Extreme battery drain in iPhone post update

For everyone having battery issues immediately after an update (within 1-2 days) here is a guide.

*** FYI, I shamelessly copy/pasted from articles Apple has on this site for your ease of use. I didn’t copy/paste when animations on the link will be helpful.***

First, understand that the software does housekeeping after an update. It can usually be accomplished overnight but that depends on your device and its data. Try to install updates overnight and leave the device on the charger (It’s ok to do so and won’t ruin the battery. That rule applied to older battery technology). This is so that processor intensive tasks like file indexing for Spotlight Search or iCloud syncing can occur then and not during your day.

If still dealing with drain after two days it’s probably something else so we need to become detectives and use the Settings > Battery section to see which apps are the culprits. Check under the View Battery Usage Information

section here: Batteries - Maximizing Performance - Apple (bookmark that link for later)

If nothing stood out on the battery usage, next check all apps for updates in the app store. To do this:

1. Open the App Store app  on your iPhone.
2. Tap  or your picture at the top right.
3. Scroll down, then tap Update next to apps you want to update, or tap Update All.

Install them all. Feel free to do some spring cleaning on apps you no longer need also. Here is how:

Do any of the following:

• Remove an app from the Home Screen:Touch and hold the app on the Home Screen, tap Remove App, then tap Remove from Home Screen to keep it in App Library, or tap Delete App to delete it from iPhone.

• Delete an app from App Library and Home Screen: Touch and hold the app in App Library, tap Delete App, then tap Delete.

Next, if any apps in the Battery Usage showed background activity, look at Background App Refresh (Settings>General>Background App Refresh) and turn off any apps that should not be allowed to be active when you aren’t using them.

Basically, if you lock your screen or move to another app, do you still want that other app running in the background?

Map apps, fitness apps and music apps like Lyft, Waze, Strava, Spotify, etc are examples of ones that you may want to keep on. They need to keep working even while the screen is off. Facebook, TikTok, Instagram etc are ones you may not want on unless it’s important you are notified of everything as it happens even if you aren’t in the app.

Now that everything is up to date and you’ve eliminated any frivolous battery usage, use the phone and see if that helped.

If not, next try closing all applications (helpful animations on this link):

(Close an app on your iPhone or iPod touch - Apple Support ) and restarting the device: Restart your iPhone - Apple Support

If this still didn’t help, try a force restart (helpful animations on this link. The title is for a different scenario but it is the correct link): If your iPhone won't turn on or is frozen - Apple Support

After all of this charge back up to 100% and give it a go. If still having trouble then give Apple or your family tech support (your kids, niece or nephew ;) ) a call.

I hope this helps. But to reiterate it is normal for the battery to suffer immediately after an update. All that housekeeping that gets done plus your regular usage taxes the battery hard those first days. I always leave my phone on the charger overnight after an update and it rarely ever gives me trouble. I have had the iPhone 4, 6S, XR and currently 13 Pro and used similar principles across all of them, except where the iOS features differed. Never got rid of a phone for battery issues but I did replace the battery on my 6S when it reached the end of its useful life around 70% Battery Health.

Cheers all.

For everyone having battery issues immediately after an update (within 1-2 days) here is a guide.

*** FYI, I shamelessly copy/pasted from articles Apple has on this site for your ease of use. I didn’t copy/paste when animations on the link will be helpful.***

First, understand that the software does housekeeping after an update. It can usually be accomplished overnight but that depends on your device and its data. Try to install updates overnight and leave the device on the charger (It’s ok to do so and won’t ruin the battery. That rule applied to older battery technology). This is so that processor intensive tasks like file indexing for Spotlight Search or iCloud syncing can occur then and not during your day.

If still dealing with drain after two days it’s probably something else so we need to become detectives and use the Settings > Battery section to see which apps are the culprits. Check under the View Battery Usage Information

section here: Batteries - Maximizing Performance - Apple (bookmark that link for later)

If nothing stood out on the battery usage, next check all apps for updates in the app store. To do this:

Open the App Store app  on your iPhone.

Tap  or your picture at the top right.

Scroll down, then tap Update next to apps you want to update, or tap Update All.

Install them all. Feel free to do some spring cleaning on apps you no longer need also. Here is how:

Do any of the following:

Remove an app from the Home Screen:Touch and hold the app on the Home Screen, tap Remove App, then tap Remove from Home Screen to keep it in App Library, or tap Delete App to delete it from iPhone.

Delete an app from App Library and Home Screen: Touch and hold the app in App Library, tap Delete App, then tap Delete.

Next, if any apps in the Battery Usage showed background activity, look at Background App Refresh (Settings>General>Background App Refresh) and turn off any apps that should not be allowed to be active when you aren’t using them. Basically, if you lock your screen or move to another app, do you still want that other app running in the background?

Map apps, fitness apps and music apps like Lyft, Waze, Spotify, etc are examples of ones that you may want to keep on. Facebook, TikTok, Instagram etc are ones you may not want on unless its important you are notified of everything as it happens even if you aren’t in the app.

Now that everything is up to date and you’ve eliminated any frivolous battery usage, use the phone and see if that helped.

If not, next try closing all applications (helpful animations on this link):

(Close an app on your iPhone or iPod touch - Apple Support ) and restarting the device: Restart your iPhone - Apple Support

If this still didn’t help, try a force restart (helpful animations on this link. The title is for a different scenario but it is the correct link): If your iPhone won't turn on or is frozen - Apple Support

After all of this charge back up to 100% and give it a go. If STILL having trouble then give Apple or your family tech support (your kids, niece or nephew ;) ) a call.

I hope this helps. But to reiterate it is normal for the battery to suffer immediately after an update. All that housekeeping that gets done plus your regular usage taxes the battery hard those first days. I always leave my phone on the charger overnight after an update and it rarely ever gives me trouble. I have had the iPhone 4, 6S, XR and currently 13 Pro and used similar principles across all of them, except where the iOS features differed. Never got rid of a phone for battery issues but I did replace the battery on my 6S when it reached the end of its useful life around 70% Battery Health.

Cheers all.

After every update the device goes through its post-update regimen. This occurs while your normal usage continues so there is additional "usage" occurring, just not by the user. Understanding this can help reduce the impact during this timeframe.

There is a pattern: Immediately after an update, a subset of users mention battery life issues. A large portion of those users also notice that the battery life gets better usually between 1 to 3 days afterwards with no changes made. Why is that? The additional usage completes and things go back to normal.

I notice this sometimes as well but I mitigate it by installing the update during a time where I don't need the phone for around 30 mins, usually at work. I plug the device in, finish the install, then update applications from the App Store. I keep the device plugged in for sometime after that to allow any syncing to occur, and for the file indexing done after updates to complete. There is no visual indicator of this happening and no progress meter, I just let it stay on the charger for a few hours and overnight for good measure.

Doing this typically avoids or resolves any issues with excessive battery drain after an update, unless there is in fact, a bug that causes battery drain but it has been a long time and many phones ago that I actually had that happen.

after a wider testing. To me it seems, bluetooth is the culprit here. Just turn off bluetooth and check the battery drain rates. If it works for you please upvote. My iphone 15 pro battery drain with bluetooth on is around 5% per hour while on standby and with BT off it is 1% (normal).

Clearly keeping BT off is not a solution and apple must look into this ASAP.

Same with me, totally annoying, after updating my phone to latest software my iPhone battery started to drain faster like before it would drain 50% in 6 to 8 hours and now it was draining 50% in 4 to 6 and most of the times phone was ideal and i was not using it. Thanks to another apple thread in this forum where I found a guide  How to Stop Battery Draining on iPhone After a Recent IOS Update where I got to know that Disabling Siri and search settings as well as journaling suggestions and the app privacy report that run in the background and can drain the battery fast even when you are not using your phone. I followed other solutions too and now my battery drains to 50% in 8 to 10 hours with the same usage.

For me, restarting the phone seems to have an effect. Much better battery life after I did that. There was also battery drain on my Apple Watch, and a restart of the watch also seem to do the trick

It surely is, majority of people pointed out that no settings alternations were made. Including myself, I even turned off all background tasks, turned off location and everything that could be using battery. I tested my phone battery by charging it to 100%, went to sleep, when I woke up, battery was at 86%. Battery usage shows only 1 minute screen time, “lock & screen”. Battery life 96%. iOS 17.5.1 system has major battery leak and developers should investigate this, end of a story.

Turn Bluetooth off and check the drain rate.

So I have an iPhone 11 Pro Max. Never damaged my phone once it's always been in a protective case. Only thing I've done is replace the original battery via an apple store so battery in my device is less than 6-8 months old. Here is what I noticed after I updating my device to IOS 17.5 and 17.5.1 . The battery health dropped from 96% to 92%, my phone while charging would drop in battery despite 0 apps running in the background and even being in airplane mode. Charging port is clean and yes I have different charging cables with zero rips and tears. It is indeed the software. My phone refuses to power on now can't do DFU mode or a hard reset either. Even as I'm typing this my phone has been charging or I guess "charging" all day. So yeah it is 100% the ios 17.5 and 17.5.1 software preventing me from using my phone.

iOS 17.5.1 is indeed causing the issues. I have two iPhones and one iPad pro. I have updated my iPad and iPhone XR to 17.5.1 and they are facing battery drain issue, since the update. A day before the battery on both were working extremely good atleast full day usage without recharge. My other iPhone SE is still on 17.4.1 and it works smoothly with no issue with battery.

Also, phone and ipad on 17.5.1 is heating up faster than before.

I clearly see we need another update from Apple for 17.5.1 battery drain fix.

What did the technician say when you had the battery tested at an authorized Apple service shop?

What is the current battery setting for Maximum Capacity?

Settings > Battery > Battery Health & Charging > Maximum Capacity

I have an iPhone 14 Plus with version iOS 17.6 (21G80). I have noticed my battery drains faster and my battery maximum capacity is 95%. I have an Anker lightning cord that I use with my usb wall plug in.

The actual iPhone itself and the USB box feel hotter than usual. It’s very concerning.

My solution (yes I have one!) is as follows:

Take your iPhone out of any type of protective case and allow the smartphone to breathe. Charge it then!

I have an Otter box and removing the actual smartphone carefully from this protection accessory (that’s way overpriced) is my solution to better and faster battery charging (recommended to 80%) and there are no higher temperature issues with my smartphone or usb box any longer.

I do recommend using the device protection case when on the go (walking or any movement) so you don’t drop and damage the screen.

Hope this can help just one person. ✔️✌🏻

i think the problem in your apps

do you download any hard game ?

when you finish used any programme

swep up and close open recently to ensure thats programs are not running in the background and battery consumption

But if we are using our phones in the exact same manner as always it is reasonable to suspect the update. I have had this happen numerous times over the years with my iPhone 13, then there will be additional update soon after which corrects the battery drain issue.

climal wrote:

So I assume that Apple will somehow get to know about this issue? I mean what’s the purpose of this community if “Apple is not here”?

Apple will "somehow" get to know of this issue if you (and other people who have it) tell them. You can contact support using the Support link at the bottom left of every page of these forums, you can make an appointment to take your phone into your local Apple Store.

You can also submit feedback here:

Product Feedback - Apple

The purpose of this community is for users to help each other. This was explained in the Terms of Use, to which you agreed when you registered. There is a lot users can do to help each other but letting Apple know you have a problem is something you have to do on your own.