Battery drain is still severe after a month on my iPhone 12 mini running iOS 26

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Battery drain is still severe after a month on my iPhone 12 mini running iOS 26

It’s been about a month since I updated to iOS 26, and the battery drain is still quite severe. I installed iOS 26.0.1 as soon as it was released, but it hasn’t made any real difference. By now, the system should’ve settled, yet the battery continues to drop far faster than normal.

The drain is especially noticeable when using the phone, the percentage drops visibly within minutes. When the phone isn’t in use, the drain is slower, likely because I’ve disabled almost everything in the background.

I’ve already tried the usual steps, turning off background app refresh, location services, and other potential causes, with only slight improvement.

All apps have been updated manually. From what I’ve seen, this seems to be a common and well-documented issue.

Hopefully Apple addresses this soon, as the current battery performance makes everyday use both frustrating and unreliable.

[Re-Titled by Moderator]

Original Title: iOS 26 Battery Drain Still Severe After a Month

iPhone 12 mini, iOS 26

Posted on Oct 14, 2025 7:57 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Mac Jim ID

Community+ 2026

Level 9

69,014 points

Oct 14, 2025 8:30 PM in response to michafoto

We cannot comment on iOS 26.1 that is currently in beta and being tested to let you know what issues have been addressed. It is a violation of the terms of use for being a beta tester and not allowed on this support site. The release date has not yet been announced.

Specifically for your case, you left out the number one reason for the battery to be draining quickly and that is the Battery Health. If this is the iPhone 12 that shows in your tagline, it would be unusual to not have had that battery replaced by now with the Battery Health being below 80%. If that is the case, then make sure it is replaced by Apple or Authorized Apple Service Provider only, or you should also expect problems with that one.

It is also not clear what your green Battery Graph shows at Settings > Battery with the last 24 hours option selected and the apps that are using the battery. It is good you keep your apps updated, some still have done a poor job even with an update. Meta apps have always been problematic with battery performance, but they are getting better it seems with updates as much as 13 times each month to address bugs. Apps noted with Background Activities are consuming your battery even when the app is not being used.

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Answer 2

Oct 15, 2025 4:05 AM in response to michafoto

You don’t get more mail some days than others? Your mail contains no attachments? Please share the screenshot showing your top 5 or 6 apps using the most battery capacity.

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Answer 3

michafoto Author

Level 1

48 points

Oct 14, 2025 8:50 PM in response to Mac Jim ID

Please see the battery health information below. The battery has been replaced with an original Apple battery.

I am unable to provide the green usage graph, as I do not use the iPhone continuously. The rapid capacity loss occurs intermittently, as described above.

When the phone is not in use, battery drain is generally normal or low, and background tasks have been disabled.

As mentioned, all apps have been frequently updated manually.

[Edited by Moderator]

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Answer 4

Oct 14, 2025 8:56 PM in response to michafoto

Intermittent problems are the most difficult to troubleshoot. Without any indicators when you are experiencing the problem, it may be your only option to wait for the next update to see if you notice an improvement.

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