The most popular iPhone is a truly excellent gadget that opens up many amazing possibilities for the user.
However, using all the services available to iPhone owners causes the full battery charge to drop to zero in just 7-8 hours. Therefore, gadget owners have to carry a charger with them and charge it as soon as possible.
It is important to determine for what reasons the new iPhone quickly discharges and, if possible, eliminate them. The main task is to check all applications that significantly consume energy and determine the need for their constant operation.
Some programs may no longer be used at all, but they take up a certain part of the memory and, running in the background, reduce the battery life. They must be uninstalled immediately.
In addition to all kinds of programs that are energy hogs, the device’s screen has a huge impact on the battery’s energy resource. At the same time, as its diagonal increases, energy consumption also increases. In this situation, you should reduce the brightness of the display.
The rapid loss of battery power can be caused by a malfunction of the battery itself in an Apple smartphone.
This can happen for several reasons:
- improper operation of the device;
- wear due to a long period of use. If you previously noticed that the iPhone is discharged in 4 - 5 days, and now in two, then perhaps the battery has simply been demolished and should be replaced;
- due to increased energy consumption. These types of failures are mainly the result of liquid ingress, a fall, an impact, after which certain contacts close or separate.
One of the main reasons for the rapid discharge of the battery on an iPhone is the use of a non-original (low-quality) charger. Also, the reason for short battery retention on an iPhone may be poor battery quality.
Location Services
Many applications use location data even when running in the background.
It’s one thing when it comes to maps or navigation, and quite another when the smartphone’s GPS module is used by entertainment applications and games that can easily do without it. You can disable geolocation for unnecessary applications, and at the same time save battery power, in the geolocation settings. Go to Settings → Privacy → Location Services and check which apps really need to use location data in the background, and which you can completely deny access to GPS. And don’t forget to look at the “System Services” item at the very bottom of the list: there are quite a few options there, like advertising, that you can safely turn off.
Force termination of applications
The common belief that forcing applications to close from the multitasking menu helps save battery power is completely wrong. In fact, it's the other way around.
When you unload an application from memory, the next time you access it, the system has to completely restart it, wasting processor resources and, as a result, battery power. Therefore, you should not manually close applications in the multitasking menu - this is not only useless, but also harmful.
Tips for saving energy on iPhone
Some of the most popular tips for saving battery power include:
- performing an update to the latest version of the operating system;
- turning on airplane mode at moments when communication is not needed;
- disabling auto-update of utilities;
- setting the screen to auto-lock after 30 seconds of inactivity;
- Reducing screen brightness, turning off sound and vibrations;
- disable synchronization in iCloud and other applications.
If you need to save charge for a long time for an important call, the best solution is to turn off your iPhone. When completely turned off, the charge will be lost as slowly as possible (provided that the smartphone is in above-zero temperatures). As soon as you need to connect, the device turns on again.
Loading new mail
Not everyone and not always need to constantly check emails, which eats up precious iPhone battery power. And even if this is so, then instant loading is needed only for one box; for the rest, manual checking or sampling at specified intervals is suitable.
You can change the frequency of sampling new email messages, oddly enough, not in the mail settings, but in the account options. Open “Settings” → “Accounts and Passwords” → “Data Download” and set the “Sampling” option for “non-urgent” mailboxes, and then below indicate after what period of time you want to check new messages on the server.
Notifications
The same applies to notifications. Almost every application asks for permission to send notifications when first launched, but only a small part actually needs it. Due to the endless stream of notifications, the screen often turns on and the app constantly communicates with its servers using cellular data or Wi-Fi. All this affects the autonomy of the iPhone in a far from positive way.
Go to “Settings” → “Notifications” and turn off notifications for all applications except instant messengers, social networks and other programs that are important to you.
Which has almost no effect on battery charge
Among the things that have a minimal impact on battery drain are:
- working Wi-Fi and Bluetooth modules;
- widgets;
- various types of animations;
- automatic download of updates (subject to Wi-Fi use).
It is necessary to make any manipulations in the settings related to disabling updates or the operation of Bluetooth or Wi-Fi only if you want to achieve maximum autonomy when it is impossible to recharge your smartphone. Disabling all of the above services will extend the operation of the smartphone by 3-5%, but will also cause a decrease in the level of comfort of using the device.
During optimization, first of all, you need to get rid of high brightness levels, animated wallpapers, constant geolocation monitoring and unnecessary notifications. Disabling the most costly services will increase the operating time of your iPhone by 20-30%, especially in standby mode.
Automatic content downloads
If you have other iOS devices besides your iPhone, then thanks to the automatic download function, all purchased applications, music and books will be immediately downloaded to them. Useful, but with active use it can cause significant battery drain.
You can disable the automatic downloads feature completely or only for a selected type of content in the Settings → iTunes Store and App Store menu. Another option is to allow downloading only over Wi-Fi by turning off the Cellular Data toggle.
Why does my iPhone drain quickly?
To correctly diagnose the problem, you must:
- carefully study the iPhone settings;
- check battery life using special utilities;
- assess the physical condition of the device.
If the phone is new, then the source of the problem is most likely poor application optimization or constant background updates. In more rare cases, rapid discharge is associated with a defective iPhone.
Background software update
Each application is updated regularly. The update occurs by downloading content via a mobile network or Wi-Fi. Running the Internet in the background speeds up battery drain.
To increase device autonomy, it is recommended to disable automatic background software updates. It is recommended to update utilities while the phone is charging.
In the “Content Update” section, you will need to disable the automatic download of the new version for all frequently updated applications.
To ensure trouble-free use of individual programs, you must receive updates regularly. When you disable autoloading, you must independently check for new versions of utilities at least once a month.
Geolocation enabled
Each iPhone is equipped with a GPS module to obtain location data. Due to constant synchronization with satellites, the phone begins to discharge too quickly.
The solution to the problem is to use geolocation only when necessary. The rest of the time you need to keep GPS turned off. To disable GPS, you need to go to settings, select the “Privacy” section and disable geolocation services.
If for some reason this function must be constantly turned on (for example, to launch the navigator as quickly as possible), then you can optimize its operation by prohibiting some applications and games from accessing geolocation. After the ban, the charge will not be spent on a constant search for satellites until an application from the list of allowed ones is launched.
Bluetooth and Wi-Fi
New iPhone models use the most advanced Bluetooth and Wi-Fi modules, although they may slightly increase battery consumption. If your main goal is to maximize battery life on a single charge, then you can disable these services.
Bluetooth is used to synchronize with smart watches and to connect headphones. If these gadgets are not used, then you can disable this module until it is needed. The Wi-Fi module allows you to receive a signal from the router, thereby connecting to your home or public Internet network.
Always-on Wi-Fi automatically connects to the router as soon as it comes within range. To save battery, you can turn on the module only when necessary, but this is not as convenient as automatic connection.
Widgets
If your iPhone is quickly discharged, you should definitely check which interface elements are actively working. Some widgets that download a lot of information from the Internet or constantly request location data speed up the device's battery life by 3-5%.
To optimize the operation of your smartphone, you need to swipe left on the main working screen. A list of active widgets will open. To make the settings, you will need to scroll down and click on the “Change” button. In the menu that opens, you can turn widgets on and off. To save battery power, it is first recommended to disable news and geolocation interface elements.
Screen brightness
Brightness is a parameter that directly affects the rate of battery discharge. The brighter the display, the faster the iPhone sits down. For normal operation of the phone, it is enough to set the auto-brightness parameters. Indoors, the brightness of the display will automatically decrease, while outdoors and in bright light it will increase.
For maximum savings, you can reduce the brightness to a minimum, but it is worth remembering that this will make it difficult to use the iPhone in bright daylight.
Automatic content downloads
The iPhone can automatically not only download updates, but also various content (music, audiobooks and programs). Various content begins to download automatically if a person previously owned an Apple device and logged into iTunes through his old account.
To disable automatic downloading, you need to go to settings, click on “iTunes Store and App Store”, in the tab uncheck all content. If you wish, you can re-enable updates and automatic downloads at any convenient time without any difficulties.
cellular
Cellular communications are radio communications that enable all mobile phones and smartphones to operate. If you disconnect from it, you will not be able to make calls, receive calls or use the Internet.
Establishing a connection with radio base stations requires a fairly large amount of charge, especially if the radio tower is located far away. If you don’t need cellular communication at a particular time, you can switch to offline mode to slow down your iPhone’s drain.
If you need to always be in touch, then you can only turn off the Internet in those moments when it is not in use. This will also help combat rapid discharge.
Notifications
Various instant messengers, games and programs notify a person via notification. When a notification arrives, the screen lights up for a few seconds, which negatively affects battery life. The iPhone begins to discharge especially quickly when many applications are installed, and each of them tries to notify about something.
To disable unnecessary notifications, you will need to perform the following algorithm of actions:
- Go to settings and find the “Notifications” item.
- Select an application from which you no longer want to receive notifications.
- Turn off notifications.
iPhone allows you to fine-tune your alerts. You can make sure that they do not come only when the screen is locked.
Loading new mail
Updating mail is not essential, but can affect the speed of discharge. This function allows you to check if new messages have arrived in your email. If there is no need for constant checks, then updates can be disabled. To do this you need to do the following:
- Go to settings and click on “Passwords and accounts”.
- Next, click on “Download data”.
- Set the required update time interval (every 15 minutes, automatically or manually).
After setting the necessary parameters, you do not need to restart your iPhone. They will be applied immediately.
Applications crash
If the application does not work correctly or the iPhone is completely frozen, then you need to solve the problem by rebooting. After restarting the phone, the problem should resolve itself. If this does not happen, you need to remove the application that leads to rapid discharge of the device.
To reboot, you need to hold down the lock button for a few seconds. If the iPhone is frozen, then a forced reboot can be performed by holding the lock button and the volume down key.
Battery wear
The most common reason for the rapid discharge of an old smartphone is battery wear. A slight loss of battery capacity becomes noticeable already after the 2nd year of using the phone. With active use for the 3rd year, the iPhone loses more than 50% of its battery capacity, which causes it to discharge 2 times faster. The only way to solve the problem is to replace the battery at a service center. You can check the battery capacity by connecting your iPhone to a MacBook or Macintosh and running a program called “Coconut Battery”.
Typically, problems begin to occur after 500 charge-discharge cycles. If the number of cycles in the Coconut Battery program (Cycle Count) exceeds this value, then you can without a doubt go to replace the battery.
Applications are poorly optimized
A poorly optimized application that has access to mobile networks and geolocation can cause your iPhone to quickly lose charge. To determine the most ineffective programs, you need to go to the settings, go to “Battery”, click on the “Battery Usage” section. A list of the most energy-consuming programs will be provided. If an unnecessary application is found in the list, which also consumes a lot of energy, it will need to be removed.
The most energy efficient programs are those that are already pre-installed on the iPhone. If a third-party browser is at the top for energy consumption, then to optimize battery consumption it is recommended to start using the native Safari browser.
The list of the most energy-consuming programs on iPhone is formed based on statistics obtained over the last 24 hours or 7 days.
Live wallpaper included
Many iPhone users install live wallpapers on their desktop because of their attractiveness, but if energy efficiency is important, then it is advisable to abandon this. The animated background forces the smartphone's processor to work intensively to achieve maximum smoothness when flipping through the desktop. All this leads to the consumption of more energy.
To change the wallpaper you need to perform the following algorithm:
- Go to settings.
- Select the “Wallpaper and Brightness” section
- Click on “Select Wallpaper”.
- Choose the option you like.
The best solution is a static monotonous picture. After disabling live wallpaper, the operating time of the device increases significantly.
High screen brightness
In most cases, auto-brightness works correctly and allows you to save battery power by automatically adjusting to the lighting level. However, some users prefer to keep the brightness at a minimum and adjust it to the desired level themselves. This way you can achieve even greater savings.
In iOS 11, the toggle switch for turning off auto-brightness is not in its usual place in the “Display and Brightness” section, but in the accessibility settings. To get to it you need to go to “Settings” → “General” → “Universal Access” → “Display Adaptation”.
Limit updates
Almost every application receives updates from time to time, and in a situation where your smartphone is running iOS 8, programs often download new versions of the software in the background. At the same time, the iPhone user is not even aware of these processes.
On the one hand, this is logical and convenient, but on the other hand, after the update, the battery level is significantly reduced. And with a large number of programs installed on the iPhone, automatic updates can be simply fatal for the device.
Updates can be canceled, and this should only be done for those applications that are not essential for the functioning of your gadget.
To configure and disable automatic updates you must:
- go to “Settings”;
- further Basic;
- item iTunes Store, AppStor;
- then Update;
- switch to Off position.
Application crash
It often happens that one of the applications may not work correctly due to a glitch, thereby causing increased battery drain. In this case, you can restore operation by forcefully restarting the iPhone.
You can do this by simultaneously pressing the lock button and the Home button on the iPhone 6s, 6s Plus and earlier devices, or the lock button and the volume down key on the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus. On iPhone X, iPhone 8, and 8 Plus, you need to quickly press the Volume Up key, then quickly press and release the Volume Down key, and then press and hold the Lock button.
Battery wear
It may happen that problems with rapid battery discharge are caused by its wear and tear. Apple lithium-polymer batteries can withstand about 500 cycles without a noticeable loss of initial capacity, after which it begins to decline and the smartphone holds a charge worse.
You can check the degree of battery wear using special utilities. For macOS, the most convenient way is to use the free Coconut Battery, which shows information about the batteries of iOS devices when they are connected to a Mac. On Windows, iBackupBot will show the number of cycles. If the cycles have exceeded 500, it’s time to contact a service center to replace the battery.
Backlight options
The longer the screen backlight remains active, the faster the device discharges. If you haven't configured it so that it doesn't run in vain, do so.
Open Settings → Display & Brightness. Select the Auto-Lock option and set it to the lowest setting so that the backlight turns off on its own as soon as possible if you forget to manually lock the screen.
Also, turn off the Raise to Activate option if available on your device. The backlight will no longer turn on automatically when you pick up the device, and as a result will work less frequently unnecessarily.
Excess or poor application optimization
Each installed application is a consumer of energy. And if the developer has not optimized the code or made mistakes, it can consume much more battery resources than necessary.
Check the list of programs on your device and remove those that you do not need or are too wasteful. If you can't live without one of these apps, try replacing it with an alternative from the App Store - it may be a more battery-friendly alternative.
You can view a list of installed programs, sorted by energy consumption, in the “Settings” → “Battery” → “Battery Usage” section.
Frequently asked questions and answers
Vyacheslav
For several years he worked in mobile phone stores of two large operators. I understand tariffs well and see all the pitfalls. I love gadgets, especially Android ones.
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Question to the expert
Can I do the optimization myself?
Performing deep customization does not require special skills or a lot of time.
What should you do if, after all the settings, your iPhone continues to discharge quickly?
The condition of the battery should be assessed, and if it is worn out, replace it.
When does a smartphone discharge faster while playing or watching videos?
Running applications uses all of the iPhone's processing power, so it drains faster when playing games.
How to reduce energy consumption when using a smartphone as a navigator?
You should download maps to your iPhone in advance and launch the navigator with mobile networks turned off and the screen brightness level low.
Determining the reason for the rapid discharge of an iPhone is a simple procedure. By carefully studying the most energy-consuming programs in the “Battery Usage” section, turning off notifications and geolocation, optimization can be easily carried out.
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