Is your iPhone battery draining faster since you upgraded to iOS 18.2? You’re not alone! Many users are experiencing this issue despite the new features and improvements. But don’t worry – there’s a solution.
In this guide, we offer a step-by-step guide to help you optimize your device’s performance, manage settings, and fix app-related problems that may be draining your battery. Follow these simple tips to restore your iPhone’s battery life and get the most out of iOS 18.2 without sacrificing performance.
Wait for the Update to Settle
If you install a big update, like iOS 18.2, on your iPhone, it could take a while for it to stabilize and use the new software. Reindexing data, recalibrating settings, and optimizing overall efficiency are some of the background activities that the system goes through in the first three to seven days after an update.
Battery life may be briefly impacted by these activities. If the power drain doesn’t stop after this initial period of settling, it’s time to take action by following the steps below.
Keep Software and Apps Updated
One of the main reasons why batteries die quickly is by using old apps on your device. Older iOS versions may use more power than newer ones due to incompatibilities between the two. Keeping your iPhone updated to the most recent version of iOS will help reduce the impact of this.
You should also check the App Store often to see if any of the apps you have installed have any updates. App developers are always releasing new versions with patches for bugs, enhancements to performance, and optimizations to help with battery life.
Deactivate Unused Services and Features
iOS 18.2 includes a plethora of functions and services that run in the background, even when you aren’t using them. These features make the experience better for the user, but they can also drain the battery faster. To save power, consider turning off functions you rarely use or don’t need. Here are some suggestions:
Siri: If you don’t use Siri frequently, uncheck the “Always Listen” option and speech shortcuts to save battery life.
Haptic Feedback: Haptic feedback provides a physical dimension to your interactions, but it can also sap your battery. Turn off vibrations for non-essential operations like music playback or keyboard typing.
Control Centre Toggles: Streamline your Control Centre by deleting toggles for functionality you don’t use frequently. This makes it easier to change settings and lowers the number of tasks that run in the background.
Track Battery-Draining Apps
In terms of power usage, not all applications are equivalent. The battery life of your iPhone might be drastically affected by certain apps, especially those that use location services, background refresh, or push notifications a lot. Review the battery consumption report in Settings > Battery to find the apps that are draining your battery. You can find out which apps are using the most power by reading this report. Consider these steps after identifying the culprits:
- If an app is constantly draining your battery life, even if it isn’t essential to your everyday tasks, you should either stop using it or remove it.
- Every app has its own background app refresh setting. For apps that don’t need to be updated constantly, you have the option to stop background refresh completely or enable it only on Wi-Fi.
- When you’re not using an app, close it. Manually dismissing background programs can help reduce unnecessary battery waste, even if iOS is built to manage them efficiently.
Optimize Widgets and Settings
- iOS 18.2 offers customizable widgets for quick access to information, but they can contribute to battery drain if they refresh or pull data frequently.
- Optimize Widget Setup:
- Remove unnecessary widgets by long-pressing them and selecting “Remove Widget.”
- Turn off features like AirDrop and Sound Recognition if not needed, as they continuously scan for nearby devices or sounds, draining the battery.
Fine-Tune Cellular and Connectivity Settings
- 5G can increase battery consumption, especially in areas with poor coverage.
- Optimize Network Settings:
- Go to Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data Options.
- Select LTE for better battery efficiency or 5G Auto for intelligent switching based on location and needs.
Enable General Battery-Saving Measures
- Siri Settings: Disable “Always Listen” to minimize constant microphone use.
- App Permissions: Restrict background activity for apps that don’t need constant access to location or power-hungry features.
- Low Power Mode: Activate when the battery is low to disable non-essential features and extend battery life.
- Adjust Display Settings: Lower screen brightness and set a shorter auto-lock duration to reduce power consumption.
