Using an Android device can lead to unexpected issues, especially with your phone’s battery.
The Google Pixel is notorious for mysterious battery drain, and I’ve experienced the same issue on other phones with the always-on display turned on.
While there are many reasons a phone’s battery can drain, I tweaked one gesture setting that reduced screen-on time and, in turn, improved battery life.
The tap-to-wake gesture was costing me battery life daily
Your pocket is the culprit
I’ve tried various ways to reduce battery drain on my phone, including blocking Google’s background tracking on my Wi-Fi.
While I effectively reduced battery drain on my phone, I was still seeing high screen-on time in the battery stats.
I’m not a heavy social media user, and I use my tablet to view content most of the time. My phone is strictly for work and communicating.
Something didn’t add up.
That’s when I realized that whenever I was out for meetings or on my daily walk, I would notice a sudden drop in battery life.
After checking my phone’s built-in screen time tracker, I found my screen was lighting up even when I wasn’t using it.
I quickly deduced that this might be happening because of a feature I use almost daily.
Every phone has display pocket detection to prevent accidental touches from being registered when it is in a pocket or bag.
But despite that, I noticed many accidental wake-ups per hour on my screen, and it was generally warm even when idle.
The main culprit here was the tap-to-wake setting I like to use to check notifications and other updates from smart home apps.
When tap-to-wake is enabled on phones with OLED displays, the phone can eventually experience accidental screen activations in your pocket.
The always-on display feature is handy for power users, but it can be a massive drain on your phone’s battery.
The tap-to-wake feature triggered the digitizer polling on my phone’s display frequently, which was the main cause of the battery drain.
It would also trigger the under-display fingerprint scanner, causing my screen to wake when it wasn’t needed.
You may have noticed your phone briefly light up in your pocket when you are walking or when your bag is jostling.
This has happened countless times with my phone and, at times, even activated the torch or media controls without me realizing it.
Our phones aren’t supposed to do that, though. The proximity sensor is supposed to negate these accidental touches.
But with modern tech, not everything is foolproof or perfect.
These accidental touches are more likely when I’m wearing clothing that’s not as thick as jeans or has loose pockets, like, say, cargo pants.
These can throw off my phone’s sensor calibrations, resulting in more accidental touches and battery drain.
With repeated accidental screen wakes, my phone used more power because it kept my screen active longer and kept waking it from a deep idle state.
These brief screen wake-ups quickly added up; thankfully, there was a way to mitigate the issue.
After turning off the tap-to-wake feature, I noticed a noticeable difference in battery life, especially when I was on the move.
I noticed at least 2% to 5% extra battery life per full day, which can make a difference towards the end of my workday when I’m about to run out of juice.
I don’t always have a power bank handy, and sometimes I’ve already used up its charge if I forgot to charge my phone the previous night.
When I usually reach this point, every percentage saved matters.
The raise-to-wake gesture can also drain the phone’s battery rapidly due to repeated accidental screen wakes in your pocket or bag.
It is worth noting that turning off the tap-to-wake setting will entail some trade-offs.
Eventually, I had to choose between the convenience of simply glancing at my screen to check notifications and the extended battery life.
You may also have a phone that has a capable proximity sensor that effectively mitigates accidental touches and screen wakes.
But if you are using a less capable phone, and you’re always out and about, you might want to change this setting whenever you step out.
How to turn off tap-to-wake on your phone
It only takes seconds
Turning off the tap-to-wake setting on Android phones is straightforward and takes only a few seconds.
If you are always on the move, I recommend flipping this setting before stepping out, especially if you have a long day ahead and forgot your power bank at home.
Depending on your phone, here’s how you can switch the tap-to-wake setting on your phone:
- Google Pixel: Head to Settings > Display and toggle Tap to check phone. You can also turn off Lift to check phone if needed.
- OnePlus: Go to Settings > Home screen & Lock screen and turn off Double tap to wake. Also, turn on Pocket mismatch prevention.
- Samsung Galaxy devices: Go to Settings > Buttons & gestures and turn off Double tap to wake.
- Alternatively, use the Settings search bar and look for tap, gesture, or wake.
After you’ve changed the setting, I recommend testing it while wearing bottoms made of thin fabric.
I used linen pants with the screen facing outwards. I could see right through the fabric to check whether the screen lit up.
I’ve reached a point where I turn off the tap-to-wake feature almost every time I step out and turn it on when I’m working from home or at a desk.
I still like to glance over the screen while working to see notifications, while also saving battery life from accidental screen wakes during my commute and daily walks.
Is turning off tap-to-wake worth the trade-off?
There’s no denying that turning off the tap-to-wake setting will cause some inconvenience, especially if you need to keep track of a lot of notifications.
But if you have wondered why your phone got hot in your pocket for no reason, chances are it’s due to an accidental screen wake. I turn off the gesture whenever I have to walk a lot or have a long outdoor day.
It’s worth saving that extra 2% to 5% of battery life each day and not worrying about my phone draining in tight situations.
