Does Using VPN Drain Your Phone Battery? Five Tips to Help


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Oh, the world of technology. How it continues to evolve so exponentially is baffling at times. All the different inventions that move the technology forward in its evolution is amazing. One of the creations that has entered the world of connectivity is called a Virtual Private Network, or a VPN. Essentially, a VPN is a network used within a public or private Wi-Fi network to create a secondary network that is hidden from anyone who doesn’t have the credentials to enter. These networks are also used frequently with mobile devices.

Does using VPN drain your phone battery? Just like any other phone app, a VPN does cause additional battery usage. Through testing VPN’s to determine just how much is used, it has been discovered that using a VPN increases battery usage by up to 15%. Here are five tips to help lower your mobile device’s battery consumption:

  1. Use a legitimate VPN
  2. Do your research before signing up
  3. The less data needs to be encrypted, the less battery is needed
  4. Find a stronger signal whenever possible
  5. Don’t have the app running in the background

VPN’s are an added security measure that just about any internet user can benefit from. By using a VPN, you can easily hide and protect your sensitive information from hackers, intruders, and the like. Specific credentials such as a username and password are integrated into the VPN for access, so only people who have the password can enter the VPN. This makes it more difficult to intrude. So, the additional battery usage is worth using the private network when using the internet.

1. Use a Legitimate VPN

In the current world, we live in, it is becoming increasingly difficult to keep everything private. As the age of the internet evolves, new ways to steal people’s information are created. So, setting up a legitimate VPN will eliminate that concern for you while also helping battery consumption (check out my list of reputable VPNs here).

They also give you the opportunity to keep everything under wraps from intruders. They do this by using your IP address, which is the location of your internet connection, and where your setup is.

By having the right VPN, you will have your IP address hidden properly while using a network that won’t require a ton of extra power to function. Do your research and find the networks that are the most reputable. Even the best are affordable and won’t go draining your mobile device’s battery too quickly.

2. Do Your Research Before Signing Up

All that is needed is a small monthly fee to set up a VPN. You can simply do a little research to determine which companies provide legitimate VPN services so you can remain confident that you picked a company that will keep your info safe and hide your IP address.

A private network, once utilized, will give you a fake IP address to hide your real one. So, people who want to intrude won’t even have the chance. It makes everything you do way more secure than it was before you set up the new network.

Setting up a private network will level the playing field for you, and who wouldn’t want that? You will gain more privacy so no one can link back to your real IP address. More security is gained because any information being transferred between you and sites you visit will be encrypted and unreadable.

You will also gain more access to websites that may have been potentially blocked due to your IP address, so more freedom is gained too. And best of all, more anonymity. Your real IP is blocked; therefore, no one will be able to track you down.

Having the right VPN is necessary, so you’ll have a mobile app that is going to function perfectly for your needs while saving you power in the process. Using any random VPN may result in an app that drains your battery when it’s in use, so do your research and find the one that works perfectly while saving your juice.

3. The Less Data Needs to be Encrypted; the Less Battery is Needed

There are multiple factors that go into how a VPN will affect your cell phone battery. As mentioned, the average amount of additional battery usage is around 15%. But the additional battery drain isn’t going to always be right at that percentage.

Other items come into play that have an impact on battery life. For instance, how much internet data you are using through the private network will affect how long your battery will last. The more data you’re venturing through, the quicker it will drain your battery.

The level of encryption used by your VPN service is also going to play a part. The more data that needs to be encrypted through your private network use is going to require more power from your device to effectively perform the task.

It goes back to the relationship between internet data use and your mobile battery. The additional encryption adds to the formula be used by the network as a whole. Therefore, the more data being fed through the VPN will need more encryption and is going to drain the battery more. The more tasks to complete, the more battery is needed.

4. Find a Stronger Signal Whenever Possible

The strength of your cellular signal is going to play a part in the recipe as well. The weaker your cellular signal is, the more battery life will be needed to help keep your network secure. If you don’t have Wi-Fi to connect to, you’ll have to use your cellular data if you need to use the internet through your private network.

Weaker signals require more power to function because that additional battery use will help to generate a stronger signal in an effort to be able to connect to the internet. Being connected to a powerful 3G, 4G, or 5G signal is going to cultivate an environment where less battery strength will be needed to allow the VPN to thrive.

5. Don’t Have the App Running in the Background

Another important factor to consider is when you need to use your VPN. Meaning, apps always run in the background on your mobile device unless you tell them otherwise. A private network app, which you can download to your phone depending on which network you choose, will continuously run in the background of your mobile device if you don’t change the settings.

This will greatly reduce the additional battery use by the app because it will only run when you need it to run. Otherwise, what’s the point of having the network running if you’re not using it? The privacy factors are engaged and needed when information is being transferred between you and the internet. So, when that’s not happening, you won’t need the app running.

Point of Conclusion

VPN’s are a handy resource for anybody. We all love our internet, and we all love our privacy when we’re using it. So, to enhance the privacy and security, use a VPN. The simplicity behind using one makes it a great option to keep everything safe.

So many of us have private information that resides within the internet. Having a way to keep all that stuff safe is insanely beneficial. And the best part is that it does not cost that much per month to utilize a VPN that is right for you while optimizing mobile device performance to keep your battery from getting drained too quickly.

The average cost to be part of a VPN is going to be around $10 a month. That’s amazing. For just ten bucks a month, you can keep all of your information safe from intruders. It is win, win. And what’s better is that there are step by step instructions to get you set up so you can get right back to surfing the web once you’re all set up to go.

Why wait for potential risks to become intruders? You can set your new VPN up right now and get back to doing what you love with safety and security without using too much extra power in the process.

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