Turn on Low Power Mode to cut background activity

Low Power Mode is the fastest way to extend your iPhone's battery life. It reduces performance, limits background app refresh, and turns off some visual effects — but your phone still works normally for calls, texts, and most apps.

To turn it on, open Settings, tap Battery, then toggle Low Power Mode on. Your battery icon turns yellow when it is active. Low Power Mode typically adds 1 to 3 hours of use depending on your phone model and what you are doing.

You can also add Low Power Mode to your Control Center so you can toggle it without opening Settings. Go to Settings, tap Control Center, then tap the plus sign next to Battery.

Key Takeaways

  • Low Power Mode reduces background activity and can add 1 to 3 hours of battery life without stopping your phone from working.
  • Turning off location services, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi when you are not using them saves significant battery across a day.
  • Reduce screen brightness or turn on Auto-Brightness so your display uses less power in different lighting.
  • Close apps running in the background and turn off background app refresh for apps you do not need constant updates from.
  • Disable push notifications and set mail to fetch manually rather than checking every few minutes.

Reduce screen brightness and enable Auto-Brightness

Your iPhone screen is the biggest battery drain. Lowering brightness saves power when ready. Open Settings, tap Display & Brightness, and drag the brightness slider down — even moving it to 40 percent makes a noticeable difference.

Turn on Auto-Brightness in the same menu so your phone adjusts brightness based on the light around you. In bright sunlight your screen will be brighter, but in dim rooms it will dim automatically, using less battery without you having to adjust it manually.

If you use your phone in bright conditions often, consider enabling Dark Mode as well. Dark Mode uses less power on iPhones with OLED screens (iPhone 12 and newer). Go to Settings, tap Display & Brightness, and select Dark.

Turn off location services and background app refresh

Apps running in the background drain battery constantly. Go to Settings, tap General, then Background App Refresh. Toggle it off entirely, or tap individual apps to turn it off only for the ones you do not need updates from.

Location services also consume power. Open Settings, tap Privacy & Security, then Location Services. Toggle it off, or scroll down to individual apps and set them to "Never" or "While Using" instead of "Always." Maps, weather, and navigation apps need location only when you are actively using them.

Bluetooth and Wi-Fi search for connections even when you are not using them. Turn them off in Control Center when you leave home or the office. You can swipe down from the top right of your screen to access Control Center quickly.

Disable push notifications and set mail to fetch manually

Every notification wakes your screen and uses power. Go to Settings, tap Notifications, and turn off notifications for apps you do not need alerts from. Keep notifications on for messages and calls, but disable them for news, social media, and games.

Email is a major battery drain if set to push (when ready delivery). Open Settings, tap Mail, then Accounts, then Fetch New Data. Turn off Push, and set Fetch to Manual or every 30 minutes instead. Your email will not arrive when ready, but your battery will last much longer.

Close apps and check battery usage by app

Apps left open in the background use power even when you are not looking at them. Swipe up from the bottom of your screen (or swipe down from the top right on newer iPhones) to see open apps, then swipe up on any you want to close.

To see which apps are draining the most battery, go to Settings, tap Battery, then Battery Usage. The list shows which apps used the most power in the last 24 hours or the last 7 days. If an app is using far more battery than you expect, consider uninstalling it or using a web version instead.

Disable visual effects and animations

Motion effects and animations look smooth but cost battery power. Go to Settings, tap Accessibility, then Display & Text Size. Toggle on Reduce Motion to cut down on animations throughout the system.

You can also disable transparency effects in the same menu by toggling on Reduce Transparency. These changes make your phone feel slightly less polished but noticeably extend battery life, especially on older models.

Keep your iPhone cool and update to the latest iOS

iPhones use more battery when they overheat. Avoid leaving your phone in direct sunlight, in a car on a hot day, or in a case while charging. If your phone gets hot, let it cool down before using it heavily.

Apple releases iOS updates that often include battery improvements. Go to Settings, tap General, then Software Update to check for new versions. Installing the latest iOS can improve battery performance, especially if you are running an older version.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Low Power Mode slow down my iPhone?

Yes, Low Power Mode reduces performance slightly — apps may load a bit slower and some features are limited. But for most daily tasks like texting, email, and web browsing, you will not notice much difference. You can turn it off anytime if you need full speed.

Will turning off Bluetooth and Wi-Fi hurt my phone?

No. Turning them off just means your phone will not search for connections. Turn them back on when you need them. If you use Wi-Fi at home or work, leaving it on and connected to a known network actually uses less battery than using cellular data.

Can I check which apps are using the most battery?

Yes. Go to Settings, tap Battery, then Battery Usage. You will see a list of apps ranked by how much power they used in the last 24 hours or 7 days. If one app is using far more than others, consider closing it or uninstalling it.

What is the difference between Fetch and Push for email?

Push means your phone checks for new email constantly and wakes up to notify you when ready. Fetch means your phone checks at set intervals — every 15 or 30 minutes. Manual means you check email yourself. Fetch and Manual use much less battery than Push.

Does Dark Mode save battery on all iPhones?

Dark Mode saves the most battery on iPhones with OLED screens (iPhone 12 and newer) because dark pixels use less power. On older iPhones with LCD screens, Dark Mode makes little difference to battery life. It is still worth using if you prefer how it looks.