Where to find your battery percentage on iPhone
Your iPhone shows battery percentage in the top-right corner of the screen, next to the battery icon. On newer iPhones with a notch or Dynamic Island, this appears in the status bar. The number tells you how much charge remains — 100% means fully charged, 1% means nearly dead.
If you do not see a percentage, you can turn it on. Go to Settings, tap Battery, then toggle on Battery Percentage. The number will appear when ready next to the battery icon.
You can also swipe down from the top-right corner to open Control Center, where a larger battery percentage appears at the top of the screen. This is the fastest way to check your charge without unlocking your phone.
Key Takeaways
- Battery percentage appears in the top-right status bar on all iPhones and can be toggled on in Settings > Battery > Battery Percentage.
- Control Center (swipe from top-right) shows your current charge level without unlocking your phone.
- Battery Health, found in Settings > Battery > Battery Health & Charging, tells you whether your battery is degrading over time.
- Normal battery health is 80% or higher; below 80% means the battery holds less charge than when new.
- Extreme temperatures, constant fast charging, and leaving your phone at 100% for long periods all degrade battery health faster.
Understanding Battery Health versus charge level
Charge level and battery health are two different things. Charge level is how much power your phone has right now — it goes from 0% to 100% and changes every time you charge or use your phone. Battery health is how much charge your battery can hold compared to when it was brand new, and it only gets worse over time.
A phone at 50% charge with 100% battery health will run longer than a phone at 100% charge with 80% battery health. Battery health degrades because lithium batteries naturally lose capacity after hundreds of charge cycles. One charge cycle means draining the battery from 100% to 0% and back to 100%, though it does not have to happen all at once.
You check battery health in Settings > Battery > Battery Health & Charging. The number shown is your maximum capacity — what percentage of the original charge your battery can now hold. If it shows 85%, your battery can hold 85% of the charge it held when new.
What battery health numbers mean
Apple considers a battery normal if it retains 80% health or higher. At this level, you should not notice any difference in how long your phone runs between charges. Most iPhones reach 80% health after two to three years of normal use.
Between 80% and 70% health, your phone still works normally, but you may notice it needs charging slightly more often than it used to. Below 70%, the difference becomes noticeable — your phone may shut down unexpectedly when the battery is low, even if it shows 20% or 30% charge remaining. This happens because the battery cannot deliver power fast enough to run the phone.
Below 50% health, Apple's battery service program recommends replacement. At this point, your phone's runtime has dropped significantly and the battery may fail without warning. You can replace the battery through Apple or an authorized repair shop, which costs less than buying a new phone.
How to slow down battery degradation
Battery health declines fastest when your phone is hot, when you charge it very quickly, and when you keep it at 100% charge for long periods. If you want your battery to last longer, avoid leaving your phone plugged in overnight or sitting in the sun.
Optimized Battery Charging, found in Settings > Battery > Battery Health & Charging, slows degradation by learning when you usually charge your phone and holding the charge at 80% until you need it. This means your battery spends less time at 100%, which is when it degrades fastest. You can turn this on and forget it — your phone will charge to 100% automatically before you wake up if it learns you charge overnight.
Low Power Mode, which you can turn on in Control Center or Settings > Battery, reduces how much power your phone uses, which means you charge less often. Fewer charge cycles means slower health decline. Low Power Mode slows down some features like background app refresh and reduces screen brightness, but your phone still works normally for calls, texts, and browsing.
Reading the Battery Health report
When you open Settings > Battery > Battery Health & Charging, you see three pieces of information. The first is Maximum Capacity, which is your battery health percentage. The second is Cycle Count, which shows how many complete charge cycles your battery has gone through — this number only goes up and helps you understand why your health is where it is.
The third section is Condition, which shows whether your battery is Normal, Degraded, or Service Recommended. If it says Normal, your battery is fine. If it says Degraded, your health has dropped below normal but your phone still works — you just may notice shorter runtime. If it says Service Recommended, Apple is telling you the battery should be replaced soon.
You cannot reset battery health or make it go back up. The only way to restore 100% health is to replace the battery entirely. However, you can slow how fast it declines by using the methods above.
Checking battery usage by app
If your phone is draining faster than it used to, the problem may not be battery health — it may be an app using too much power. Go to Settings > Battery > Battery Usage to see which apps have used the most power in the last 24 hours or last 10 days.
Apps at the top of the list are using the most battery. If you see an app you rarely use taking up 20% or more of your battery, you can delete it, turn off background app refresh for it, or check if it has a newer version with better power management. Some apps, like Maps or video streaming apps, naturally use a lot of power because of what they do.
You can also see battery usage by activity type — screen time, background activity, and location services all show separately. If your screen is using 80% of your battery, your phone is working normally and just needs charging more often. If background activity is high, an app may be running when you are not using it, which you can fix by turning off background app refresh in Settings > General > Background App Refresh.
When to replace your iPhone battery
Replace your battery when the health drops below 80% and you notice your phone does not last as long as it used to, or when the Condition section says Service Recommended. You do not have to wait until it fails — replacing it early means you avoid unexpected shutdowns and get back to normal runtime.
Apple replaces batteries at its stores and authorized service providers. The cost varies by iPhone model but is usually between $50 and $100. If your phone is still under warranty or covered by AppleCare+, the replacement may be free. You can also use third-party repair shops, which are often cheaper but may not use Apple parts.
The replacement takes one to three hours at most Apple stores if you do not have an appointment, or you can book ahead online to reduce wait time. Your data stays on your phone — the technician only replaces the battery.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my battery health already below 80% after just a few months?
Extreme heat, constant fast charging, and keeping your phone at 100% charge all day degrade the battery much faster than normal use. If you live somewhere hot, charge with a high-wattage charger every day, or leave your phone plugged in overnight regularly, your health will drop faster. Try using a lower-wattage charger, keeping your phone cooler, and turning on Optimized Battery Charging.
Does closing apps in the background help battery health?
No. Closing apps does not slow battery degradation because degradation is caused by charge cycles and heat, not by which apps are running. However, closing apps or turning off background app refresh can help your current charge last longer between charges, which means you charge less often and degrade the battery slightly slower over months.
Can I check battery health on an older iPhone?
Battery Health & Charging is available on iPhone 6 and newer. On iPhone 5s and earlier, you cannot see a health percentage, but you can still see your current charge level in the status bar and check which apps are using the most power in Settings > Battery.
What does it mean if my phone shuts down at 20% battery?
Your battery health has dropped low enough that the battery cannot deliver power fast enough to run your phone, even though it still has charge left. This is a sign your battery should be replaced soon. Until you replace it, keep your phone charged above 20% to avoid unexpected shutdowns.
Is it bad to charge my iPhone every night?
Charging every night is normal and necessary, but leaving it plugged in for hours after it reaches 100% degrades the battery faster. Turn on Optimized Battery Charging so your phone charges to 80% and waits to reach 100% until you need it, or unplug it as soon as it finishes charging.