What to do when your phone is about to die

You are out, the day is far from over, and your phone shows 8 %. You still need to find an address, pay, call a taxi or simply get hold of someone. Everyone knows the situation, and it usually comes at the worst possible moment.

The good news is that there is plenty you can do, as long as you do it in the right order. First buy some time, then secure what matters most, and only then look for a way to charge.

First: buy some time

When the battery is nearly empty, every minute with the screen on counts. A few quick steps will keep the phone alive while you find a solution.

• Turn on battery saver. It has different names on iPhone and Android, but you will usually find it in the battery settings. It limits background activity and some visual effects.
• Lower the brightness. The screen is one of the biggest power users in a phone.
• Close heavy apps. Video, games, the camera and navigation drain the battery fastest.
• Switch off connections you do not need. If you are not using them, turn off Bluetooth and mobile data. If you are in a venue with stable Wi-Fi, use it: it usually costs less power than mobile data on a weak signal.
• Silence notifications. Every time the screen lights up or the phone vibrates, it takes a little charge.
• Stop checking the percentage. Every unlock to see how much charge is left uses power too. Keep the phone in your pocket until you really need it.

If things are truly critical, turn on airplane mode for a while. The phone will use almost no power, and you can wake it when you really need it. Remember to switch it off if you are expecting an important call or message.

Second: secure what matters

While you still have some charge, take a minute for the things you cannot do without:

• write down or memorise the address you are heading to;
• take a screenshot of your ticket, booking or route;
• if you have the time and the charge, download an offline map of the area in your maps app;
• message the person you are meeting that you may be unreachable for a while;
• if you pay with your phone, check that you have a bank card or some cash as a backup.

If you are in a group, agree whose phone you will keep for navigation and calls, while the others save charge.

That way, even if the phone dies, you will not be left without your bearings. Screenshots open without internet, and a quick heads-up to the people close to you saves them unnecessary worry.

Where to charge when you are out

There are not many options, and each has its pros and cons.

A socket in a venue

Many cafés and restaurants have a socket near one of the tables. But you need your own charger and cable, and you are tied to that spot while the phone charges.

A charger in the car

If you are driving, the car charger is a good solution on the road. Some buses have USB ports too, but you cannot always count on that, and you still need a cable.

Asking the staff

You can ask the staff to charge your phone behind the bar. That means parting with your phone, and at a busy time there is not always someone to keep an eye on it.

Your own power bank

If you carry your own power bank, the problem is solved, provided you remembered to charge it the night before and brought the right cable.

A rented power bank from a station

Bars, cafés, restaurants, shopping centres and hotels in Plovdiv and Sofia have HUBO stations. You can rent a charged power bank from one and charge your phone while you are on the move. The power bank goes with you instead of keeping you by a socket. That is handy when you have no power bank or cable of your own and do not want to stay in one place.

How renting a HUBO power bank works

You need the HUBO app. Signing up takes about a minute and is done only once. Then:

1. Open the app and find the nearest station on the map.
2. Scan the station's QR code.
3. Check the price and terms the app shows, and confirm.
4. Pay by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay.
5. Take the charged power bank the station releases.

The power bank holds 8,000 mAh, which is at least one full charge for most smartphones. It has three built-in cables, USB-C, Lightning and micro-USB, so you do not need a cable of your own. While the phone charges, you carry on: the power bank is with you in your pocket or bag.

A rental costs €2 per 24 hours, with no start fee, and every started 24-hour period is charged. When you are done, return the power bank to any HUBO station. The rental ends automatically, and you get the receipt in the app and by email.

Keep in mind that you need a working phone to rent. So do not wait for the last percent: look for a station while you still have a few percent left.

How not to end up at 8 % again

The best way to avoid this situation is to head it off in the morning.

• Charge when you can. At home, at the office, in the car. Partial charging does not harm lithium batteries, so there is no need to wait for the phone to hit zero.
• See which apps use the most. The battery settings show which apps have used the most power. Often one or two culprits explain why the charge does not last.
• Download maps in advance. If you know you will be navigating a new city for a long time, download the map at home or at the hotel while you are on Wi-Fi.
• Keep the phone away from cold and heat. In cold weather the battery temporarily delivers less power, so keep the phone in an inside pocket. Do not leave it in direct sun or in a hot car either.
• Carry a cable. With a cable in your bag, every free socket or USB port becomes a chance to charge.
• Watch the battery's health. If it holds noticeably less than it used to, check its condition in the settings or at a service centre.

In short

A dying phone is rarely a disaster if you act in time. Remember the simple order: save first, secure next, charge last. Then choose the way of charging that suits you best right now. And if there is a HUBO station nearby, a charged power bank is just a few taps away. The sooner you act, the more options you have.