Apple Watch battery draining twice as face after watchOS 10 update

This is not unusual for the first few days after a software update. Loading the new version and showing you a working device is only the first step, there are a whole load of behind-the-scenes processes to clean up the old system files and reindex the file system. Expect normal battery life to resume after a day or two.

I had the issue for a few days after the update. Closed all apps and did a hard reset with little expectation. However, it solved the issue for me and I am back to the expected 16 - 18 hr battery time.

I had this problem with my Watch 9 and iPhone X, and in addition it would not allow me to uninstall updates. However, when I unpaired the Watch and the iPhone, then re-paired them and everything was fine. Watch battery lasts 3 days now.

Based on something @AdamAGMusic posted, I turned off the weather widget and complication. That appears to have stopped the rapid battery discharge. I’ll turn them back on when I see an update that reads like it addresses that issue.

I had this happen when I updated to watchOS 10.1. I found that by removing all of the apps that aren't original to the watch fixed the problem. So, you could do this and then add each app you need separately to test which one is causing the battery drain.

I had this problem as well - battery life sudden going from about 15 hours to 3 hours. I also was unable to update my watch operating system. All fixed after I unpaired and then re-paired my Apple Watch 8 to my iPhone.

For me it looks to the be the new widgets. I removed all of them and it looks like battery life is back to normal. I haven't tried to trace down which one yet, though.

I turned off the weather complication on the watch face and the weather widget and that stopped the rapid battery. Drain for me. I also turned off some of the 3rd party apps I never use.

First party app interfaces prior to watchOS 10 primarily had black backgrounds, which were more efficient on OLED panels since the pixels could just turn themselves off. After they redesigned apps like weather and fitness, which now how more colorful backgrounds, pixels are on for longer than they were prior.

Might also be an optimization problem, just throwing out ideas.

After a few days, power cycle the Apple Watch and the iPhone. Generally this will get things back to normal.

I been having the same issue ever since the updating. My fix was to turn off any apps that needed location services and now I got 50% of battery life 12 hours later. Hope this helps

The MacObserver.com

How To Fix WatchOS 10.3 Battery Drain Issue on Apple Watch

https://www.macobserver.com/tips/how-to/fix-apple-watch-battery-drain-issue-after-watchos-10-3-update/

Watch 8. It took my watch several days, maybe a week to get back to previous 15-18 hour battery life. I’m a heavy user especially doing long workouts. I understand this is “normal” behavior after major software updates.

Same issue until a week after upgrade finally go back to 18 hours. Then upgraded to 10.1. It took about 3 days to return to “normal” battery life. Seems that this is all to do with drain due to upgrades. Apple should be explicit about this as it’s clearly a known issue.

Mine was doing the same. It improved over about a week and is now back to normal. I would give it a week and see how it goes. Frustrating in the meantime, but it should come good.