activate background programs or third-party apps.
The latter can gobble up large amounts of data – not only will it cost you precious battery life, but also money.
There are two easy ways to save battery no matter how you use your device: adjust your screen brightness and use Wi-Fi.
When using your device to access data, a Wi-Fi connection uses less power than a cellular network, so always keep Wi-Fi on. To enable Wi-Fi, go to Settings > Wi-Fi to access a Wi-Fi network.”
iPhone owners can dim their screen brightness by going to the “Control Center” which can be accessed by swiping down from the top right corner of any screen on newer models.
Enabling ‘Auto-Brightness’ can also help – found in the ‘Accessibility’ tab of ‘General’ in ‘Settings’.