If you’ve noticed a decline in your iPhone’s battery life after updating to iOS 18.5, you’re not alone. Many users report similar issues following software updates, but there are practical solutions to address this. By following a series of targeted steps in the video below from iReviews, you can optimize your device’s performance and extend its battery life effectively.
Why Battery Drain Happens After Updates
Battery drain after installing a new iOS update is a common occurrence. When you upgrade to iOS 18.5, your iPhone initiates several background processes, such as system recalibrations, app indexing, and other maintenance tasks. These activities temporarily increase power consumption and can last for 4–5 days. During this adjustment phase, it’s important to remain patient.
To minimize battery drain during this period:
- Ensure your iPhone is running the latest version of iOS 18.5: Apple often releases minor updates to address bugs and optimize performance.
- Update all installed apps: Outdated apps may not be fully compatible with the new iOS version, leading to unnecessary power consumption.
These steps can help stabilize your device as it adapts to the new software.
Optimize Your iPhone’s Settings
Your iPhone’s settings play a crucial role in determining battery performance. By making a few adjustments, you can significantly reduce power usage without sacrificing essential functionality. Consider implementing the following changes:
- Turn off unnecessary features: Disable Siri Suggestions, sound recognition, and other features you rarely use.
- Use static wallpapers: Animated wallpapers consume more power compared to still images.
- Limit AirDrop: Temporarily disable AirDrop when you’re not actively sharing files.
- Reduce haptic feedback: Turn off haptics for music and other non-essential functions.
These small but impactful changes can collectively improve your iPhone’s battery life.
Manage Widgets and Apps
Widgets and apps are often overlooked contributors to battery drain. Many widgets, such as weather, news, and stocks, refresh data in the background, consuming power. To optimize widget usage:
- Limit widgets: Only keep widgets that you use frequently on your Home Screen.
- Remove unnecessary widgets: Eliminate widgets that provide information you rarely check.
Similarly, apps running background processes can drain your battery. To manage apps effectively:
- Identify battery-intensive apps: Check the Battery section in Settings to see which apps consume the most power.
- Restrict background activity: Disable background app refresh for apps that don’t need constant updates.
- Uninstall unused apps: Remove apps you rarely use, especially if they are power-intensive.
By managing widgets and apps, you can prevent unnecessary power consumption and extend your battery life.
Adjust Network and Location Services
Network and location services are significant factors in battery drain. If you’re in an area with poor 5G coverage, your iPhone may frequently switch between networks, which can deplete the battery. To address this:
- Switch to LTE: In areas with weak 5G signals, switching to LTE can reduce battery drain caused by constant network switching.
Location services also consume considerable power, especially when enabled for multiple apps. To optimize location settings:
- Set location access to “While Using the App”: Only allow location tracking when actively using the app.
- Disable location services for unnecessary apps: Turn off location access for apps that don’t require it.
- Turn off system services: Disable features like iPhone analytics, significant locations, and location-based alerts to conserve power.
Fine-tuning these settings can significantly reduce battery drain caused by network and location services.
Monitor Battery Usage and Automate Updates
Understanding how your iPhone uses power is essential for addressing battery drain. Navigate to the Battery section in Settings to review detailed usage statistics. If certain apps consistently appear as top power consumers:
- Limit their background activity: Disable background app refresh for these apps to reduce their power consumption.
- Consider alternatives: Look for similar apps that are more energy-efficient.
Additionally, allowing automatic app updates ensures your apps remain optimized for the latest iOS version. Updated apps are less likely to have bugs or compatibility issues that could drain your battery unnecessarily.
By regularly monitoring battery usage and keeping your apps updated, you can maintain optimal performance and extend your iPhone’s battery life.
Here is a selection of other guides from our extensive library of content you may find of interest on iOS 18.5 battery optimization.
- What to Do After Updating to iOS 18.5
- Digging Deeper: What’s Different in iOS 18.5 Beta 2
- How iOS 18.5 Improves Your iPhone Experience
- iOS 18.5 Release: Compatibility, Battery Life, and More
- What’s New in iOS 18.5 Beta 2? A First Look
Source & Image Credit: iReviews
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