Recent insights reveal that common battery-saving practices may not be as effective as previously thought. Disabling Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, once a recommended method, is now less impactful on battery life than many users believe. Modern devices manage these connections efficiently, and leaving them on typically does not lead to significant battery drain.
On Android, for instance, background scanning for Wi-Fi networks occurs infrequently—about once every half hour—when not connected to a network. Similarly, iOS and Windows devices exhibit power-efficient behavior regarding Wi-Fi scanning. Bluetooth, while it does engage in an active scan briefly, enters a low-power Listening mode shortly after, consuming minimal battery.
Experts suggest that users should consider disabling Wi-Fi and Bluetooth scanning features rather than the connections themselves, particularly on Android devices. The only scenario where turning off these features may be beneficial is when battery levels are critically low. However, for those concerned about privacy, maintaining these settings may still be advisable.