iPhone Users Report Significant Battery Drain Following iOS 26 Update
Numerous iPhone users are reporting a substantial decrease in battery life after updating to iOS 26, launched in September, potentially impacting millions of users.
Reports began surfacing shortly after the release and have continued to grow across online forums and social media. One user on the official Apple support message board detailed experiencing a 45% battery drop on a brand new iPhone 15 over a period of eight hours with minimal use, stating, “So it’s definitely not the phone’s fault because it’s brand new with a 100% original battery, nor is it the settings because it was in permanent mode. So the fault lies solely with iOS.” Similar complaints have been logged by owners of older models, including the iPhone 13, and newer devices like the iPhone 16.
Users on Reddit have echoed these concerns, with one iPhone 13 Pro Max owner noting a significant decline despite a recent battery replacement. “I have replaced the battery last year with Apple and it was exceptional with iOS 18.6… Now I’m lucky if it’s above 50%,” they wrote. The issue appears to be exacerbated when using features like Liquid Glass enhanced tabs. This widespread battery drain could lead to increased demand for battery replacements or new devices.
Apple acknowledges that temporary battery life impacts can occur after major software updates, explaining that devices require time to complete background processes like indexing and app updates. The company states it “continually works to optimize these features in software updates to ensure great battery life and a smooth user experience.” Some users have found temporary relief by updating all apps, power cycling their devices, or utilizing Low Power Mode, as detailed in a recent article about iOS battery optimization. For more information on managing your iPhone’s battery, visit Apple’s official battery health page.
Apple has indicated it is monitoring the situation and will continue to release updates to address performance and battery life concerns.
Apple may have created a problem with the latest version of iOS.
Since iOS 26 launched in September, there have been reports around the internet of the new update significantly shortening battery life, even on newer iPhones. For instance, one user on Apple’s support message board posted a thread at the beginning of this month claiming that their brand new iPhone 15 was impacted, and as they put it, the only possible explanation is iOS 26.
“Today, I was busy all day and did not use my phone from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., yet it still dropped from 90% to 45% without doing anything. No apps were open, the “Refresh apps in background” option was not enabled, the screen was set to turn off automatically after 30 seconds, and automatic brightness was enabled,” the user wrote. “So it’s definitely not the phone’s fault because it’s brand new with a 100% original battery, nor is it the settings because it was in permanent mode. So the fault lies solely with iOS. There are no excuses.”
There are also lengthy Reddit threads about it. For example, in one thread, users with iPhones as old as the iPhone 13 and as new as the iPhone 16 pointed out they were getting several hours less of battery life compared to what they had before the update. User Responsible_Film_778, who has an iPhone 13 Pro Max, summed it up succinctly.
Mashable Light Speed
“I have replaced the battery last year with Apple and it was exceptional with iOS 18.6. I was ending the day with 87% battery left with light usage. Now I’m lucky if it’s above 50%,” the user wrote. “It seems to consume the battery when scrolling through the Liquid Glass enhanced tabs or panels. Really disappointed with this update. I have 98% battery health but it acts like it has lost 1/3 of its capacity. Hopefully a new update will come soon to rectify the problem.”
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.
Naturally, you don’t have to go far on X to find people mad about this, either. User @Digitalix complained that their iPhone 16 Pro is now only a “half-day phone” thanks to the iOS 26 update.
Of course, this hasn’t all happened without any kind of response from Apple. The company has a support page with information about possible battery life downgrades as a result of software updates. According to Apple, it might just be temporary and could go away on its own as the company makes further updates to iOS 26.
“Immediately after completing an update, particularly a major release, you might notice a temporary impact on battery life and thermal performance. This is normal, as your device needs time to complete the setup process in the background, including indexing data and files for search, downloading new assets, and updating apps.
New features are exciting and help you get even more out of your Apple product, though some may require additional resources from the device. Depending on individual usage, some users may notice a small impact on performance and/or battery life. Apple continually works to optimize these features in software updates to ensure great battery life and a smooth user experience.”
Users in the Apple support forum and Reddit threads also suggested some possible fixes, and Mashable previously wrote about the new “Adaptive Power” setting in iOS 26. It sounds like updating all of your apps and then power cycling the phone helped some people, as third-party apps may not be optimized to run efficiently on iOS 26 right away. There are also other measures you can take, such as turning off ProMotion on higher-end iPhones or activating Low Power Mode.
Fingers crossed anyone dealing with this is able to fix it without sending their phone off to Apple for a battery replacement.
