How to Make Your iPhone Battery Last Longer

If your iPhone battery drains fast, you may find yourself reaching for the charger long before the day is over. That can be frustrating, especially when you rely on your phone for calls, messages, directions, photos, and other everyday tasks.

A few changes can often help your battery last longer between charges. You don’t need to change every setting, and you can try the suggestions one at a time to see which ones make a difference.

Step 1: Find out what’s using your battery

Before changing settings, check which apps and activities are using the most power. This can help you focus on the cause rather than switching off features you actually need.

1. Open Settings.
2. Scroll down and tap Battery.
3. Look at the battery usage information and the list of apps.
4. Check which apps have used the most battery over the period shown.
5. If an app is using much more power than you expect, consider whether you have been using it a lot or whether it may be doing work in the background.

An app that appears near the top is not necessarily faulty. Video, navigation, games, and camera apps can use more power when you use them frequently.

Good to know: Battery usage can reflect both time on screen and activity in the background. Check the details before deciding that an app is the problem.

Step 2: Turn on Low Power Mode when you need it

Low Power Mode reduces some background activity and visual effects to help your iPhone use less power. It’s especially useful when your battery is running low and you won’t be near a charger.

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Battery.
3. Tap Power Mode, if that option appears.
4. Turn on Low Power Mode.

On some iOS versions, the Low Power Mode switch appears directly on the Battery screen instead of inside Power Mode. You can also ask Siri to turn on Low Power Mode.

Your iPhone may pause or reduce some background tasks while Low Power Mode is on. Some features may work a little differently, and the mode may turn off automatically after the phone charges to 80 percent or higher.

Tip: You don’t have to leave Low Power Mode on all the time. Use it when you need to stretch the remaining charge.

Step 3: Reduce screen brightness and use Auto-Brightness

The display can use a noticeable amount of battery, particularly when it is bright. Lowering the brightness is one of the quickest changes you can make.

1. Open Control Center by swiping down from the top-right corner of the screen. On an iPhone with a Home button, swipe up from the bottom edge.
2. Find the brightness slider, marked with a sun symbol.
3. Drag the slider down to a comfortable level.
4. To let your iPhone adjust brightness to the light around you, open Settings.
5. Tap Accessibility > Display & Text Size.
6. Scroll down and turn on Auto-Brightness if it is off.

You can also shorten the time your iPhone waits before the screen locks. Go to Settings > Display & Brightness > Auto-Lock, then choose a shorter time that still suits how you use your phone.

Careful: Don’t make the screen so dim that reading it becomes uncomfortable. A setting you can use comfortably is more helpful than one you keep changing back.

Step 4: Review Background App Refresh

Some apps can update their content when you’re not actively using them. This is called Background App Refresh, and limiting it for apps that don’t need frequent updates may help reduce battery use.

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap General.
3. Tap Background App Refresh.
4. Review the list of apps.
5. Switch off Background App Refresh for apps that do not need to update in the background.

You can also tap Background App Refresh at the top of the page to choose whether background refreshing is allowed on Wi-Fi and mobile data, Wi-Fi only, or not at all.

Some apps may show older information until you open them if you limit background refreshing. Keep it enabled for apps where timely updates are important to you.

Step 5: Check Location Services

Some apps use your location to provide directions, local information, or other features. Location access can use battery, so review which apps are allowed to access it.

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Privacy & Security.
3. Tap Location Services.
4. Review the apps in the list.
5. Tap an app to choose a location permission that makes sense for how you use it.

For an app that does not need your location, you can choose Never. Other options may include Ask Next Time Or When I Share, While Using the App, and Always, depending on the app.

Tip: Choose permissions based on what each app needs to do. A navigation app may need location access while you use it, while a simple note-taking app may not need it at all.

Step 6: Use Wi-Fi when it’s available

Your iPhone may use more battery when it has to maintain a weak mobile signal. When you are somewhere with reliable Wi-Fi, connecting to it can help.

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Wi-Fi.
3. Turn on Wi-Fi if it is off.
4. Tap a trusted network and enter its password if needed.

If you are in an area with very poor mobile coverage and don’t need calls or mobile data, Airplane Mode can prevent your iPhone from continually searching for a signal. Remember that it disconnects cellular service, so you may not receive ordinary calls or messages while it is on. You can turn Wi-Fi back on separately if you need it.

Step 7: Check your battery health

If your iPhone still needs charging much more often than it used to, check the battery’s condition. Rechargeable batteries gradually lose capacity as they age, so an older iPhone may not last as long as it once did.

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Battery.
3. Look for Battery Health or Battery Health & Charging, depending on your iPhone model and iOS version.
4. Review the information about maximum capacity and any service recommendation shown.

Maximum capacity is an estimate of how much charge your battery can hold compared with when it was new. If your iPhone shows a service recommendation, or the battery life has become difficult to manage, consider contacting Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider.

Troubleshooting: If your iPhone battery still drains quickly

If the battery seems to run down unusually fast, consider these possibilities:

• You recently updated iOS: Some background tasks may continue after an update. Give your iPhone a little time, then check battery usage again.
• One app is using unusually high power: Update the app, restart your iPhone, and check whether its battery use improves. If the problem continues, contact the app developer.
• Your phone gets very warm: Very hot or cold conditions can affect battery performance. Keep the iPhone within Apple’s recommended operating temperature range and out of direct sunlight.
• Battery health shows a service message: The battery may need professional attention. Contact Apple or an authorized service provider for advice.
• You can’t find a setting: Menu names can vary slightly by iOS version. Open Settings and use the search field to look for terms such as “Low Power Mode” or “Background App Refresh.”

Get more from each charge

Start with the Battery screen, then try the changes that make sense for your daily routine. Lower brightness, sensible background and location permissions, and Low Power Mode when needed can all help your iPhone last longer between charges.