Apple Watch battery drains after updating to watchOS 10.1

Using series 5 watch. Since updating my watch goes to under 10% battery after about 9 hours. With watchos 10 it lasted 16-17 hours with AOD and minimal useage. Thoughts/suggestions (besides wait for next os)?


[Re-Titled by Moderator]

Posted on Oct 21, 2023 1:05 PM

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Question marked as Best reply

Posted on Oct 22, 2023 12:39 PM

Hi mickeddie,


Thank you for participating in the Apple Support Communities. We understand your Apple Watch battery is draining quicker since the update. This article has some helpful information about battery performance: Apple Watch Battery and Performance.


Also, this article has some tips to maximize your battery performance: Batteries - Maximizing Performance - Apple.


"Update to the latest software.

Always make sure your Apple Watch is using the latest version of watchOS.


  • To see if you need an update, open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone and go to My Watch > General > Software Update.
  • If an update is available, connect your iPhone to Wi-Fi, attach the charger to your Apple Watch (make sure it has at least 50% charge), and update wirelessly.

Learn more about updating watchOS


Adjust your settings.

There are a few ways you can preserve battery life on your Apple Watch:


  • During running and walking workouts, turn on Power Saving Mode to disable the heart rate sensor. To do this, open the Apple Watch app on iPhone, go to My Watch > Workout, and turn on Power Saving Mode. Note that when the heart rate sensor is off, calorie burn calculations may not be as accurate.
  • For longer workouts, you can choose to use a Bluetooth chest strap instead of the built-in heart rate sensor. To pair the Bluetooth chest strap with your watch, make sure the strap is in pairing mode, then open Settings on Apple Watch, select Bluetooth, and choose from the list of Health Devices.
  • If you’re very active with your hands and your watch display turns on more than you think it should, you can prevent the display from turning on every time you raise your wrist. Open Settings on Apple Watch, select General, select Wake Screen, and turn Wake Screen on Wrist Raise off. When you want to turn on the display, just tap it or press the Digital Crown.
  • Disabling Bluetooth on your iPhone increases the battery drain on your Apple Watch. For more power-efficient communication between the devices, keep Bluetooth enabled on iPhone.


Enable Low Power Mode.

Introduced with watchOS 9, Low Power Mode is an easy way to extend the battery life of your Apple Watch when needed, for example if you’re on a long flight or find yourself without your charger for the night. You can enable it by swiping up to Control Center and tapping on the battery percentage, or by going to Settings > Battery. 


Low Power Mode prolongs battery life by turning off always-on display, limiting the cellular and Wi-Fi connections of your Apple Watch, and disabling background sensor readings including heart rate measurements, high and low heart rate notifications, irregular rhythm notifications, and blood oxygen measurements.

When not connected to your iPhone, your Apple Watch will attempt to retrieve notifications approximately once an hour. When your Apple Watch battery reaches 80% charge Low Power Mode automatically switches off."


Take care.




125 replies

Nov 26, 2023 5:22 PM in response to PlsIcantsharemyname

The Apple support folks said the battery condition is acceptable at 84% peak capacity. The point is the watch lasted an entire day on a charge with a battery that had 84% peak capacity. Now it lasts eight hours on a battery that still has 84% peak capacity. Apple will replace a battery for $300 (USD) if above 80% capacity, the cost goes down to $100 (USD) if the battery has less than 80% capacity. The battery is not a problem according to Apple.

Nov 27, 2023 6:05 AM in response to RKM63

Same here. For now, a Garmin watch has replaced my Apple Watch. It works surprisingly well. Only needs charging every couple weeks and has better fitness, sleep, and activity functionality. Interestingly, it communicates with my iPhone 13 Pro as well as my Apple Watch did. This evolution with watchOS has made me question my subscription to Apple One and future Apple product purchases. Now that I can’t use Apple Fitness+, because I don’t like my Apple Watch anymore I’m really questioning do I use any of the other services for the $38 a month on the family plan that they’re charging. I’m thinking there are better alternatives. As I contemplate leaving the Apple ecosystem; I am finding Windows, Google Docs, and Android have improved, are flexible, stable, and more secure than they used to be.

Apple Watch battery drains after updating to watchOS 10.1

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