SAMSUNG GALAXY
How to turn on Power saving on a Samsung Galaxy phone
In short
Open Settings, Battery, Power saving and tap the switch so it shows On, then pick a mode. Standard limits CPU speed to 70% and dims the screen by 10%. Maximum limits all background activity and notifications except essential apps and apps you choose.
Say you are out for the day, the battery is in the red, and the charger is back home on the bedside table. Power saving is one of the quickest ways to stretch the last part of a charge. Handily, the page also tells you how long the battery should last with and without it, so you can see what you gain before you switch it on.
6 of 6 steps show a real screenshot from our Galaxy S26 (One UI 9.0) and Galaxy A57 5G (One UI 8.5).
Steps
- 1
Open Battery settings
Open Settings and tap Battery.
Power saving is near the top of the Battery page, above Background usage limits and Battery protection.
- 2
Check the estimates
The page shows the estimated battery time without Power saving and with each mode. On our Galaxy S26 it said 3 d 18 h without it, 4 d 15 h with Standard and 9 d 11 h with Maximum.
While the switch is Off, Standard and Maximum are greyed out.
- 3
Switch it on
Tap the switch at the top of the page. It changes from Off to On and the modes can then be chosen.
Tap it again to turn Power saving off.
- 4
Pick Standard or Maximum
With Power saving on, tap Standard or Maximum.
The gear next to each mode opens its own limits.
- 5
Check what Standard changes
Tap the gear next to Standard. On our Galaxy all six limits are on: Limit CPU speed to 70%, Turn off Always On Display, Decrease brightness by 10%, Set Motion smoothness to Standard, Turn on Dark mode and Set Screen timeout to 30 seconds.
Switch off any you do not want; the rest keep working.
- 6
Check which apps still work in Maximum
Tap the gear next to Maximum. On our Galaxy the Essential apps are Clock, Google Play Store, Messages, Phone, Samsung Wallet and Settings.
Switch on any other app you need under All apps, such as WhatsApp, or its background activity and notifications are limited.
If you do not see this option
- Power saving is not on the Battery page Scroll down. On our Galaxy it sits below the battery usage list and View details, just above Background usage limits.
- Standard and Maximum are greyed out Power saving is still Off. Tap the switch at the top of the page so it shows On, then choose a mode.
- An app is not under Essential apps Scroll down to All apps on the Maximum page and switch that app on.
If this does not work
- Chat messages arrive late Samsung points out that with Maximum power saving mode on, some apps and features can't be used. Add the app under All apps, or use Standard instead.
- The screen looks dimmer or turns dark Don't worry, nothing is wrong with the screen. Standard can decrease brightness by 10%, turn on Dark mode and set Screen timeout to 30 seconds. Tap the gear next to Standard and switch off the limits you do not want.
- Your estimates look very different from ours The page notes that actual battery time may vary depending on your usage patterns, so a phone that spends the evening streaming videos will never match one that sleeps in a drawer. On our Galaxy the estimate without Power saving was 4 d 10 h one time, 10 h 13 m another and 4 h 54 m on 15 Oct (step 3).
Good to know
Which one should you use? Standard for a long day when you still use the phone normally: you lose some speed and brightness, but your apps keep running. Maximum when the battery is very low and has to last until you reach a charger; on our Galaxy, Phone and Messages are among its essential apps. Look at its app list first, because Maximum can block some apps and features.
To stop apps you hardly use from wasting power, send them to sleep: Samsung Galaxy battery draining fast? 6 fixes.
About this guide
- Device
- Android
- Shown on
- Samsung Galaxy S26 (SM-S942N, Korean model), One UI 9.0, Android 17 (build CP2A.260605.016.S942NKSU5BZJB), Samsung Galaxy A57 5G (SM-A576B), One UI 8.5, Android 16
- App
- Settings
- Path
- Settings › Battery
- Real screenshots
- 6 of 6 steps
- Checked
- November 2026
- Sources
- 1 official, linked below
The screenshots are from a Samsung Galaxy S26 with One UI 9.0 and Android 17, in Dark mode, apart from steps 4 to 6, from our Galaxy A57 with One UI 8.5. Samsung points out that phones sold in other countries may show different screens and settings.
What changed: new dark-mode screenshots of every Power saving page on One UI 8.5, what Standard and Maximum each limit, and which one to use.
Sources
Links checked November 2026. Menus and features can change with updates.What to do next
Make your Galaxy battery last Step 4 of 6
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