Where to find your battery health information
Apple built a battery health tool directly into every iPhone running iOS 16 or later. Open Settings, tap Battery, then tap Battery Health & Charging. You will see two numbers: your current maximum capacity as a percentage, and the condition status below it.
The maximum capacity tells you how much charge your battery holds now compared to when it was new. A new iPhone battery is 100%. After 500 full charge cycles, Apple's design targets 80% capacity. If your phone shows 75% maximum capacity, your battery holds three-quarters of its original charge.
The condition status appears as one of four phrases: Normal, Degraded, Poor, or Service Recommended. Normal means your battery is working as expected for its age. Service Recommended means Apple detected a hardware issue and you should visit an Apple Store or authorized repair shop.
Key Takeaways
- Your battery health appears in Settings > Battery > Battery Health & Charging on any iPhone with iOS 16 or later.
- Maximum capacity shows what percentage of original charge your battery can hold; 80% or higher is normal for a newer phone.
- The condition status tells you whether your battery is Normal, Degraded, Poor, or needs Service Recommended — only the last one requires a repair visit.
- Charging habits affect battery lifespan: keeping your phone between 20% and 80% charge extends the battery's life longer than draining it fully each day.
- If your iPhone is still under warranty or AppleCare+, battery replacement is covered if capacity drops below 80% within the coverage period.
What the capacity percentage actually means
Maximum capacity is not the same as your current battery percentage. If your phone shows 85% maximum capacity and your battery icon says 50%, that means your battery is at half of what it can currently hold — which is 85% of what it held when new.
A phone at 80% maximum capacity still works fine for most people. You lose about one hour of screen time per day compared to a new battery. At 70%, you might notice the phone shuts down unexpectedly if you use it heavily, because the battery cannot deliver power fast enough under load. Below 50%, the phone becomes unreliable.
Capacity drops slowly at first, then faster. The first 20% loss usually takes two to three years of normal use. The next 20% loss happens faster. This is normal chemistry, not a defect.
Understanding the condition status
Normal means your battery is healthy and working as designed. You will see this on most phones under two years old, and on some phones up to three or four years old depending on how they were charged.
Degraded appears when your battery's maximum capacity has dropped noticeably but the battery itself is not damaged. This is aging, not failure. Your phone still works; you just get less screen time.
Poor means your battery has degraded significantly and you should plan to replace it soon. The phone may shut down unexpectedly during heavy use, even if the battery percentage shows 20% or higher.
Service Recommended is the only status that requires action. It means Apple detected a hardware fault — the battery is not aging normally, it is failing. Visit an Apple Store, Best Buy's Genius Bar, or an authorized Apple repair shop to have the battery replaced.
How to extend your battery's lifespan
Charge your phone between 20% and 80% whenever possible. Lithium batteries degrade faster when they spend time at very high charge (above 90%) or very low charge (below 10%). If you charge to 100% every day and drain to 0% every day, your battery will reach 80% capacity in about 18 months. If you keep it between 20% and 80%, it will take two to three years.
Use Optimized Battery Charging to slow degradation further. Go to Settings > Battery > Battery Health & Charging and turn on the toggle. Your phone will learn when you usually charge it and will slow charging to 80% until an hour before you normally unplug it. This keeps the battery from sitting at 100% for hours.
Avoid heat. Batteries degrade faster in hot environments. Do not leave your phone in direct sunlight, in a hot car, or near a heat source while charging. If your phone gets warm during normal use, it is working harder than it should — close unused apps or restart the phone.
Use the original charger or a certified third-party charger. Cheap chargers can deliver unstable power, which stresses the battery. Apple's chargers and chargers certified by the USB Implementers Forum are safe.
When to replace your battery
Replace your battery when maximum capacity drops below 80% and you notice the phone shutting down unexpectedly, or when the condition status shows Service Recommended. If capacity is 85% but the phone works fine all day, you can wait.
Battery replacement costs vary. If your iPhone is under warranty or you have AppleCare+, the replacement is covered. Without coverage, Apple charges between $69 and $99 depending on the model. Independent repair shops often charge $40 to $60, but use parts that may not match Apple's quality.
Replacing the battery is faster than replacing the phone and costs far less. Most repairs take one to two hours at an Apple Store. If you use an independent shop, call ahead to confirm they have your model in stock.
What drains battery health fastest
Leaving your phone plugged in overnight at 100% charge is the single biggest factor. The battery sits at maximum voltage for hours, which accelerates chemical breakdown. Optimized Battery Charging prevents this, but only if you turn it on.
Using your phone while it charges generates heat, which degrades the battery. Avoid gaming, video calls, or heavy apps while plugged in. Let the phone charge in a cool place.
Extreme temperatures damage batteries permanently. A phone left in a hot car or freezer will lose capacity faster even after it returns to normal temperature. Cold slows the battery temporarily, but heat causes permanent damage.
Running the battery all the way to 0% regularly is hard on the battery chemistry. Letting it drain completely once a month is fine for recalibration, but doing it daily shortens lifespan.
Checking battery health on older iPhones
If you have an iPhone running iOS 15 or earlier, the battery health tool is not available in Settings. You can still see limited battery information by going to Settings > Battery > Battery Health, but you will not see the condition status.
For older iPhones, the most reliable way to check battery condition is to visit an Apple Store or authorized repair shop. They can run a diagnostic that shows the exact health status and whether the battery needs replacement.
If your iPhone is older than iOS 16 and you are considering a battery replacement, updating to the latest iOS version available for your model will give you access to the full battery health tool. Check Settings > General > Software Update to see if an update is available.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 80% battery health bad?
No. Apple designs iPhones to reach 80% capacity after 500 full charge cycles, which is about two years of normal use. At 80%, your phone still works well and loses only about one hour of screen time per day. You do not need to replace the battery unless the phone shuts down unexpectedly.
Can I improve my battery health percentage?
No. Maximum capacity only goes down as the battery ages. You cannot restore it to 100% without replacing the battery. You can slow the decline by charging between 20% and 80%, using Optimized Battery Charging, and avoiding heat.
Why does my battery health say Service Recommended but the phone works fine?
Service Recommended means Apple detected a hardware fault that will likely cause problems soon, even if the phone works now. The battery may fail suddenly or shut down unexpectedly under load. Visit an Apple Store to have it replaced before the problem gets worse.
Does closing apps and using Low Power Mode improve battery health?
No. Closing apps and Low Power Mode extend how long your phone runs on a single charge, but they do not affect battery health or maximum capacity. Battery health is determined by charging habits and age, not by how you use the phone.
What is a full charge cycle?
One full charge cycle means using 100% of your battery's capacity, but not necessarily in one sitting. If you use 50% one day and 50% the next day, that counts as one cycle. If you charge from 0% to 100%, that is one cycle. Apple counts cycles to estimate battery age.