Turn on Low Power Mode to cut background activity in half
Low Power Mode is the single fastest way to extend your iPhone's battery life. When you turn it on, your phone reduces CPU speed, limits background app refresh, turns off mail fetch, and dims the display slightly. Most people see their battery last 1 to 2 hours longer on a single charge.
To turn it on, open Settings, tap Battery, then toggle Low Power Mode to on. Your phone will show a yellow battery icon in the status bar. You can also swipe up from the bottom of the screen (or down from the top right on newer models) and tap the battery icon in Control Center.
Low Power Mode stays on until your battery reaches 20 percent, then turns off automatically. You can turn it off manually at any time if you need full performance.
Key Takeaways
- Low Power Mode reduces CPU speed and background activity, typically adding 1 to 2 hours of battery life per charge.
- Turning off location services, background app refresh, and push notifications for apps you do not use constantly saves significant power.
- Reducing screen brightness and enabling Auto-Brightness prevents your display from draining the battery when you are not looking at it.
- Closing apps running in the background and disabling Bluetooth and Wi-Fi when you are not using them stops unnecessary power drain.
- Older batteries lose capacity over time; if your iPhone is more than three years old, a battery replacement may restore hours of runtime.
Disable background app refresh for apps you do not use constantly
Apps running in the background consume battery even when you are not looking at them. Background App Refresh lets apps check for new content, send notifications, and update data while your phone is locked. Turning it off for apps you rarely open saves power without affecting the ones you use every day.
Go to Settings, tap General, then Background App Refresh. You will see a list of every app on your phone. Toggle off the ones you do not need to update in the background — for example, games, news apps you check once a week, or fitness apps you use only during workouts. Leave it on for Mail, Messages, and any app that needs to alert you in real time.
You can also turn off Background App Refresh entirely by toggling the switch at the top of the list, though this will stop all apps from updating until you open them manually.
Reduce screen brightness and enable Auto-Brightness
Your display is the biggest battery drain on an iPhone. The brighter the screen, the faster the battery empties. Lowering brightness to 30 to 40 percent for indoor use saves substantial power without making the screen hard to read.
Open Settings, tap Display & Brightness, and drag the brightness slider down. For the easiest approach, toggle on Auto-Brightness at the bottom of the same screen. This setting uses your phone's light sensor to adjust brightness automatically based on the room you are in, so you never run the display brighter than necessary.
If you use your phone outdoors in sunlight, Auto-Brightness will raise the brightness to keep the screen readable, but it will lower it again when you go inside. This balance saves battery without requiring you to adjust manually.
Turn off location services and push notifications for apps that do not need them
Location Services uses GPS, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi to pinpoint your location. Apps like Maps need it constantly, but apps like games, shopping, or social media do not. Turning it off for those apps saves battery.
Go to Settings, tap Privacy, then Location Services. You will see every app that has asked for location access. Tap each app and choose "Never" or "While Using" instead of "Always." "While Using" lets the app access your location only when it is open, which is usually enough for navigation or weather apps.
For notifications, go to Settings, tap Notifications, and review which apps send you alerts. Turn off push notifications for apps you do not need to hear from in real time — news apps, games, and social media are common culprits. Fewer notifications mean your phone wakes up less often to display them.
Close apps running in the background and disable Bluetooth and Wi-Fi when not in use
Swiping an app closed does not always stop it from running. Some apps continue to use CPU and network in the background. If you notice an app draining battery, force-close it by swiping up from the bottom of the screen (or down from the top right on newer models) and holding on the app preview until a menu appears, then tap "Remove."
Bluetooth and Wi-Fi both search for connections constantly, which drains battery. If you are not using wireless headphones or a smartwatch, turn off Bluetooth in Control Center. If you are away from home or the office, turn off Wi-Fi so your phone stops scanning for networks. Cellular data uses less power than Wi-Fi searching for a signal.
You can also enable Airplane Mode in Control Center when you do not need any wireless connection — on a flight, in a meeting, or when you want maximum battery life. This turns off Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and cellular all at once.
Check battery health and replace the battery if it is degraded
Every iPhone battery loses capacity over time. After 500 full charge cycles (roughly 2 to 3 years of normal use), most batteries drop to 80 percent of their original capacity. If your iPhone is older than three years and the battery drains much faster than it used to, the battery itself may be worn out.
To check your battery health, go to Settings, tap Battery, then Battery Health & Charging. You will see "Maximum Capacity" — the percentage of the battery's original charge it can still hold. If it is below 80 percent, your battery is degraded. You will also see "Condition" — if it says "Service Recommended," Apple or an authorized repair shop can replace the battery.
A battery replacement costs between $50 and $100 depending on your iPhone model and where you have it done. If your phone is still under warranty or AppleCare+, the replacement may be free. A new battery often restores 2 to 4 hours of battery life.
Disable visual effects and limit mail fetch frequency
Animations and visual effects look polished but consume power. Go to Settings, tap Accessibility, then Display & Text Size. Toggle on "Reduce Motion" to turn off animations when you swipe between screens or open apps. This is a small change but adds up over the course of a day.
Mail is another common drain. By default, Mail checks for new messages every 15 minutes. Go to Settings, tap Mail, then Accounts, then Fetch New Data. Change the fetch interval from "Every 15 Minutes" to "Every 30 Minutes" or "Hourly." You can also set individual accounts to "Manual" so Mail checks only when you open the app.
These changes are subtle, but combined with Low Power Mode and brightness reduction, they can add several hours to your battery life.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Low Power Mode slow down my iPhone?
Yes, slightly. Your phone reduces CPU speed and limits some background tasks, so apps may open a fraction of a second slower and some features may be delayed. For most everyday tasks like texting, email, and web browsing, you will not notice the difference. If you need full performance for gaming or video editing, turn Low Power Mode off temporarily.
Will turning off background app refresh break my notifications?
No, if you turn it off only for apps you do not need. Notifications still arrive for Mail, Messages, and other apps you leave enabled. Apps you disable will not update in the background, but they will still send alerts if you have notifications turned on for them in Settings.
How often should I charge my iPhone to keep the battery healthy?
Charge it whenever it drops below 20 percent, and avoid letting it sit at 0 percent for long periods. Modern iPhones are designed to handle frequent charging, so plugging in every night is fine. Avoid leaving your phone plugged in for days at a time, as constant charging at 100 percent can degrade the battery slightly faster.
Does using Wi-Fi instead of cellular save battery?
Usually yes, but only if your Wi-Fi signal is strong. If you are far from the router and Wi-Fi is weak, your phone works harder to maintain the connection and uses more power than cellular would. If you are close to a strong Wi-Fi network, use it. If the signal is poor, switch to cellular.
Can I use Low Power Mode all the time?
Yes. Some people leave it on permanently to extend battery life between charges. The trade-off is slightly slower performance and some features like automatic mail fetch and background app refresh running less often. If you do not mind those limits, Low Power Mode is safe to use constantly.