Smartwatch Buying Guide: Everything You Need to Know
Any smartwatch buying guide covering everything you need to know should include how to extend smartwatch battery life, because battery is one of the most common smartwatch complaints after purchase. Battery advice is usually a generic list, so people switch everything off and lose features they wanted. This guide gives the buying essentials briefly, then explains how to extend smartwatch battery life with eleven settings ranked by how much power they typically save, plus charging tips and realistic expectations for battery ageing.
Key Takeaways
- Always-on display, continuous health tracking and GPS are usually the biggest drains.
- Change the high-impact settings first before turning off features you value.
- Battery saver mode is useful for travel.
- Charge before the battery is flat and avoid heat.
- All batteries lose capacity over time; that's normal.
Smartwatch Buying Guide: Everything You Need to Know
| Check | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Compatibility | Works with your phone and platform |
| Battery life | Lasts long enough for your routine |
| Health tracking | Tracks what you care about |
| Water rating | 5 ATM if you swim |
| Comfort | Light enough for all-day and overnight wear |
For the full process, see our guide on how to choose a smartwatch.
How to Extend Smartwatch Battery Life: 11 Settings Ranked
These settings are ranked by their typical impact. Exact savings vary by watch, but the order is a reliable guide: start at the top and stop once battery life is good enough.
| Rank | Setting | Typical impact | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Turn off always-on display | High | The screen is usually the biggest drain; always-on can roughly halve battery life |
| 2 | Reduce continuous health tracking | High | Set heart rate to interval checks and turn off all-day blood oxygen |
| 3 | Use GPS only when needed | High | Built-in GPS drains fast; use your phone's GPS or turn it off for indoor workouts |
| 4 | Lower screen brightness | Medium to high | Use auto-brightness or a lower fixed level |
| 5 | Shorten screen timeout | Medium | A few seconds is enough for a glance |
| 6 | Turn off raise-to-wake | Medium | Stops the screen lighting up with every arm movement |
| 7 | Filter notifications | Medium | Only allow apps you need; each alert lights the screen and vibrates |
| 8 | Limit calls and music on the watch | Medium | Speaker, microphone and audio streaming use a lot of power |
| 9 | Use a simple watch face | Low to medium | Animated or busy faces use more power than plain ones |
| 10 | Turn off overnight blood oxygen | Low to medium | Keep sleep tracking but switch off overnight SpO2 checks |
| 11 | Use battery saver mode | Varies | Useful when travelling; limits features to extend life |
Always on display battery use
The screen is usually the single biggest power user. An always-on display keeps it lit all day, which can roughly halve battery life on many watches. Turning it off, so the screen wakes only when you tap or raise your wrist, is the most effective change you can make.
Background health tracking
Continuous heart rate and all-day blood oxygen measurements wake the sensors constantly. Setting heart rate to check every few minutes, and limiting blood oxygen to spot checks, saves a lot of power while keeping useful trends.
GPS
Built-in GPS is one of the most power-hungry features. Use your phone's GPS where the watch supports it, and turn GPS off for indoor workouts.
Battery Saver Mode on a Watch
Most watches have a battery saver or power-saving mode that limits features such as continuous tracking, notifications or the touchscreen. It's ideal for travel, long days away from a charger, or when the battery is low.
Smartwatch Battery Draining Fast? Check These
| Situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| Brand-new watch | Syncing and setup can use extra power for the first day or two |
| After an update | Settings may reset; check always-on and tracking again |
| A misbehaving app or sync | Restart the watch and phone; re-pair if needed |
| Weak Bluetooth connection | Keeping your phone nearby reduces reconnection attempts |
| Cold weather | Batteries deliver less in the cold, temporarily |
| An ageing battery | Capacity naturally declines over time |
Smartwatch Charging Tips
- Charge before the battery runs completely flat; frequent deep drains add wear.
- Partial top-ups are fine. You don't need to charge to 100% every time.
- Avoid charging in direct sun or other heat, which ages batteries faster.
- Use the supplied charger or a compatible one.
- Make sure the watch and charging contacts are clean and dry.
- If storing the watch for a long time, leave it partly charged, roughly half.
How Long Should a Smartwatch Battery Last?
Per charge
Feature-rich smartwatches often last about 1 to 3 days, mid-range models about 5 to 10 days, and fitness bands about 7 to 21 days. Real-world life is usually shorter than the figure on the box, which is measured under light use.
Over the years
Lithium-ion batteries gradually lose capacity with each charge cycle. With daily charging, many watches hold noticeably less charge after about two years. That's normal wear, not a fault. Heat and frequent deep discharges speed it up, so the charging tips above help.
How to Extend Smartwatch Battery Life Without Losing What You Use
You don't need to switch everything off. Decide which features matter most, such as sleep tracking or call notifications, and keep those. Then work down the ranked list, turning off the high-impact features you use least. Most people get the biggest improvement from just the first three changes.
Battery Life When Travelling
Travel is where battery life matters most and chargers are easiest to forget. Before a trip, charge fully and switch on battery saver mode for long travel days. Flight mode stops the watch searching for your phone, which can noticeably improve battery life on long journeys. Pack the watch's own charging cable, since many use a magnetic connector that other chargers can't replace, and a power bank lets you top up from USB anywhere. Time-zone changes can trigger extra syncing, so expect slightly shorter battery life on the first day.
Common Mistakes
- Turning off useful features before the high-impact ones.
- Leaving always-on display enabled without noticing.
- Running GPS on indoor workouts.
- Charging in a hot car or direct sun.
- Expecting box battery figures in real use.
Follow the ranked list and the charging habits above, and you'll know exactly how to extend smartwatch battery life without giving up the features you bought the watch for.
Long-Battery Watches From Global Swanky
Browse more in our Consumer Electronics collection.
1. Smart Fitness Bracelet with Round Color Display
The Smart Fitness Bracelet with Round Color Display, Waterproof Activity Tracker is $27.29, with a listed 21 days or more of battery life.
2. Smart Heart Rate Monitor Fitness Tracker
The Smart Heart Rate Monitor Fitness Tracker with Sleep Tracking is $54.52, with a listed 7 to 14 days of battery.
3. Women's Smart Watch Multi-Function Sports Bracelet
The Women's Smart Watch Multi-Function Sports Bracelet is $42.43, with Bluetooth calling. Calling uses more battery, so the settings above matter most here.
4. PD66W Fast Charge 20000mAh Power Bank
The PD66W Fast Charge 20000mAh Power Bank for Travel Use is $21.24, for charging your watch and phone on longer trips via USB.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my smartwatch battery draining fast?
Common causes are always-on display, continuous heart rate or blood oxygen tracking, GPS, bright screens and frequent notifications. A new watch, a recent update or a misbehaving app can also cause extra drain for a while.
How much battery does always on display use?
It varies by watch, but always-on display is often the biggest single drain and can roughly halve battery life compared with a screen that only wakes when needed.
What are some smartwatch charging tips?
Charge before the battery runs completely flat, avoid charging in heat, use the supplied or a compatible charger, and make sure the watch and contacts are dry. Partial top-ups are fine.
Does battery saver mode on a watch help?
Yes. Battery saver modes limit features such as continuous tracking, notifications or the touchscreen, which can extend battery life significantly when you need it most.
How long should a smartwatch battery last?
Feature-rich smartwatches often last 1 to 3 days per charge, mid-range models 5 to 10 days, and fitness bands 7 to 21 days. Over two to three years, capacity gradually declines.