Apple may have caused a problem with the latest iOS version. Since the launch of iOS 26 in September, users have noted a considerable drop in battery life, even with newer iPhones. A participant on Apple’s support forum remarked that their new iPhone 15 was impacted, blaming the issue entirely on iOS 26.
“I didn’t touch my phone from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., yet the battery plummeted from 90% to 45%. No applications were active, background app refresh was disabled, and auto-brightness was activated,” the user shared. “The phone is brand new with a completely original battery, so this problem lies with iOS.”
Discussions on Reddit also reflect this concern, with users of iPhone 13 through iPhone 16 reporting diminished battery life after the update. User Responsible_Film_778, who owns an iPhone 13 Pro Max, commented, “I changed the battery last year, and it performed well with iOS 18.6. Now, I’m lucky if it’s over 50% by the end of the day. It drains while scrolling through Liquid Glass tabs. I hope a new update resolves this.”
On X, user @Digitalix indicated their iPhone 16 Pro has become a “half-day phone” because of iOS 26. Apple has responded by providing a support page, suggesting that battery issues might be short-lived as the device finishes background tasks following the update.
“Post-update, you may experience temporary effects on battery and thermal performance. This is typical as the device completes setup tasks. New functionalities may demand additional resources, affecting performance and battery life. Apple is continually enhancing these features in subsequent updates,” Apple mentioned.
Users have proposed various fixes, and Mashable brought attention to the “Adaptive Power” option in iOS 26. Updating applications and power cycling the phone benefited some, given that third-party apps may not yet be optimized for iOS 26. Additional solutions include turning off ProMotion on high-end iPhones or activating Low Power Mode.
Hopefully, those impacted can find a resolution without needing a battery replacement from Apple.