How do I fix battery drain issues on my iPhone 16 Pro Max using iOS 18.5?

Question

How do I fix battery drain issues on my iPhone 16 Pro Max using iOS 18.5?

I’ve noticed a recurring issue with my iPhone’s battery. As soon as I take it off charge, I lose about 10% within 10 minutes—this is just from checking a few emails and notifications, nothing intensive.

Throughout the day, the phone tends to get fairly warm even with light usage, and after just 2–3 hours, I’ve lost around 30% of the battery.

No major apps are running in the background that I can see, and I’ve already tried a restart. Battery health is 99% with 250 charges. Any ideas what could be causing this or steps I can take to fix it?

[Re-Titled by Moderator]

Original Title: iPhone 16 Pro Max Battery Drain 18.5

iPhone 16 Pro Max, iOS 18

Posted on Jun 21, 2025 6:07 PM

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Answer 1

Jun 21, 2025 6:32 PM in response to mikefromathenry

I have to say that 99% battery health with 250 charges is honestly AMAZING. It would be more normal to be at 95% with 250 charges.

That said, open Settings > Battery > and you'll see a list of everything which uses your battery. Perhaps something is running in the background you didn't think is running. Meta Apps and Google Apps are known for chewing through a battery, even if suspended.

Also do a Forced Restart on your iPhone, which will close everything completely and often fixes things --> Force restart iPhone - Apple Support

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Answer 2

Jun 21, 2025 6:49 PM in response to mikefromathenry

What have you set for cellular on your phone? If you open Settings > Cellular > Data Option > it's best to choose 5G Auto. Sometimes if cellular is weak, your phone can work hard to keep a connection. If you have the option to be on Wifi over cellular, it will use less power.

If nothing helps, I'd recommend having your phone checked out at your closest Apple Store Genius Bar --> Genius Bar Reservation and Apple Support Options - Apple

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Answer 3

Jun 21, 2025 6:46 PM in response to lobsterghost1

Thanks for your reply – much appreciated.

I’ve gone through all the usual suspects: checked background activity, turned off auto-brightness, disabled always-on display, restricted app refresh, and reviewed battery usage in detail. Meta and Google apps are always heavy, but nothing out of the ordinary stands out.

I also did a full forced restart as suggested, but unfortunately, none of it made a noticeable difference. The phone still drops about 10% within minutes of light use after unplugging, and continues to warm up throughout the day with relatively low usage.

Any other ideas welcome, but thank you again for taking the time to respond.

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How do I fix battery drain issues on my iPhone 16 Pro Max using iOS 18.5?

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