Asger Risom
Solid solutions to annoying issues.
Some dip in battery life is normal after installing a major iOS update, especially while your iPhone reindexes files and recalibrates background processes. But if your battery keeps draining faster than before, or you just want to squeeze out more life between charges, there are several changes that can help without forcing you into extreme options like Low Power mode or turning off 5G.
Below are five practical fixes that improve battery life on iPhones running iOS 26, including newer features that many owners overlook.
Update your apps and restart first
Before trying anything else, open the App Store and update all pending apps, then restart your iPhone. Many battery problems come from apps misbehaving after an OS update.
You should also open Settings > Battery and check which apps are using the most power. If one looks out of line with how often you use it, reinstalling it often helps.
If the problem continues, move on to the steps below.
Make use of Adaptive Power mode
Adaptive Power mode is new in iOS 26 and available on iPhone 15 Pro models and newer. Instead of dimming performance all the time, it only activates when your iPhone thinks you need to conserve power.
That means your screen might briefly lower its brightness or background tasks may pause, but only when it helps you stretch the battery without noticeably affecting day-to-day use.
To turn it on, go to Settings > Battery > Power Mode and enable Adaptive Power.
Turn off the always-on display
If you don’t rely on the always-on display to check the time or notifications, shutting it off can give you a noticeable bump in battery life.
Turn it off by going to Settings > Display & Brightness > Always On Display.
If you wear an Apple Watch, you may not miss the feature at all.
Disable hands-free Siri activation
If you rarely say “Siri” or “Hey Siri” to trigger the assistant, leaving that feature on just forces your phone to listen constantly — which does cost battery over time.
You can turn it off while still keeping Siri accessible through the side button.
Go to Settings > Apple Intelligence & Siri > Talk & Type to Siri, and choose Off.
Switch to dark mode
iPhones with OLED displays (meaning nearly every recent model except the 2022 iPhone SE) can save a little power in dark mode, since black areas of the screen don’t require the pixels to light up.
The savings are small but steady, and it also makes the screen easier on the eyes at night.
Go to Settings > Display & Brightness and select Dark.
Turn on Optimized Battery Charging
This won’t fix short-term battery drain, but it will help keep your battery healthier over months and years. With Optimized Battery Charging on, your iPhone charges to around 80 percent quickly, then waits to finish the final stretch until closer to when you usually disconnect it.
That reduces the amount of time your phone sits at 100 percent, which slows long-term battery wear.
Enable it in Settings > Battery > Charging by turning on Optimized Battery Charging.
Sources: Techradar
