The most common reason your iPhone battery dies quickly is background app refresh
Your iPhone runs tasks in the background even when you are not using the phone. Apps check for messages, refresh feeds, and read updates while the screen is off. This constant activity drains the battery faster than you would expect from normal use. The second most common cause is screen brightness set too high — the display uses more power than any other component in your phone.
Less often, a battery that has aged past 500 charge cycles loses its ability to hold power. You can check your battery's health in Settings > Battery > Battery Health & Charging. If the maximum capacity is below 80 percent, the battery itself is the problem, not your apps or settings. If it is above 80 percent, something in your phone's behavior is draining power faster than it should.
Key Takeaways
- Check your battery health first in Settings > Battery > Battery Health & Charging — if maximum capacity is below 80 percent, the battery has degraded and needs replacement.
- Background app refresh drains battery constantly; turn it off for individual apps in Settings > General > Background App Refresh, keeping it on only for apps you actually need to update in the background.
- Screen brightness is the single largest power drain after background activity; lower it manually or use auto-brightness in Settings > Display & Brightness.
- Location services, especially "Always" permission, drain battery quickly; review which apps have location access in Settings > Privacy > Location Services.
- Check which apps consumed the most battery in the past 24 hours in Settings > Battery to identify the specific culprit draining your phone.
How to see which apps are using the most battery
Open Settings, then tap Battery. Scroll down to see a list of apps ranked by how much battery they used in the past 24 hours or the past 10 days. The percentage next to each app shows what portion of your total battery that app consumed. If one app is using more than 20 percent of your battery and you do not use it heavily, that app is the problem.
Tap on any app in the list to see whether it was active on screen or running in the background. If an app you rarely open is using significant battery in the background, turn off its background app refresh. If an app you use constantly is at the top of the list, that is normal — heavy use drains battery faster than light use.
Turn off background app refresh for apps you do not need
Go to Settings > General > Background App Refresh. You will see a list of every app on your phone. Toggle off the switch next to any app that does not need to update when you are not using it. Most people can safely turn this off for social media apps, news apps, and games. Keep it on for messaging apps, email, and maps if you want notifications to arrive quickly.
Turning off background app refresh for five to ten apps can add two to four hours to your battery life, depending on which apps you disable. Start with the apps you use least often. If you notice you are missing notifications from an app, go back and turn background refresh back on for that one app only.
Lower your screen brightness and turn on auto-brightness
Your iPhone screen is the single largest power drain after background activity. Open Settings > Display & Brightness and drag the brightness slider all the way down, then toggle on Auto-Brightness. This setting adjusts brightness based on the light in your environment, so you get enough light to see without wasting power in dim rooms.
If auto-brightness feels too dim in bright sunlight, you can still use it — your eyes adjust quickly. Lowering brightness from maximum to 40 percent can add three to five hours to your battery life. If you spend most of your day indoors, you may never need brightness above 30 percent.
Check location services and disable "Always" permission
Apps with permission to use your location constantly drain battery, especially if they use GPS rather than cell tower location. Go to Settings > Privacy > Location Services. Tap each app and change "Always" to "While Using" or "Never." Most apps only need your location when you are actively using them — maps needs it while you are navigating, but your weather app does not need it all day.
Some apps request "Always" permission but rarely use it. Deny location access entirely to apps that do not need it, like social media or games. If an app stops working without location access, you can always turn it back on. Disabling location for three to five apps can add one to two hours to your battery life.
Disable notifications and location for apps running in the background
Even if background app refresh is on, you can reduce battery drain by limiting what apps do in the background. Go to Settings > Notifications and turn off notifications for apps you do not need to hear from constantly. Each notification wakes your phone and uses power, even if you do not look at it.
You can also limit background activity by enabling Low Power Mode in Settings > Battery. This reduces performance slightly but can add one to three hours to your battery life. Low Power Mode turns off background app refresh, reduces screen brightness, and slows down processing until you charge to 80 percent.
When your battery health is below 80 percent
If your battery health is below 80 percent, the battery itself is aging and cannot hold as much charge as it did when new. This is normal wear — lithium batteries degrade over time. You can still use your phone, but it will not last as long between charges no matter what settings you change.
Apple offers battery replacement at an Apple Store or authorized service provider. The cost varies by iPhone model but is typically between $50 and $100. If your iPhone is still under warranty or AppleCare+, the replacement may be covered. You can also contact Apple Support to discuss your options before visiting a store.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does closing apps in the background actually save battery?
No. Closing apps by swiping them away from the app switcher does not save battery because they are not running in the background. iOS automatically stops apps from using power when you switch away from them. Repeatedly closing and reopening apps actually uses more battery because the phone has to reload them from scratch each time.
Will turning off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth save battery?
Yes, but not as much as you might think. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth use less power than cellular or location services. Turn them off if you are not using them, but do not expect dramatic improvement. Turning off background app refresh and lowering screen brightness will save far more battery than disabling Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.
Why does my battery drain faster in cold weather?
Lithium batteries work less efficiently in cold temperatures. Your iPhone may show a lower battery percentage in the cold, but the battery is not actually draining faster — it is just delivering power less efficiently. The battery will return to normal performance when it warms up. Do not charge your phone in very cold conditions, as this can damage the battery permanently.
Can I replace my iPhone battery myself?
You can buy replacement batteries online, but opening your iPhone yourself voids your warranty and risks damaging the phone. An Apple Store replacement takes one to two hours and preserves your warranty. If cost is a concern, ask Apple about mail-in battery replacement options, which are often cheaper than in-store service.
Does having too many apps installed drain battery faster?
The number of apps you have installed does not drain battery. Only apps that are actively running or refreshing in the background use power. You can have 200 apps installed and still have excellent battery life if none of them have background app refresh enabled. Delete apps only if you do not use them and want to free up storage space.