# iOS 27 draining your battery? Try these fixes

> New iOS update slowing your phone down? Here are 13 quick settings tweaks to extend your iPhone's battery life.
- Title: iOS 27 draining your battery? Try these fixes · PCMAG
- Summary: New iOS update slowing your phone down? Here are 13 quick settings tweaks to extend your iPhone's battery life. iOS 27 battery drain is temporary while your…
- Keywords: ios 27, iphone battery, battery drain, low power mode, adaptive power mode, iphone settings, battery life, screen brightness, background app refresh, location services, wireless services, notifications
- Source: PCMAG — https://pcmag.com/how-to/ios-27-draining-iphone-battery-try-these-13-quick-fixes
- Author: Jason Cohen
- Published: 2026-09-16T13:48:22+00:00
- Read time: 3 min
- Topics: ios 27, iphone battery, battery drain, low power mode, adaptive power mode, iphone settings, battery life, screen brightness, background app refresh, location services, wireless services, notifications
## iOS 27 is draining batteries
After updating to iOS 27, many users report faster battery drain than usual. Apple says this is normal and temporary while your phone indexes new files.
## Check your charging time estimate
iOS 26 added a feature showing exactly how long until your phone fully charges. The lock screen displays remaining time, plus how long to reach 80% if Optimized Battery Charging is on.
## Turn on battery percentage display
Go to Settings, Battery, and enable Battery Percentage to see exact remaining charge in the top-right corner instead of just the icon.
## Enable Adaptive Power Mode
This iOS 26 feature uses on-device intelligence to predict when you need extra battery and automatically adjusts performance, brightness, and background activity. iPhone 17 models have it on by default.
## Activate Low Power Mode
Low Power Mode disables background downloads, iCloud syncing, and mail fetching. It kicks in automatically at 20% battery but you can enable it anytime in Settings, Battery.
## Reduce screen brightness manually
Your display is the biggest battery drain. Lower brightness in Settings, Display and Brightness, or use the Control Center slider. Turn off auto-brightness to keep your changes.
## Set auto-lock to shorter time
Go to Display and Brightness, Auto-Lock and choose a lower time so your screen turns off faster when you're not using it. Consider disabling Raise to Wake too.
## Disable Always-On Display
iPhone 14 Pro and later models show time and widgets on the locked screen. You can turn this off in Display and Brightness, Always On to save battery.
## Limit location services
GPS drains battery fast. Instead of turning off location entirely, go to Privacy and Security, Location Services and set individual apps to While Using the App only.
## Turn off background app refresh
Apps check for updates even when closed. Go to Settings, General, Background App Refresh and disable it completely or just for battery-heavy apps like email and social media.
## Reduce notification interruptions
Every notification lights up your screen and drains battery. Go to Settings, Notifications and turn off Lock Screen alerts or move them to Notification Center only.
## Disable wireless services
Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and cellular data constantly search for connections. Turn them off individually from Control Center or enable Airplane Mode to disable everything at once.
## iPhone 18 Pro Max lasts 34 hours
Modern iPhones are powerful. In testing, the iPhone 18 Pro Max lasted over 34 hours on a single charge, though real-world use rarely matches estimates.
## Battery degrades over time
Normal wear and tear plus bad habits gradually degrade your battery. Older iPhone models may struggle to last a full day even with these optimizations.
## Indexing causes temporary drain
When you first install iOS 27, your phone indexes all new files, which temporarily increases battery drain. This process completes automatically over time.
## No new battery features in iOS 27
iOS 27 doesn't add new battery technology, but general performance improvements should help once indexing finishes. Your settings matter more than the update itself.
## Your habits affect battery most
How you use your phone matters more than you think. Screen brightness, notifications, background apps, and wireless services have bigger impacts than the iOS version.
## Key takeaway

iOS 27 battery drain is temporary while your phone indexes new files, but you can immediately extend battery life by enabling Adaptive Power Mode, turning on Low Power Mode, reducing screen brightness, and disabling background app refresh.