iPhone Battery Draining Fast? Try These 27 Expert Fixes

“My iPhone battery drains in minutes. I’ve tried turning off a few things, but nothing helps. Any tips on extending battery life?”

If you also struggle to charge your iPhone, see our guide on iPhone not charging. Below are simple tips to keep your battery from dying too quickly.

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First Things First

This is the best way to see if your battery’s overall capacity is fading or if a specific app is draining it. Apple recommends replacing the battery if Maximum Capacity drops under 80%, but anything under 85% can also show signs of rapid drain.

Check Battery Usage and Health

• Go to Settings
• Tap Battery
• Tap Battery Health

If your iPhone shows “Peak Performance Capability,” the hardware is generally fine. But if you see a “Service” message, consider visiting an Apple Store or authorized service provider for a possible battery replacement. Also, check the Battery Usage by App under the main Battery settings to see which apps use the most power over 24 hours or the last 10 days.

iPhone Battery Drains Fast: Tips To Extend Battery Life

Tip 1. Turn Off Bluetooth When Not in Use

Switch Bluetooth off if it’s not needed. Go to Settings > Bluetooth, and toggle it off.

Tip 2. Turn Off Raise to Wake

• Settings > Display & Brightness
• Toggle Raise to Wake off

Or just lay the phone face-down so the screen doesn’t light up unnecessarily.

Tip 3. Turn Dark Mode On

Dark Mode can save significant battery power at high brightness levels.

• Settings > Display & Brightness
• Choose Dark under Appearance

Tip 4. Disable Location Services and Background App Refresh

Location Services

• Settings > Privacy > Location Services
• Turn it off for apps you don’t need tracking your location.

Background App Refresh

• Settings > General > Background App Refresh
• Turn it off entirely or limit to Wi-Fi only.

Tip 5. Turn Off Automatic Updates

• Settings > App Store
• Under Automatic Downloads, toggle off Apps and App Updates.

Tip 6. Reduce Screen Brightness

• Settings > Display & Brightness
• Adjust the slider to a comfortable but lower level.

Tip 7. Reduce Auto-Lock Time

• Settings > Display & Brightness
• Tap Auto-Lock and pick 30 Seconds for minimal on-screen time.

Tip 8. Disable True Tone

• Settings > Display & Brightness
• Toggle True Tone off

Tip 9. Enable Dark Appearance Dims Wallpaper

• Settings > Wallpaper
• Turn on Dark Appearance Dims if you want the wallpaper to dim in Dark Mode.

Tip 10. Disable Siri & Search

• Settings > Siri & Search
• Toggle off Listen for “Hey Siri” and other Apple-related suggestions.

Tip 11. Stop Motion & Animations

• Settings > Accessibility > Motion > Reduce Motion
• Toggle Reduce Motion on

Tip 12. Disable Sound Recognition

• Settings > Accessibility > Sound Recognition
• Toggle Sound Recognition off

Tip 13. Disable Vibration

• Settings > Accessibility > Touch
• Toggle Vibration off

Tip 14. Disable Back Tap

• Settings > Accessibility > Touch > Back Tap
• Set Double Tap and Triple Tap to None

Tip 15. Turn Off Wi-Fi When Not in Use

• Settings > Wi-Fi, toggle it off if you’re not connected.

Tip 16. Turn Off Cellular Data When Not in Use

• Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data, toggle it off if you only need Wi-Fi.

Tip 17. Manage Location Services

• Settings > Privacy > Location Services > System Services
• Disable any unnecessary options like iPhone Analytics, Location-Based Alerts, etc.

Tip 18. Turn Off Data Push

• Settings > Mail > Accounts > Fetch New Data
• Toggle Push off.

Tip 19. Fetch Email Less Often

• Settings > Mail > Accounts > Fetch New Data
• Choose a longer fetch interval or Manually.

Tip 20. Turn Off AirDrop

• Settings > General > AirDrop
• Select Receiving Off.

Tip 21. Check Which Apps Consume Most Battery

• Settings > Battery
• See if any app uses an unusual amount (over 30%). Consider updating, limiting, or removing it. (VPN apps can run in the background, so watch out for those.)

Tip 22. Update Your Apps

• Open the App Store
• Tap your profile icon
• Scroll to see pending updates

Tip 23. Remove Widgets You Don’t Use

Long-press on any widget you don’t need and tap Remove Widget.

Tip 24. Remove Unused Apps

Press and hold the app icon until it jiggles, then tap the x and confirm deletion.

Tip 25. Turn On Low Power Mode

• Settings > Battery
• Toggle Low Power Mode on. It reduces background activities like downloads and mail fetch.

Tip 26. Update Your iOS

• Settings > General > Software Update
• Tap Download and Install if an update is available.

Tip 27. Reset All Settings

If nothing else works, reset all settings to default:

• Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset
• Tap Reset All Settings (doesn’t delete personal data, but resets system preferences)

FAQs

Why is my iPhone battery draining so fast all of a sudden?

It might be due to recently added apps, background features like Location Services, or increased screen brightness. Check Battery Usage in Settings to see if a specific app is the culprit.

How does Low Power Mode help?

Low Power Mode limits background tasks like mail fetch and app refresh. It reduces CPU performance slightly but often adds a few hours of battery life.

Does turning on Dark Mode really save battery?

On OLED displays, Dark Mode can save notable battery life, especially at high brightness. For LCD screens, the difference is smaller but can still help.

Should I disable Wi-Fi and Bluetooth to save battery?

Yes, if you’re not using them. Turning off unused services prevents your phone from constantly searching for connections.

Is it bad to let my battery go to 0% often?

Occasionally it’s fine, but constant deep discharges can degrade battery health faster. It’s generally best to keep it above 20% when possible.