How to Extend Your iPhone’s Battery Life with iOS 18

3/26/2025 IOS Comment

The latest iOS 18 update introduces several enhancements, but one common concern remains—iOS 18 battery life. While Apple optimizes efficiency, users often experience battery drain due to new features and background processes. Understanding how these changes impact battery power is essential to maintaining long-lasting usage.

iOS 18 features bring improved customization, security, and performance enhancements. However, these improvements can also consume more battery life if not properly managed. Thankfully, there are several ways to optimize power mode settings and ensure your device operates efficiently throughout the day.

If you’re wondering how to improve iOS 18 battery performance, this guide provides essential tips. From adjusting background app activity to fine-tuning display settings, these methods will help you maximize battery power and extend your device’s daily lifespan.

How to Extend Your iPhone’s Battery Life with iOS 18

Learning how to improve iOS 18 battery life is crucial for maintaining your device’s performance throughout the day. One of the biggest drains on battery power is cellular data usage, which can rapidly deplete your charge if left unmanaged. By adjusting key settings and optimizing background activity, you can significantly extend your iPhone’s battery life.

1. Optimize Battery Settings

Properly managing your battery settings is the first step to ensuring your iPhone battery lasts throughout the day. iOS 18 includes several features that can either enhance or drain battery health depending on how they are configured. By following these steps, you can optimize your device for maximum efficiency.

Enable Low Power Mode: Go to Settings > Battery and activate Low Power Mode to temporarily reduce background activity and save battery power.
Monitor Battery Usage: Check Settings > Battery to identify apps consuming excessive battery life and restrict their background activity if necessary.
Turn Off Unused Features: Disable features like Bluetooth, AirDrop, and Background App Refresh when not in use to prevent unnecessary power consumption.
Use Wi-Fi Instead of Cellular Data: – Cellular data drains more power than Wi-Fi. Connect to a Wi-Fi network whenever possible to conserve iPhone battery life.
Reduce Motion Effects: Navigate to Settings > Accessibility > Motion and enable Reduce Motion to minimize animations and save energy.

Optimizing these settings will help maintain your battery health and ensure your device runs efficiently with iOS 18. Regularly monitoring and adjusting these options will prevent unexpected battery drain and prolong your iPhone battery’s lifespan.

2. Manage Background App Refresh

Background App Refresh allows apps to update content in the background, which can lead to unnecessary battery drain. While this feature enhances user experience, it may also reduce battery life, especially on models like the iPhone 15. Managing these settings can help optimize performance and efficiency.

Disable for Non-Essential Apps: Navigate to Settings > General > Background App Refresh and turn it off for apps that don’t require constant updates.
Use Wi-Fi Instead of Cellular Data: Set Background App Refresh to work only on Wi-Fi to conserve power when not connected to a charger.
Limit App Refresh Frequency: Some apps allow manual refresh settings; adjust them to update less frequently to reduce battery drain.
Monitor High Usage Apps: Check Settings > Battery to identify apps consuming excessive background power and disable their background refresh.
Restart Your iPhone Periodically: Restarting your device clears temporary processes, ensuring Background App Refresh runs efficiently.

By fine-tuning these settings, you can significantly reduce battery drain while still keeping essential apps updated. Taking control of Background App Refresh will help maximize your iPhone’s battery life and overall performance on iOS 18.

3. Adjust Screen Brightness and Display Settings

Your iPhone’s display is one of the biggest contributors to battery drain, especially if you frequently use social media or have high brightness settings. By optimizing display settings, you can significantly extend battery life while maintaining a smooth user experience.

Enable Auto-Brightness: Go to Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size and turn on Auto-Brightness to let your iPhone adjust brightness based on ambient light conditions.
Lower Screen Brightness Manually: Swipe down to open Control Center and adjust the brightness slider to a comfortable level to reduce power consumption.
Reduce Screen Timeout Duration: Navigate to Settings > Display & Brightness > Auto-Lock and set a shorter duration to minimize unnecessary battery drain.
Turn Off Always-On Display (for supported models): If using an iPhone 14 Pro or later, disable Always-On Display under Settings > Display & Brightness to conserve battery life.
Limit Background Processes: Close unused apps running in the background to prevent unnecessary battery drain from social media and other high-usage applications.

By adjusting these settings, you can effectively reduce battery drain caused by the display while still enjoying a bright and vibrant screen. Managing screen brightness and display features properly ensures that your iPhone’s battery lasts longer throughout the day.

4. Disable Unnecessary Location Services

Location Services help apps provide accurate data, but they can also consume significant battery power. Disabling location access for non-essential apps can help extend your iPhone’s battery life without sacrificing functionality.

Turn Off Location for Unused Apps: Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services, and disable it for apps that don’t need it.
Use “While Using the App” Mode: For apps that require location, set permission to While Using the App instead of Always.
Disable System Services That Use Location: Under Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services > System Services, turn off unnecessary options like Location-Based Ads.
Turn Off Significant Locations: Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services > System Services > Significant Locations and disable it to prevent tracking history.
Use Airplane Mode in Low Signal Areas: If you're in an area with weak signal, enabling Airplane Mode can prevent excessive location-based battery drain.

Managing these settings will help you conserve battery power while maintaining essential location-based functionalities. Adjusting location services for specific apps ensures efficient battery usage without compromising convenience.

5. Control Push Notifications and Fetch Settings

Unnecessary push notifications and frequent email fetching can drain your iPhone’s battery without you realizing it. Controlling these settings will help preserve battery life while ensuring you receive important alerts.

Disable Non-Essential Notifications: Go to Settings > Notifications and turn off notifications for apps that don’t require real-time updates.
Set Email to Fetch Manually: Navigate to Settings > Mail > Accounts > Fetch New Data, then set it to Manually or increase the fetch interval.
Turn Off Push for Unused Apps: Disable push notifications for social media or shopping apps that frequently send updates.
Use Do Not Disturb Mode: Activate Do Not Disturb during certain hours to limit notifications and reduce battery drain.
Restart Your iPhone Weekly: A periodic restart helps clear background processes that may be consuming power unnecessarily.

Managing these settings will prevent unnecessary background activity, helping to extend battery life while keeping you informed of important updates.

6. Update to the Latest iOS 18 Version

Apple regularly releases software updates that include performance enhancements and battery optimizations. Running the latest version of iOS 18 ensures that your iPhone benefits from these improvements while also fixing potential battery-draining bugs.

To update your iPhone:

Go to Settings > General > Software Update.
Check if a new version is available.
Tap Download and Install, then follow the on-screen instructions.
Ensure your iPhone is connected to Wi-Fi and has sufficient battery power.
Enable Automatic Updates for future updates under Settings > General > Software Update > Automatic Updates.

Keeping your iOS up to date not only enhances battery life but also improves security and overall system performance. Make it a habit to check for updates regularly and install them to get the best experience from your iPhone.

7. Remove Unused Apps and Features

Unused apps and unnecessary features can consume storage and drain battery life in the background. Removing or disabling them helps improve overall performance and power efficiency.

To remove unused apps and features:

Open Settings > General > iPhone Storage to see a list of installed apps.
Identify apps that take up significant space but are rarely used.
Tap on an app and select Delete App to remove it permanently.
Use Offload Unused Apps under Settings > App Store to automatically remove unused apps while keeping their data.
Disable features like Background App Refresh, Live Activities, and unnecessary widgets to reduce background activity.

Regularly cleaning up your iPhone ensures that only essential apps and services are running, reducing battery consumption and enhancing efficiency. A clutter-free device not only saves power but also improves overall responsiveness.

8. Monitor Battery Health

Keeping track of your battery health is crucial to maintaining optimal performance. Over time, battery capacity decreases, which can affect overall usage. Monitoring battery health helps identify potential issues early and allows you to take preventive measures.

To check battery health:

Open Settings > Battery > Battery Health & Charging.
Review the Maximum Capacity percentage to see your battery’s current condition.
Enable Optimized Battery Charging to reduce battery aging.
Avoid extreme temperatures, as heat can significantly degrade battery performance.
Consider replacing the battery if capacity drops below 80% for better efficiency.

By regularly monitoring battery health and following these tips, you can ensure that your iPhone continues to perform efficiently over time. A well-maintained battery leads to better longevity and a more reliable mobile experience.

Conclusion

Learning how to improve iOS 18 battery life efficiently ensures that your iPhone runs smoothly throughout the day without unexpected power drain. By following these essential steps, you can maximize battery performance while still enjoying all the powerful features iOS 18 offers.

Regularly updating your device, managing background activities, and optimizing settings will help extend battery life and keep your iPhone functioning at its best. Implement these strategies today to experience longer usage times and improved efficiency. A well-maintained iPhone not only provides a better user experience but also extends the overall lifespan of your device.