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There's nothing quite like that sinking feeling when you take your phone out of your pocket and find it's already inexplicably out of charge.
The older your phone, the more likely it is that moments like this will crop up - but thankfully there are plenty of telltale signs you can watch out for.
The battery is typically the biggest signpost for whether your phone is getting a bit long in the tooth.
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Lithium-ion batteries degrade slowly over time, becoming less efficient and seeing their maximum charge shrink to smaller levels. Mostly they'll last for thousands of charging cycles, but that still means they'll eventually degrade.
Signs that your battery is worn out are easy to spot. Firstly, if you're noticing that you have to charge your phone partway through the day, because it doesn't last nearly as long as it used to - that's one major red flag.
Another is if your phone loses charge quickly even if you're not using it - standby mode shouldn't drain your battery the same as regular use.
When you're actually charging your phone, try to keep an eye on how quickly it gets topped up - if this process takes hours and hours, that's another warning sign.
In that same vein, meanwhile, if your phone gets really hot while charging that's also not a great indicator. While a little warmth is nothing to get worried about, severe heat is definitely not good.
The most drastic possible sign is any swelling whatsoever of the battery or the phone itself - this means the battery has burst its seams, and can be quite dangerous.
All of these signs can let you know that your phone's battery is on its last legs, but from there, you have a few options.
The most straightforward, obviously, is to replace your phone with a new one, although that can be expensive.
Instead, some phones might have repair programs that let you get a replacement battery fitted, and many repair shops will offer this - albeit without any warranty or guarantees.
Finally, there is a new wave of more eco-conscious phones that focus on repairability and make it really easy to simply replace a battery yourself - like FairPhone. These take you back to the good old days of being able to just unclip the back of your phone to slot a new battery in - which you might find a reassuring and nostalgic choice.
Plus, in the interim there's plenty you can do to keep your battery alive and kicking for as long as possible - like not charging your phone overnight, and not charging it up to 100% every time.
