Apple’s brand-new iOS 26 dropped last week, and while it comes with shiny new features such as the Liquid Glass look, it’s also giving people a major headache: Their iPhone battery is dying faster than ever.
It’s not just you; loads of iPhone owners are noticing their charge dropping way too quickly since the update. And it feels like your phone barely makes it through the day anymore. But don’t panic. Apple says this is normal after a big update, and there are a few simple fixes you can try right now to make things better.
So, why does your iPhone’s battery drain faster after updating?
Just me, or is iOS 26 eating battery
way too fast?
pic.twitter.com/1IezNi4U3S
— IMPAarTX (@IMPAarTX) September 16, 2025
First things first, it’s worth knowing why this happens. When you install iOS 26, your iPhone has a lot of work to do in the background such as updating apps, indexing files, downloading assets, all that nerdy stuff. While it’s busy doing that, your battery takes the hit.
Apple promises it’s temporary, but in the meantime, you don’t have to just sit there watching your percentage plummet. So, here’s how to save your iPhone’s battery on iOS 26.
1. Turn on Adaptive Power
This is the big new one. Adaptive Power mode automatically lowers screen brightness, slows down background tasks, and even switches to Low Power Mode at 20 per cent, all without you lifting a finger. Just head to Settings > Battery > Adaptive Power and toggle it on.
2. Check the new Battery screen
In iOS 26, the Battery screen has had a makeover. Go to Settings > Battery and you’ll now see detailed graphs comparing today’s usage with yesterday’s. This helps you spot which apps are draining your phone the most so you can shut them down or limit their background activity.
3. Reduce background activity yourself
If your battery is still struggling, you can step in. Turn off Background App Refresh by going to Settings > General > Background App Refresh. This is stop the apps you don’t really need constantly updating.
4. Keep an eye on brightness
Your display is one of the biggest power hogs. Even with Adaptive Power on, it’s worth setting your screen brightness lower manually or turning on Auto-Brightness in Settings > Accessibility > Display and Text Size.
For more like this, like The Tab on Facebook.
