The latest stable iOS release is accused of causing rapid iPhone battery drain and more
The same stable iOS update is also accused of heating up iPhone units making them too hot to hold.
Stable iOS update could cause rapid iPhone battery draining and more | Image by PhoneArena
On the penultimate day of June 2026, also known as June 29, Apple released iOS 26.5.2. An important security update, this release patched over 25 security flaws, including some in very sensitive areas of the operating system like the kernel, and others related to the WebKit open-source browser engine.
Compatible iPhone models received security update iOS 26.5.2 last month
By now, you should have updated your compatible iPhone model with the latest OS release. If you haven't, follow these directions. Go to Settings > General > Software Update and if you receive the software update card, you can install the update. If your iPhone has the latest iOS 27 developer beta installed, the security patches are already downloaded on your device. The latest iOS 27 developer beta release is beta 3.
Those iPhone users who installed the iOS 26.5.2 update are surely happy to have the flaws on their handsets patched. But it turns out that downloading iOS 26.5.2 on some iPhone units does more than eliminate software bugs and fix the browser engine.
After installing the update, some iPhone users noticed that their batteries were draining faster than normal
According to iPhone users who installed the update and complained on social media about what happened, iOS 26.5.2 also drains the battery much faster than normal. At the same time, the body of the iPhone becomes too hot to hold.
So what is causing the battery drain and overheating?
A Reddit user sporting an iPhone 16 Pro Max and the aptly named username of "Miserable_Impact" wrote that after installing iOS 26.5.2 on his iPhone, the handset was having some fresh problems. For one, the insane battery life he had been enjoying was now greatly reduced. In addition, he noticed that his phone was getting "real hot real fast," an issue that he was willing to blame on the hot weather.
However, a rapidly draining smartphone battery and a red-hot phone typically go hand in hand. Most of the time, these issues are connected and signal that the phone is reacting to something that is not running as it should.
Apple's built-in battery diagnostics test in iOS 27 beta 3 delivers useful data. | Image by PhoneArena
Two Meta apps also have been known to quickly drain iPhone batteries
Occasionally, the issue could be a new app that you just downloaded. Another possibility is that an app you've had on your iPhone for a long time has been updated and a bug from the new build is sucking your battery dry and turning up the heat on your iPhone. Facebook and Instagram are two apps that have been known to cause iPhone cells to rapidly drain.
Other iPhone users said that they had issues with iOS 26.5 that vanished when they installed the iOS 27 beta. Those with an iPhone 15 Pro and later models who decide to install the iOS 27 beta will also get to experience the Siri AI beta.
Just remember that a beta release is not stable and features that you rely on every day might not always work correctly. Make sure to back up your phone before you install iOS 27. You'll have to join the Apple Beta Software Program and the first step is to tap on this link.
Check to see if you have an app drinking too much battery juice in the background
If you haven't installed iOS 26.5.2, or you have but want to see if there is another culprit causing your battery to drain and allowing you to fry eggs on your handset, there is a diagnostic test you can run. Follow these directions to use Apple's built-in battery diagnostics test:
- Open Settings > Battery > View All Battery Usage
- Scroll down to the section marked Battery Usage by App.
- In iOS 27, you will see a list of apps in order of battery usage. Tapping on each one will show you whether a particular app is using more battery than normal.
Also pay attention to the apps that are running in the background too long. If an app shows high background activity and it is getting hot and/or the battery is draining, you can make adjustments by going to Settings > General > Background App Refresh.
If Apple discovers that the iOS 26.5.2 update does cause iPhone users' batteries to rapidly drain, and their devices to get unreasonably hot, you can expect the tech giant to release iOS 26.5.3 fairly quickly.
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