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iPhones are great and their battery life is now pretty solid. But if you’re using an older model or you’re just looking to extract as much battery life as possible, these tips and tricks will help


Most modern iPhones – save for Apple’s mini series – have very decent battery life. You’ll get through a full day of usage on nearly all of Apple’s most recent models. 

The iPhone 12 series was a bit of an outlier, though, thanks to its inclusion of 5G which massively affected its battery performance (and, no, not in a good way). 

Smaller and older iPhones also suffer from battery life issues as well. If you’re struggling with iPhone battery issues, this post covers off some of the simplest methods for improving your iPhone’s battery life. 

12 Actionable Tips & Tricks For Improving Your iPhone’s Battery Life

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Invest in an iPhone Battery Case

If you’re using an older iPhone, battery life is always going to be an issue. This applies doubly to smaller iPhones like iPhone SE and any of Apple’s mini models. But there is a solution – although it does cost money.

I’m talking, of course, about investing in an iPhone battery case. There’s loads of options to choose from – prices range for inexpensive to over hundred quid.

These cases protect against physical damage while significantly increasing battery life, sometimes even tripling it.

Available on platforms like Amazon, these cases range from $20 to $40 based on brand and capacity. Apple also offers a MagSafe-compatible battery pack, providing a seamless charging experience without compromising your iPhone’s features.

Maintain Optimal Temperature Conditions

Keep your iPhone away from direct sunlight and avoid leaving it in hot cars, as high temperatures can degrade the battery.

Apple suggests an ideal temperature range of 62° to 72° F (16° to 22° C) for operation. Remove your iPhone’s case if it heats up during charging, and avoid exposing it to temperatures below freezing, which can temporarily reduce battery efficiency.

Disable Background App Refresh

This function allows apps to update content in the background, which can drain battery life.

To conserve power, disable it:

  • Open Settings.
  • Tap General.
  • Select Background App Refresh and set it to Off.
  • Alternatively, disable this feature for individual apps to manage power consumption better.

Turn Off Location Services

While useful, constant location tracking can exhaust your battery. Consider disabling it globally or for specific apps:

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Go to Privacy & Security.
  3. Choose Location Services and toggle it to Off for all apps or select custom settings for each app.

Deactivate Siri

If Siri is not a daily necessity, turning it off can save battery life, especially on older devices:

  • Open Settings.
  • Navigate to Siri & Search.
  • Disable the Listen for “Hey Siri”, Press Side Button For Siri, and Allow Siri When Locked options.

Reduce Screen Brightness

Dimming your screen is a straightforward way to save battery:

  • Open Settings.
  • Tap Display & Brightness.
  • Adjust the brightness slider to a lower setting.

Enable Auto-Brightness

This feature adjusts your screen brightness based on ambient light, which helps conserve battery:

  • Open Settings.
  • Select Accessibility.
  • Tap Display & Text Size and enable Auto-Brightness.

Use the Sleep/Wake Button Effectively

Lock your screen immediately after use to prevent unnecessary battery drain by pressing the Sleep/Wake button.

Set Auto-Lock to a Short Duration

Automatically locking your iPhone quickly after use can also preserve battery life:

  • Open Settings.
  • Go to Display & Brightness.
  • Tap Auto-Lock and set a short duration, like 1 minute.

Mute Keyboard Clicks

Turning off sound feedback on your keyboard can reduce power usage:

  • Open Settings.
  • Choose Sounds & Haptics.
  • Go to Keyboard Feedback and toggle Sound to Off.

Utilize Low Power Mode

Activate this mode when your battery is low to limit power-draining features.

Activating Low Power Mode can extend an iPhone’s battery life by an additional 1 to 3 hours when you’re running low. This mode temporarily reduces background activity and lowers the screen brightness to conserve battery life.

Here’s how you do it:

  • Open Settings.
  • Tap Battery.
  • Enable Low Power Mode to extend battery life when needed.

Switch to Airplane Mode in Low Signal Areas

Prevent your iPhone from constantly searching for a signal by using Airplane Mode in areas with poor connectivity. This conserves battery until you return to a location with better coverage.

Bottom Line

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An iPhone battery is designed to retain up to 80% of its original capacity at 500 complete charge cycles under typical conditions. This means after about 500 full charges and discharges, the battery’s performance can start to diminish.

This means, regardless of whether your iPhone is brand new or a few years old, everybody – at some point – will need to look at ways of extending their iPhone’s battery life.

Apple replaces some 11 million iPhone batteries a year to, either because they’re faulty or because it’s cheaper than buying a new iPhone. Either way, the battery inside your iPhone is not invincible but the better you treat it, the longer it will last.

And if you do need a new iPhone, here’s our current picks for the best iPhone models right now.

Richard Goodwin avatar