The secret setting kept by phone repair shops: Doubles battery life in just 30 seconds, and it's free

You might not need an expensive battery replacement or a new phone to solve your daily charging problems. The solution lies in a few simple taps in your phone's settings menu, which most users don't even realize are a possibility.

One of today's biggest problems is phone batteries that don't last the entire day. Constantly searching for an outlet, carrying a power bank, and living with the stress of a phone dying in the middle of the day has become the norm. While many people think the solution is to replace the battery or buy a new phone, there are actually simple yet effective fixes that phone repairers and tech experts know can significantly extend battery life.

While these "hidden" settings aren't a single magic button, a few combined can completely change your phone's battery life, nearly doubling your battery life. Here's a 30-second guide to accessing them...

1. The biggest enemy: Background app refresh

The biggest drain on your phone's battery is apps that constantly update themselves in the background, even when you're not using them. Disabling this feature makes the biggest difference in battery life.

For iPhone: Go to Settings > General > Background App Refresh. Turn it off or leave it on for only the few apps you really need.

For Android: Go to Settings > Connections > Data Usage > Mobile Data Usage. Select apps that use a lot of data from the list and turn off "Allow background data usage." (This menu may vary by phone model).

2. The spy that constantly follows you: Location services

GPS is one of your battery's biggest killers. Many apps constantly track your location without you even realizing it.

For iPhone: Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services. Review the app list and change location access to "Never" or "While Using." Minimize the number of apps that use "Always."

For Android: Go to Settings > Location. Under "App Permissions," control when each app can access your location and restrict unnecessary ones.

3. The miracle of eye-straining brightness and dark mode

The screen is the most power-hungry part of a phone. Turning off auto-brightness and manually keeping the screen brightness below 50% makes a big difference. Especially if you have a phone with an OLED display, using "Dark Mode" is a miracle. Because black pixels don't consume any power, your battery life will be significantly extended.