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Apple just rolled out iOS 26 to all supported iPhones (that's iPhone 11 and newer), and if you've already updated, you may have noticed your battery draining faster than usual. Well, the reason might be simpler than you think.
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Whenever you install a major iOS update, you might run into short-term issues like sluggish performance or faster battery drain. Some Reddit users have already reported this with iOS 26, and I noticed the same thing on my phone, too.
But for us to be calm, Apple says this is completely normal. After an update, your iPhone runs a bunch of background processes – indexing files for search, downloading new assets, updating apps, and more. All of that takes extra energy and can make the phone feel warmer than usual.
The company explains that new features can also demand more resources, which may briefly affect performance or battery life. But as those background tasks wrap up, everything should stabilize in a day or two.
Of course, the fact that most of us spend those first hours playing with the new features – like the new spatial wallpapers or photos or Live Translate – doesn't exactly help the battery situation either.
The new iOS 26 brings a new design, called Liquid Glass, as well as new features and capabilities to the iPhone. | Video credit – Apple
Have you noticed faster battery drain after updating to iOS 26?
Yes – it is draining way quicker.
41.67%
A little – but not too bad.
33.33%
No – battery feels the same.
8.33%
Haven’t updated yet.
16.67%
Knowing about the drain makes all the difference
Updating to a new iOS is always exciting – it feels like getting a fresh phone without buying one, plus you get better security and new features. But if you don't expect the temporary side effects, you might think something is wrong and regret updating.
The reality is, it is just your phone doing behind-the-scenes work. If you are patient for a couple of days, performance and battery life should bounce back to normal.
Meanwhile, to save a bit more of your battery, try lowering the brightness of your screen, for example. Or when you are not using Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, turn them off. Or maybe even disable push notifications. Or, of course, you can use Low power mode to try and keep your phone running longer when you are out and about and don't have where to plug it in.
Expect the hiccups, then look for the fixes
Every major iOS update comes with quirks, and battery drain is usually just the first one we hear about. But the good news is that big tech companies like Apple almost always follow up with a smaller patch to smooth things out, so if you notice a bug or weird behavior, report it.
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Usually, the more people raise the same issue, the quicker companies tend to fix it.
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Tsveta, a passionate technology enthusiast and accomplished playwright, combines her love for mobile technologies and writing to explore and reveal the transformative power of tech. From being an early follower of PhoneArena to relying exclusively on her smartphone for photography, she embraces the immense capabilities of compact devices in our daily lives. With a Journalism degree and an explorative spirit, Tsveta not only provides expert insights into the world of gadgets and smartphones but also shares a unique perspective shaped by her diverse interests in travel, culture, and visual storytelling.
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