Apple Watch update 8.6 draining watch battery

After every update there are a few reports of battery problems. Most don't experience them. These often resolve themselves in a couple of days. You can also try powering your watch down. Push and hold the side button (not the digital crown) unit you see the Power Off option. Wait a few minutes, then power the watch back up by pushing and holding the side button until the white Apple logo appears.

Pete4141 wrote:

I am having the same problem after seeing I had version 8.6. Fully charged my watch overnight, battery health is at 89%. From 6am to now 9am I am at 72%. I haven't used it for anything minus checking the time. I have turned off app refresh, limited a ton of things, and can't even make it through 1/2 a day without it dying. Unpaired, repaired, restored from backup, nothing fixes it. If I use it to track an hour workout first thing in the morning, I am at 50% by 8am. FIX THIS APPLE

Apple can't fix it unless you notify them you're having a problem. You can use the "Get Support" link at the top right of every page of these forums or here:

Genius Bar Reservation and Apple Support Options - Apple

Often, diagnostics can be done remotely.

Thank you! I was going crazy because of a microphone on the face that I couldn't get rid of, and a battery that lasted 1/2 a day!

I wasted many hours on this watch since the update! With your help it took 3 minutes to fix!

I have spent hours on the phone with Apple Support. Nothing. I traded in 2 Apple Watch 6s for 2 new Apple Watch 7s. Same issue. This issue was not present before the latest software update. Another $1,800.00 for naught. APPLE SEND OUT A SOFTWARE FIX FOR THIS PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM LIES WITH APPLE.

Same here. Since WatchOS 8.6 my AW 5 faces a significant battery drain, even when using the most plain watchfaces without any complications. It used to last from 7:45 am to 1:30 am (next night), but now it seems to drain completely before 9 pm without additional charge in between. Moreover, I noticed that the drain is not constant; it might lose 2-3 percent in one hour, and 7-8% in the next hour without any change in my activities during these hours. It clearly is an update issue.

For the first time in the lifetime of my S4 watch, its battery drop to below 20% before late evening... and that is a great surprise. And now it cannot charge up fully to 100% and the watch body feels very hot after the 8.6 update.

Same issue on my wife's Apple Watch but mine had no issue. What the heck Apple… We are big Apple fans. But always frustrated by the lack of transparency on issues and if / when they will be fixed.. Get a release update here.

I am having the same problem after seeing I had version 8.6. Fully charged my watch overnight, battery health is at 89%. From 6am to now 9am I am at 72%. I haven't used it for anything minus checking the time. I have turned off app refresh, limited a ton of things, and can't even make it through 1/2 a day without it dying. Unpaired, repaired, restored from backup, nothing fixes it. If I use it to track an hour workout first thing in the morning, I am at 50% by 8am. FIX THIS APPLE

I have exact same problem. I usually go to bed with 30-40% left . Now my watch die well before bed time. Horrible

lkrupp had the remedy: Shut the watch off-- wait 3 minutes-- turn back on.

Worked great for me!

Same issue with my watch series5. My watch is not charging fully as well as the battery dies before the end of the day after I updated to ios 8.6. Apple should fix this issue asap.

Same issue, never happened before until 8.06 . Battery gone

My watch used to go approx 48 hours in one charge. Battery Health is 97%. Now it goes from like 90 to 5 in three hours

Same issue here !