How to identify which apps and features are using the most power

Your iPhone tracks which apps and system features consumed the most battery since your last full charge. You can see this breakdown in Settings, which shows you the percentage each app used and how much time it spent running in the background versus on your screen. This is the fastest way to spot a runaway app or a setting that's working harder than it should be.

Open Settings, then tap Battery, then Battery Usage. You'll see a list of apps ranked by how much battery they consumed. The percentages add up to 100 percent of your battery drain since the last full charge. Tap any app name to see whether it used more power while you were actively using it (screen time) or while it ran in the background.

If an app is using an unusually high percentage—say, 30 or 40 percent when you barely used it—that's your culprit. If the drain is spread evenly across many apps, the problem is usually a system setting like screen brightness, location services, or background refresh.

Key Takeaways

  • Check Settings > Battery > Battery Usage to see which apps consumed the most power since your last full charge.
  • Apps using high percentages in the background (not on your screen) often have location services or background refresh enabled unnecessarily.
  • Screen brightness, location services, and Bluetooth drain battery faster than most apps, and toggling them off saves noticeable power.
  • Older iPhones and iPhones with degraded batteries drain faster under normal use, and you can check battery health in Settings > Battery > Battery Health & Charging.
  • A single app using 50 percent or more of your battery usually means it has a bug, is downloading large files, or is running video or audio continuously.

Apps running in the background and location services

Many apps request permission to run tasks in the background—refreshing email, checking for messages, tracking your location—even when you're not actively using them. This is called background app refresh, and it drains battery continuously. Maps, weather apps, fitness trackers, and social media apps are common offenders because they often request location access.

To turn off background refresh for specific apps, go to Settings > General > Background App Refresh. You'll see a toggle for each app. Turn off the toggle for any app that doesn't need to update while you're not using it. You can also turn off background refresh entirely from this screen, though that will stop all apps from refreshing.

Location services are a separate drain. Apps like Maps, Weather, and Find My use GPS, which is power-hungry. Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services and review which apps have permission. For most apps, change the setting from Always to While Using or Never. Only Maps and navigation apps genuinely need location access all the time.

Screen brightness and display settings

Your screen is usually the single largest battery drain on an iPhone. Brightness, refresh rate, and how long the screen stays on all affect how fast your battery empties. If you've noticed your battery dropping quickly during normal use, check your display settings first.

Go to Settings > Display & Brightness. Turn on Auto-Brightness so your phone adjusts brightness based on the light around you instead of staying at maximum. If you have an iPhone 13 or newer, you also have 120Hz refresh rate (called ProMotion), which makes scrolling smoother but uses more power. Tap Settings > Display & Brightness > Refresh Rate and select Standard (60Hz) to save battery.

You can also reduce screen-on time by lowering the auto-lock duration. Go to Settings > Display & Brightness > Auto-Lock and choose a shorter time—15 or 30 seconds instead of 5 minutes. Your screen will turn off faster when you're not using it.

Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and cellular connections

Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and cellular radios all consume power when they're searching for a signal or actively connected. If you're in an area with weak signal, your phone works harder to maintain a connection, draining the battery faster. Similarly, Bluetooth left on continuously will drain power even if you're not actively using a paired device.

Turn off Bluetooth when you're not using wireless headphones or speakers. Swipe down from the top-right corner of your screen to open Control Center and tap the Bluetooth icon to toggle it off. Do the same for Wi-Fi if you're away from your home or office network—your phone will use cellular data instead, which is often more efficient than searching for Wi-Fi.

If you're in an area with very weak cellular signal, consider turning on Airplane Mode temporarily. Your phone won't drain power searching for a signal it can't find. Go to Settings > Airplane Mode and toggle it on. You won't receive calls or messages, but your battery will last much longer.

Battery health and age-related drain

iPhones have rechargeable lithium batteries that degrade over time. After 500 full charge cycles (roughly one to two years of normal use), your battery will hold less charge than it did when new. You can check your battery's health in Settings to see whether age is the culprit.

Go to Settings > Battery > Battery Health & Charging. Look at the Maximum Capacity percentage. If it's 80 percent or higher, your battery is still in good condition. If it's below 80 percent, your battery has degraded and will drain faster under the same use. If it's below 50 percent, Apple recommends having the battery replaced.

If your battery health is low but you can't replace it right now, enable Low Power Mode. Swipe down from the top-right corner to open Control Center and tap the battery icon, or go to Settings > Battery > Low Power Mode. This reduces performance and background activity to extend battery life by a few hours.

System processes and iOS updates

Sometimes iOS itself is using extra battery while it indexes files, downloads an update, or performs maintenance tasks. This is usually temporary and stops after a few hours or a day. If your battery drain is unusually high for just one day, check whether your phone is installing an update or performing a backup.

Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage to see how much space you have available. If you're very low on storage (under 1 GB), your phone works harder and drains battery faster. Delete old photos, videos, or apps you don't use to free up space.

Restart your iPhone if battery drain is sudden and unexplained. Press and hold the side button and either volume button until the power-off slider appears, then drag it to turn off your phone. Wait 30 seconds, then press and hold the side button again to turn it back on. This often stops runaway background processes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my battery draining even when I'm not using my phone?

Background app refresh, location services, and Bluetooth are the most common causes. Check Settings > General > Background App Refresh and turn off the toggle for apps that don't need to update when you're not using them. Also review location permissions in Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services and change apps from Always to While Using.

What should I do if one app is using 50 percent of my battery?

That app likely has a bug, is downloading large files, or is running video or audio continuously. Try force-closing it: swipe up from the bottom of the screen (or down from the top-right on iPhone X and newer) and swipe up on the app. If the problem continues, delete the app and reinstall it from the App Store, or contact the app developer.

Does turning off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth really save battery?

Yes, but only if you're not actively using them. If you're connected to Wi-Fi and using the internet, Wi-Fi actually uses less power than cellular data. Turn off Wi-Fi only when you're away from your network and not browsing. Bluetooth drains power continuously when it's on, so turn it off when you're not using wireless headphones or speakers.

How often should I charge my iPhone to keep the battery healthy?

Charge your iPhone whenever it's convenient—there's no penalty for charging frequently. Modern iPhones are designed to handle daily charging. Avoid letting the battery drop to 0 percent regularly, and avoid leaving your phone plugged in at 100 percent for extended periods. Both extremes stress the battery over time.

Can I replace my iPhone battery myself?

Apple and authorized repair shops can replace your battery. If your battery health is below 80 percent and you're still under warranty or have AppleCare+, the replacement may be covered. Otherwise, out-of-warranty battery replacement costs vary by iPhone model. Third-party repair shops offer cheaper replacements, but Apple's service ensures the battery is genuine and properly installed.