Found a fix for the Battery issue with Windows Phone 8.1 DP

[auggie253]

This method probably has been circulating around, but I will give you the steps I performed and now I'm sitting on 8.0 battery life with 8.1 DP for the Lumia ICON after the new firmware update.

Note: I USE BATTERY PERFORMANCE APP, I WILL POST MY RESULTS AS TIME GOES ON.
My Current consumption rate per hour has fallen to 2%, goes up to 4% when I use it a lot.

For the longest time since the DP update, I have had dreadful battery life. The following method has currently have my phone sitting on 13 hours of last charge, and 17 hours remaining at 45%

This will require you wipe your phone fully, please backup your data.
This method was done over the weekend, so please allocate proper time when performing this method.

1. Download the Nokia Recovery Tool: FAQ - FAQ - How can I recover/reset/restore my phone software? - Nokia - USA
2. Once all updates are complete, prepare your phone for a full format, but note this will install the new firmware update: 1417.0047 + Windows Phone 8.0
3. Once the update is complete, go through the setup wizard, login with your Microsoft Account, but do not restore any previous image.
4. A phone update will not be needed because the Nokia Recovery Tool handled that for you, download the Developer Preview and perform all updates.
5. Once it is complete, do not format again, but continue to use the phone as usual by starting all over (re-download apps, start+theme, etc)
6. Important Step: Let your phone completely die out (You will see unstable numbers and fluctuations, yes let it drain completely and re-charge fully). Yeah this is the weird, pessimistic step, but it worked.
7. Today (I did the method yesterday), my battery is back (I use it extensively all day, I did not disable any feature other than Wifi-Sense Only.)

Problems:
1. 2-3 Second pause from hitting the power button to seeing the screen.
2. Wifi has become more stable, but not Windows 8.0 stable. (I was able to download 3.5GB Nokia Maps quite quickly and no over heating at all).
3. No over-heating so far.

I will update this moving forward.

 

[ShreyansShah]

1. which phone u r using?
2. i understood the procedure, i think so. but i am unable to understand what is actually happening. what is causing the battery drain, and how it is taken care off, by downgrading to wp8 and again upgrading 8.1?

 

[auggie253]

It's for the ICON.

Yes I downgraded to 8.0, but with a new firmware update that installed with it.
I believe the phone battery was draining with the overlaps of applications from 8.0 and updating to 8.1DP without a full wipe, but the new firmware update for the ICON 1417.0047 helped significantly improve the life span of the battery.

 

[ShreyansShah]

ok. i understand out of it, that, rather than re-installing apps automatically, we better install only those apps which are needed. this also may help the battery.
if ur trick is good and working, that means, for all other phones, when wp8.1 officially arrives, battery drain problem will be sorted out. thats definitely a good news.

 

[quantum tao]

here is your cookie

 

[shielah]

Battery worse last day.. Will this help

Will this work for Lumia 920 I wonder... My battery was gone.. Of battery for the last week trying not to use my phone much and today it drained 10% in idle for 2 hrs, dropped 12% while I was checking the battery performance app for 10 minutes, only wifi and location on and fb message and battery performance runing In the background... This is ridicules..

 

[gapost]

So you are saying that the firmware update in 8.0 will help the battery life in 8.1? I'm tempted by this, but not sure I want to do a hard reset. I don't mind doing it really, except for the time involved. I did one without a backup and restore when 8.1 came out, but battery life could be better.

 

[drufranco]

So you are saying that the firmware update in 8.0 will help the battery life in 8.1? I'm tempted by this, but not sure I want to do a hard reset. I don't mind doing it really, except for the time involved. I did one without a backup and restore when 8.1 came out, but battery life could be better.

What is your current battery life like? I did the same as you, once I updated to 8.1 or whatever the patched update to the DP version, then recently hard reset to get my Call+SMS filter and lock, unlock, and keyboard sounds to work again. Did a fresh install vs. restore and my setting are the same as above (I don't use WIFI sense only) and I get over 2 days of battery life with somewhat heavy use from time to time. I also left the defaults to allow any application to run in the background if that is what it set to when I re-installed my apps.
I never rolled back to 8.0 to grab the firmware.

Update: Now I see there is another update to 8.1 as posted in the Windows Phone 8.1 Preview for Developers forum. May wait before I update since I got everything to work again.

 

[auggie253]

UPDATE: I paired this puppy to my jambox for music for 1 hour, did the new update, used to make calls, whatsapp, and messaging all day, and all over LTE. Currently at 45% 11 Hours since last charge, and 11 Hours Remaining. The phone got a little hot after the new update that launched today, but it's back to normal.

 

[frank brackett]

How do you get the 8.1 update?? I just got the icon and I'm new to windows phone.

 

[onlysublime]

If I do this process, how does it affect things like contacts, speed dialing, etc.? is all of that starting all over from the beginning since you say not to restore anything.

I'm not sure about starting everything all over. I use this as my work phone and to start as a completely new phone doesn't sound too good.

 

[anon(8151408)]

here is your cookie View attachment 68135

http://i.imgur.com/Vhnyfwt.jpg

 

[Blacklac]

If I do this process, how does it affect things like contacts, speed dialing, etc.? is all of that starting all over from the beginning since you say not to restore anything.

I'm not sure about starting everything all over. I use this as my work phone and to start as a completely new phone doesn't sound too good.

Your contacts should be tied to your Microsoft account and FB, if you have it connected.

 

[onlysublime]

Actually, most of my contacts come from the Verizon backup assistant manager. I have few native Microsoft Account contacts (though it's growing since I got the phone).

Which brings up another point: does this method blow out the Verizon stuff for generic Windows Phone 8/8.1 stuff? I actually like the Verizon stuff like the app which shows your minutes, messages used, personal Verizon account info, etc.

And I don't use Facebook for phone contacts. Facebook is for fun.

 

[DavidinCT]

Just wondering, if you skip the restore, can you at a later point restore your text messages ? if so, how. I want to hard reset again (after I finish one game I playing about 80% through) but, my text messages are a big deal....

 

[wkgray]

I'm missing something here. How do you use your phone. I use my Icon as a work phone, have three email accounts that sync as items arrive, two weather apps, and all the other apps that normally run in the background, moderate to heavy call use and I consider the phone's battery life to be outstanding.. At this moment battery is sitting at 12 hours since last charge, 66% charge and 1 day 11 hours est remaining. Maybe I'm just happy with this coming from a Galaxy Nexus which I had to charge 2-3 times a day, to an Icon that gives me this kind of battery life. What would completely wiping and starting over accomplish?

 

[brackett5]

My battery dies pretty fast I have to charge it once at least a day. However that's with very heavy use.

 

[cdanieljohn]

Feedback?

 

[shielah]

I have tried full drain reset, recharge and leave on 2 hrs after full charge on my 920, I don't even have my email sunk at all anymore, have texted maybe 6 -8 times this am and nothing else and have dropped from 100% to 83% less than 3hrs , I have to charge at least once a day and I'm barely using it, no location, no app allowed on background.. Actually makes my Lumia pretty useless as a smart phone as I can't use any features bc I have to save the battery, only app running is battery performance.. Oh now in down to 76% bc I'm posting on here.. Love this... Not

 

[ttsoldier]

The less you use your phone, the longer the battery will last.

That is the only fix for battery drain.