13 Effective Strategies to Optimize Daily iPhone Battery Life
Every iPhone user wishes for an extended battery life. While advancements in battery technology could enhance longevity further, there are still effective measures you can take. By implementing a few strategic tips or modifying your iOS settings, it’s possible to ensure your battery persists throughout the day, even under demanding usage.
1. Identify and Close Battery-Draining Apps
Understanding which applications consume the most battery is crucial for extending your iPhone’s battery life. Navigate to Settings -> Battery to view a list of the apps that use the most energy.
Your list may include frequently-used apps like Facebook, notorious for draining resources, or your VPN application. To prevent unused apps from sapping your battery life, ensure you close them correctly. To do this, swipe up from the bottom and pause to see all open apps, then swipe up on any that you wish to close. I learned this the hard way when a VPN app I left running overnight nearly depleted my battery.
If you find yourself traveling, consider uninstalling those apps and opt for their web versions instead. For navigation, pre-download maps to use offline when necessary.
2. Turn Off Background App Refresh
Background App Refresh on iPhones can be both beneficial and detrimental. This feature allows apps to update in the background, making them ready for use when you launch them. While essential for apps like Maps or Mail, it is often unnecessary for others.
You don’t have to disable this for every application. The more apps you restrict, the greater the potential for battery conservation. Go to Settings -> General -> Background App Refresh, review the list, and disable it for any apps that are seldom used.
3. Prioritize Wi-Fi Over Cellular Data
Using Wi-Fi is more efficient and conserves battery compared to cellular data, which tends to drain your battery more quickly. I always make it a habit to request the Wi-Fi password whenever I’m out dining.
To confirm that cellular data is off, navigate to Settings -> Cellular and ensure the Cellular Data toggle is deactivated.
Disable cellular access for battery-draining apps like YouTube, Netflix, and Facebook by adjusting their settings.
You may also want to activate Airplane Mode to completely halt any data usage. Go to Settings -> Airplane mode to toggle on this feature.
4. Activate Low Power Mode
Using Low Power Mode helps conserve battery by deactivating or restricting various features on your device.
To turn on this mode, go to Settings -> Battery and toggle the Low Power Mode switch at the top. When enabled, your iPhone will:
- Halt email fetching (at least for the default application)
- Disable “Hey Siri” functionality
- Stop Background App Refresh
- Cease automatic downloads
- Minimize visual effects
- Set the screen to auto-lock in 30 seconds
- Prevent iCloud Photos from syncing in the background
When this mode is activated, the battery icon will appear in yellow. The Low Power Mode is automatically deactivated once your iPhone reaches an 80% charge.
5. Turn Off Hey Siri Detection
If you seldom use Siri, disabling the “Hey Siri” feature can help reserve power that would otherwise be used to listen for voice commands.
Visit Settings -> Siri & Search.
Toggle off the Listen for “Hey Siri” option.
6. Switch to Dark Mode
Studies indicate that dark mode can positively impact battery performance while being easier on the eyes. Personally, I enjoy the aesthetic of dark mode and prefer using it, alongside the battery-saving benefits it provides.
To enable it, navigate to Settings -> Display & Brightness and switch from Light to Dark.
7. Disable Push Notifications
Reducing the frequency of push notifications is an efficient way to extend battery life. Every notification triggers an action that connects to Wi-Fi or cellular networks, which can light up your phone’s display unnecessarily.
To manage notifications, head to Settings -> Notifications.
Review each app individually to determine which notifications you wish to keep. I often disable the Allow Notifications option for all apps at once, and might also switch off Time Sensitive Notifications.
8. Modify Screen Brightness
Higher screen brightness intensifies battery consumption. The brighter your screen, the quicker the power drains.
You can adjust brightness via the Control Center or by going to Settings -> Display & Brightness. I typically keep my brightness lower due to light sensitivity.
9. Restrict Location Services
While GPS and location tracking are incredibly useful, frequent use can significantly affect battery performance. It may be productive to deactivate location access for apps that are not currently in use.
Head to Settings -> Privacy & Security -> Location Services.
Examine each app to see which access your location. For those that don’t require it, set their location access to Never or Ask Next Time Or When I Share.
While apps like Weather or email may benefit from location data, deem those that don’t need it unnecessary to preserve battery life. Although you can disable Location Services entirely, keep in mind that this will limit the functionality of crucial applications like Maps.
10. Shorten Auto-Lock Time
I prefer a longer auto-lock time for reading or watching media, but keeping your screen awake for too long leads to quicker battery depletion.
It’s advisable to set a shorter auto-lock duration. Sometimes, I shorten my auto-lock setting to the minimum time for convenience. Your display will turn off almost immediately once left idle.
Access Settings -> Display & Brightness -> Auto-Lock.
Set it to 30 seconds.
On Pro models, you may also have the additional feature of Always On Display, which should be turned off in the same Display & Brightness section.
11. Check Battery Usage Stats
When my iPhone’s battery depletes faster than expected, I often delve into the Settings -> Battery section to scrutinize the data.
This overview helps me identify any significant drops in battery percentage and correlates with my app usage during those periods.
For deeper insights, refer to the Battery Health & Charging section, ensuring the toggle for Optimize Battery Charging is enabled.
12. Turn Off Haptic Feedback
As someone who prefers texting to making calls, I’ve noticed that disabling haptic feedback significantly improves my iPhone battery life. If you don’t text frequently, this may not be as impactful, but for active texters, it’s definitely worth considering.
Navigate to Settings -> Sounds & Haptics -> Keyboard Feedback.
Switch off the Haptic toggle.
13. Lower Refresh Rate
For users of the newer iPhone Pro models, the default refresh rate of 120Hz enhances responsiveness but can also consume a considerable amount of battery life.
To switch to a more conservative 60Hz refresh rate, visit Settings -> Accessibility -> Motion and enable the Limit Frame Rate setting.
Bonus: Consider Getting a Power Bank
This suggestion is particularly useful if you’re planning a trip filled with photo opportunities. Investing in a lightweight yet powerful power bank ensures your iPhone remains charged when you need it most.
With these tips on maintaining your iPhone’s battery efficiency, you can fully enjoy taking pictures and utilizing your device’s capabilities. Should you experience issues, stay informed about potential Camera Control problems in the iPhone 16.
Image credit: Unsplash . All screenshots by Alexandra Arici.
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