I used to carry a charger the way some people carry lip balm—non-negotiable, always within reach. My iPhone battery would plummet before noon, and by mid-afternoon I’d be frantically scanning cafes for outlets like I was part of some modern-day treasure hunt. I assumed it was just the cost of living digitally—until I actually looked into it.
Turns out, my iPhone wasn’t the problem. I was.
Between background apps draining silently, push notifications pinging nonstop, and a few small habits I didn’t realize were sabotaging battery life, I was setting myself up for constant charging. Once I adjusted how I used—and maintained—my phone, my battery easily made it through the day. Often into the next.
If your phone barely survives your lunch break, this article is for you. These 15 smart iPhone battery tips are the ones that actually made a difference for me.
Why Your iPhone Battery Drains So Fast
iPhones are powerful little computers. And like any tech, how you use them has a huge impact on how long the battery lasts. Apple builds iPhones with battery efficiency in mind, but even the latest models can’t keep up if you’ve got ten things silently running in the background.
According to Apple, your iPhone battery is designed to retain up to 80% of its original capacity at 500 full charge cycles. Translation? It should last the day—if you’re not unknowingly asking it to do the digital equivalent of sprinting a marathon.
That’s what this guide is for. It’s not about turning your phone into a paperweight with zero features. It’s about making small, smarter changes that actually stretch your battery life—so you’re not constantly tethered to a cable.
1. Check What’s Actually Draining Your Battery
This sounds basic, but it’s where everything starts. Go to Settings > Battery, and scroll down to see the list of apps using the most power.
You might be surprised. I discovered that Maps was silently draining my battery even when I wasn’t navigating, just because it had location access always on. Social media apps also tend to be sneaky culprits here.
Use this report weekly to identify apps that need taming or uninstalling.
2. Turn Off Background App Refresh
By default, your apps refresh in the background—even when you’re not using them. That means news feeds update, weather apps check conditions, and your inbox pings itself over and over.
To limit this, go to Settings > General > Background App Refresh and toggle it off or set it to Wi-Fi only.
You won’t lose functionality, but your battery (and data plan) will thank you.
3. Limit Location Services—Intelligently
Location services are essential for navigation, food delivery, and weather updates. But not every app needs real-time GPS data.
Go to Settings > Privacy > Location Services and review which apps have access. For many, “While Using the App” is more than enough. Only navigation-heavy apps like Google Maps or Apple Maps might warrant “Always,” and even then, consider switching it off when you’re done.
4. Use Low Power Mode Strategically
Low Power Mode is your iPhone’s built-in lifeline. It reduces background activity, dims your display slightly, and pauses things like mail fetch and visual effects.
Activate it in Settings > Battery or just add it to your Control Center for quick access. You don’t have to wait until you're at 20%—use it preemptively on heavy-use days.
Smart use of Low Power Mode throughout the day can extend your battery hours beyond what you’d expect.
5. Disable Push Email
Push email means your phone is constantly connected to your mail server, waiting for new messages to come in. That constant checking drains battery.
Instead, go to Settings > Mail > Accounts > Fetch New Data, and set it to fetch manually or on a schedule (like every 30 minutes or hourly).
Unless you’re expecting time-sensitive updates, this won’t affect much—and you’ll gain serious battery relief.
6. Manage Notifications Like a Pro
Every ping and pop-up wakes your screen. That adds up—especially with news alerts, social media, and email.
Head to Settings > Notifications, and get honest about what deserves your attention. Turn off notifications for apps that aren’t mission-critical. Use Scheduled Summary if you’re on iOS 15 or later to bundle non-urgent notifications into a few daily digests.
Your battery—and your mental focus—will both improve.
7. Adjust Screen Brightness (Or Let Auto-Brightness Work)
Displays are one of the biggest battery hogs, especially at full brightness.
Turn on Auto-Brightness in Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size, or simply reduce your default brightness manually in Control Center.
It’s a small shift that makes a noticeable difference over a full day’s use.
8. Turn Off Raise to Wake
This subtle feature wakes your screen every time you pick up your phone—whether you meant to or not.
Head to Settings > Display & Brightness and toggle off Raise to Wake. It won’t affect Face ID or usability, but it stops your screen from lighting up needlessly.
9. Ditch the Dynamic Wallpapers
I loved my parallax wallpaper... until I realized it was draining battery by rendering subtle motion effects every time I unlocked my phone. Use still images instead of live or dynamic wallpapers. You can change this in Settings > Wallpaper.
It’s a small swap, but for older iPhones especially, it keeps things simpler and leaner.
10. Enable Optimized Battery Charging
Apple added this feature to slow down battery aging. When enabled, your iPhone learns your charging habits and limits the charge to 80% until you need to use it—reducing the wear on your battery long term.
To turn it on: Settings > Battery > Battery Health & Charging > Optimized Battery Charging.
This feature doesn’t affect your day-to-day use—but it does extend your phone’s lifespan over time.
11. Watch Out for Signal Strength
A weak cellular signal forces your phone to work harder to stay connected, which can seriously drain the battery.
If you’re in a low-signal area, consider switching to Airplane Mode temporarily (especially if you're not expecting calls). It stops your phone from continuously searching for a tower.
12. Turn Off Automatic App Updates
Automatic app updates run quietly in the background and can happen at inconvenient times. Switch them off in Settings > App Store > App Updates. Instead, update manually when you’re connected to Wi-Fi and your phone is charging.
It gives you more control—and reduces background activity.
13. Avoid Full Battery Drains When Possible
Letting your battery drain to zero before charging used to be common advice. Now? Not so much.
Modern lithium-ion batteries do better with partial charges. It’s ideal to keep your battery between 20% and 80% when you can. Letting it hit 0% regularly can strain battery health over time.
14. Keep iOS Updated (With One Caveat)
Each iOS update includes improvements in battery management and system efficiency. Keeping your phone up to date ensures you’re getting the most optimized version of iOS available.
But don’t update on Day 1. Wait a day or two to let Apple patch any battery-related glitches (yes, it happens).
Update under Settings > General > Software Update when you’re on Wi-Fi and near a charger.
15. Reboot Once a Week
This one’s surprisingly overlooked. A quick restart once a week clears out system clutter, resets background processes, and often resolves rogue battery drains you didn’t know were happening.
To restart: Hold the side button + volume up/down, slide to power off, and turn it back on after 10 seconds.
Simple, free, and it actually works.
Pocket Wisdom
Curate notifications like your attention depends on it—because it does. Only allow alerts from apps that deserve your focus. Silence the rest.
Use Low Power Mode proactively—not just in emergencies. Think of it as energy budgeting, not last-resort panic.
Keep an eye on your battery stats weekly. Your iPhone literally tells you what’s draining it. Trust the data.
Auto-brightness and still wallpapers aren’t boring—they’re brilliant. Small background savings add up over time.
Reboot. Recharge. Repeat. A once-a-week reset for your phone is also a low-key reset for your brain.
Your Phone Works Hard—Help It Help You
We expect a lot from our phones. Navigation. Messages. Entertainment. Productivity. But we often forget that they’re still machines with limits. The goal of these battery-saving habits isn’t to restrict your iPhone—it’s to optimize how it works for you.
I no longer carry a charger with me like it’s an EpiPen. My iPhone comfortably lasts the day, and it feels good knowing I’m taking better care of the tech I use constantly. It doesn’t take a total lifestyle shift—just a handful of smarter, lower-lift changes.
