battery health dropped 4% in one month

kelia_mkhue wrote:

yeah, thank you for your explanation. I do understand that battery capacity decreases over time. I was just a little surprised that it was still 100% at around the end of July, and now 14/8, it's 96%, which means 4% down in just 2-3 weeks. What makes me worry is: will it continue to drop like that in the next few months?

The decline in battery health is not always linear. The truth is that the battery health number on your phone is an estimate. The settings are re-calibrated with updates. So, no, it is unlikely that you will see 4% every month.

I would honestly not look at it again until late October. At that point, you can check it to see if it's at or very close to 80%. If it is, make an appointment to have the battery replaced before the warranty runs out. If it's not, don't check it again unless you're having an issue with your phone or for another six months. Knowing your battery health is important only in very limited circumstances. Checking it frequently tends to lead to needless anxiety about a process the phone handles very well on its own.

If you bought your phone in December 2023, then it is 7-8 months old.

Battery Health normally declines over time at an average of about 1% a month. That's an average though over time. The battery might go 2-3 months and not decline at all, then drop 3% or more the next month.

Given the averages, I would expect your battery to be at about 92-93% at this time.

If your battery is really at 96%, you are quite lucky since the battery is definitely doing better than average.

All that really matters is that you replace the battery when the health is down to 80%.

Your Battery Health is relative to when your iPhone was new, and gradually ages as you use it. I suggest you turn on Optimized Battery Charging and Optimized Charge Limit to preserve your iPhone battery even longer. As Bob Timmons said, your iPhone has been in use for almost 8 months, so 96% battery health is actually very good.

For more information: Batteries - Maximizing Performance - Apple

All rechargeable batteries are consumable components that become less effective as they chemically age.

Recent software updates can accelerate that process by adding features that consume more power.

As lithium-ion batteries chemically age, the amount of charge they can hold diminishes, resulting in shorter amounts of time before a device needs to be recharged.

Apple won’t replace the battery until it reaches 80% capacity.

Battery Performance Tips:

• iPhone Battery and Performance.
• Check battery health and usage.
• Optimized Battery Charging.
• Maximizing Battery Life.
• Use Low Power Mode.
• About battery usage.
• Show battery percentage.

80% Battery Capacity?

Current Apple Prices:

• No charge for in-warranty or AppleCare+ plan.

Out of Warranty Prices:

• iPhone 15 Pro Max: $99 U.S. Dollars.

Click ▷ Check AppleCare Coverage.

Click ▶︎ iPhone Battery Replacement.

Good luck! 👋🏼😉

What makes me worry is: will it continue to drop like that in the next few months?

You are asking us to guess.

When the phone is 12 months old, Battery Health should be 88-90%. Replace the battery when it is down to 80%.

There is another way to calculate battery performance.

If you can look at the settings and tell us how many Charge Cycles the battery has gone through, we can tell you more about this more accurate way of determining how your battery is performing, since month to month readings are irrelevant.

kelia_mkhue wrote:

Thanks for replying. Yeah, I only charge my phone to 80% and barely use it when it's below 20%, also have the background app refresh turned off. I was a bit worried that at the end of July it was still 100% but 2-3 weeks later it had already dropped 4%. I really hope it won't continue to decrease like that in the future haha

You might want to review this article on charging:

When to charge your iPhone or iPad - Apple Community