iPad Pro M4 battery: rapid drain, capacity drop

Many factors will impact how quickly your iPad battery will drain. Differences in installed Apps and device configuration, individual usage patterns, temperature, screen brightness, and App usage will all influence your unique situation. Don't forget, when idle, background and housekeeping tasks are still running - such as file system optimisation and periodic mail retrieval.

While it is impossible to provide a definitive answer, you might reasonably anticipate your iPad depleting its battery at between 8-15% of its battery charge per hour of active use, CPU/GPU-intensive Apps consuming more battery charge. While idle (with the screen off), an average might be ~10% per day.

Speaking of personal experience of iPad's Pro used throughout the day, mainly for Mail and web-browser activities, I comfortably see around 6-7 hours of usage running on battery power alone. When at my desk, the iPad is routinely connected to external power, such that the iPad is charging while being used; away from desk, the iPad is running on battery alone.

Information about iPad’s battery management can be found here:

About the iPad and iPhone charge-management feature – Apple Support

After performing a system software update, expect to see significantly higher than usual battery usage for a few days as the iPad will be running higher-than usual background activities. This activity, including system optimisation and background download of new or modified software assets, will impact battery life while the iPad is not connected to an external source of power. Nominal battery utilisation can be expected to return within a few days.

Battery health is affected by many factors - and does not necessarily change in a linear manner. As a rough approximation, you might anticipate losing 1% for each 50 full recharge cycles. You should note that your indicated battery health is expressed as a rounded-down integer. As such, being expressed as a integer value, you should expect to see the health drop in 1% increments - potentialy one reading to the next.

An iPad battery is rated to retain 80% of its original capacity (when new) after 1000 full recharge cycles. Any combination of charging that together sums to 100% equates to one full charge cycle (e.g., 50% + 20% + 20% + 10% = 100% = 1 full charge cycle).

Other factors can influence overall battery health. High ambient temperatures can permanently reduce the battery's ability to retain full charge - as can maintaining the battery at 100% charge for very long periods of time that leads to chemical aging of the battery.

Troublesooting

Your description suggests that you may have a malfunctioning App or a stalled process - leading to unexpected high battery usage - this potential diagnosis being supported by your observation of occasional overheating. If your iPad is not operating as expected, begin with a forced-restart - as this will often clear an isolated software issue:

Force restart iPad (models with Face ID or with Touch ID in the top button)

If your iPad doesn’t have the Home button, do the following:

1. Press and quickly release the volume button nearest to the top button.
2. Press and quickly release the volume button farthest from the top button.
3. Press and hold the top button.
4. When the Apple logo appears, release the top button.

If the problem persists after performing the restart, it may be necessary to reset your iPad settings. While this reset will not cause any loss of data, as a precaution, it is always wise to ensure that you have a current iCloud or iTunes backup before performing the reset:

How to back up your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch - Apple Support

When you are happy to proceed, you can perform the reset from iPad settings:

Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPad > Reset > Reset All Settings

If the problem still doesn’t clear, the next step is to reset the iPad to factory settings:

Restore your iPhone, iPad, or iPod to factory settings - Apple Support

Otherwise, you would be best advised to seek assistance directly from Apple Support - and request a remote diagnostic test. You can contact the Support Team using the Support link at top-right or bottom-left of this page. Alternatively you can initiate and manage your support cases using the excellent Apple Support App. If not already installed on your iPad, the App can be downloaded from the App Store:

https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-support/id1130498044

You might also visit the Genius Bar at your local Apple Store or Apple Authorised Service Provider (AASP) - where the technicians will be able to test and assess your iPad - and you can explore your available options:

Genius Bar Reservation and Apple Support Options - Apple

Regardless of any other factors, is this rate of decline considered normal in principle?

Not in my opinion or experience.

As has been mentioned in the excellent responses above, the battery in your iPad was designed to go up to 1,000 Charge Cycles before the Maximum Capacity has declined to 80%. That works out in general to about a 1% decline for every 50 Charge Cycles.

If your iPad has completed 200 Charge Cycles, the battery Maximum Capacity should be in the 95-96% range at this point. At 91%, your battery is declining more than twice as fast as I would expect, unless you are running power hog apps all the time.

My suggestion would be to make an appointment at the Apple Store / Genius Bar or take the phone to an authorized Apple service shop to have them check and test the battery. Another way to say the same thing is that I do not recommend that you request a remote diagnostic unless taking the phone in would simply be too difficult.

Please report on your results. You can find a list of authorized shops in your area using this link:

Find Locations- Apple

The remote diagnostics is not as complete as the in person diagnostics at an Apple Store or Apple Authorized Service Provider.

If you’re in the US, please call  1-800-MY-APPLE, or outside the US, consult the support articles below. In Canada, call 1-800-263-3394.

Contact Apple for support and service - Apple Support

Genius Bar Reservation and Apple Support Options - Apple

Explore Service Locations

Batteries, like people are individuals. No two people age exactly the same and batteries don’t age the same either. The exact usage, chemical makeup, storage conditions, exposure to heat and cold and about a dozen other factors mean that every battery ages differently. Battery aging is not a linear (straight line) and degrades at different rates as the chemicals in the battery age and the other factors mentioned above. Apple expects your battery health to be at 80% after 24 months. If your battery health misses that expectation, contact Apple Support.

My 5th gen 12.9” M1 iPad Pro was purchased new in August 2021. It’ll be 5 years old in a few months and still going strong. I know I’ll be replacing the battery soon, 5 years was a good run and I suspect you’ll get similar or even better service from your much newer iPad.

Meris23 wrote:

I would like to make sure that there is no hardware problem causing these symptoms.

In that case, let Apple assess your iPad.

Apple Service and Repair for iPad - Apple Support

Meris23 wrote:

Could someone please explain how I can request a remote diagnostic test from Apple Support? Can this be arranged through text-based support?

As previously directed, you can contact the Support Team using the Support link at top-right or bottom-left of this page. Alternatively you can initiate and manage your support cases using the excellent Apple Support App. If not already installed on your iPad, the App can be downloaded from the App Store:

https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-support/id1130498044

See this article.

If the battery in your iPhone or iPad drains too quickly - Apple Support

Have you open any support tickets on the battery issue since your purchase in September of 2025? Did you purchase Apple Care?