How to Improve the Battery Life of an iPod Shuffle

By eHow Electronics Editor

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You can improve the battery life of an iPod Shuffle by using iTunes effectively, limiting the extras you put in your music and by taking care of the portable music player. Simple maintenance and usage habits will help improve the overall battery life as well as extend the play time you get between charges of the iPod Shuffle’s rechargeable battery. Follow these steps to improve the battery life of an iPod Shuffle.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

iPod shuffle

Step1

Use iTunes to create good playlists. Keep track of your current favorite songs and assemble them together on a small number of lists to limit the amount of fast forwarding and skipping you do. This helps extend the amount of play time that you get from your iPod Shuffle.

Step2

Allow the iPod Shuffle to fully charge and you will improve the battery life. Lithium ion batteries are rechargeable, to a point. After about 400 charge cycles, the battery may have trouble storing as much charge. Partial charge cycles put the battery one step closer to needing replacement.

Step3

Avoid putting equalizer settings on the songs you have in iTunes and then load into the iPod Shuffle. Equalizer settings make the iPod Shuffle’s processor do more work. This shortens the amount of play time available before the next recharge.

Step4

Use the iPod Shuffle frequently. Active use of the portable music player is actually good for the battery life. When you let the player sit for long periods of time, the rechargeable battery may lose some of its ability to hold a charge.

Step5

Apply compression software to songs you plan on loading into the iPod Shuffle. Smaller file sizes equal less battery usage and that means more play time between charge cycles.

Tips & Warnings

The “Pause” button allows you to suspend playback, which uses less power than letting the music roll on. Use the “Pause” button if you are not actively listening to a song.
Use the latest versions of iTunes to get updates that can improve battery life and extend play time.
Do not expose the lithium ion battery to excessive moisture. If you think that the battery has been soaked, allow the unit to dry fully before using again. If problems develop, you will need to contact Apple for battery replacement information.