How to Save Battery Power on an iPhone

PDF download Download Article
PDF download Download Article

This wikiHow teaches you how to lower the amount of energy your iPhone uses and increase the length of time you can go without charging it.

Method 1
Method 1 of 4:

Using Low Power Mode

PDF download Download Article
  1. It's a gray app that contains gears (⚙️) and is typically located on your home screen.
  2. It's next to a green square that contains a white battery icon.
    Advertisement
  3. It will turn green. [1] Doing so can improve your iPhone's battery usage by as much as 40 percent. [2]
    • You can also tell Siri to "Turn on Low Power Mode."
    • When your iPhone's battery charges to a level above 80 percent, Low Power Mode automatically turns off. [3] Turn it on after charging to save battery power.
    • Using Low Power Mode affects several of your iPhone's features:
      • Email will not fetch as frequently.
      • The Hey Siri feature, which allows you to activate Siri without holding the Home button, will not function.
      • Apps will not refresh until you launch them.
      • Auto-Lock will default to 30 seconds.
      • Some visual effects will be disabled. [4]
    4. Advertisement
Method 2
Method 2 of 4:

Checking Battery Usage

PDF download Download Article
  1. It's a gray app that contains gears (⚙️) and is typically located on your home screen.
  2. It's next to a green square that contains a white battery icon.
  3. It's one of the tabs at the top of the "BATTERY USAGE" section.
    • On this screen, your apps will be listed in descending order of the amount of battery power they've used over the last 7 days.
  4. You can change the settings for apps with high usage percentages and the note "Background Activity" to decrease the amount of battery power the apps use.
  5. It's in the upper-left corner.
  6. It's next to a gear (⚙️) icon.
  7. It's near the bottom of the screen.
  8. It will turn white. When this function is disabled, apps will only refresh when you open them, saving battery power.
    • Background App Refresh is disabled in Low Power Mode.
    9. Advertisement
Method 3
Method 3 of 4:

Using Control Center

PDF download Download Article
  1. Do so by swiping up from the bottom of your iPhone's screen.
  2. It's a large button near the bottom of the Control Center. Doing so dims the brightness of your iPhone's screen and conserves power. Turn it on whenever possible.
  3. It's in the upper-left corner and contains the image of an airplane. When it's orange, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and cellular service will be disabled.
    • Do so when you don't need an Internet connection.
    • This method is particularly useful in low-signal areas where your iPhone repeated searches for service. [8]
    • Your iPhone will charge faster in Airplane Mode, as well.
    4. Advertisement
Method 4
Method 4 of 4:

Reducing Screen "On" Time

PDF download Download Article
  1. It's a gray app that contains gears (⚙️) and is typically located on your home screen.
  2. It's near the top of the menu, next to a blue icon that contains two "A"s.
  3. It's near the middle of the screen.
  4. Tap on the amount of time you'd like your screen to stay on and idle before turning off and going into lock mode. Choose a shorter length of time to save more battery power.
    • Home screen and lock screen are often two of the biggest users of battery power.
  5. It's in the upper-left corner of the screen.
  6. It's in the upper-left corner of the screen.
  7. It's next to a red icon.
  8. Do so by tapping apps that you don't need to receive notifications from when your phone is locked, then slide "Show on Lock Screen" to the "Off" (white) position.
    • Notifications cause your screen to turn on. By turning off Lock Screen notifications, you will only see them when your iPhone is unlocked and in use.
    9. Advertisement

Expert Video


Expert Q&A

Search
Add New Question
  • Question
    How do you turn off location services?
    Josef Storzi
    Apple & Mobile Phone Repair Specialist
    Josef Storzi is an Apple and Mobile Phone Repair Specialist and the Owner of Imobile LA, a mobile phone repair company based in Los Angeles, California. Josef specializes in repairing screens, charging ports, batteries, water damage, speakers, and microphones on all mobile phone brands including Apple, Samsung, LG, Nokia, and Sony. He also specializes in tablet, laptop, and computer repairs as well as the pros and cons of recent mobile software updates.
    Josef Storzi
    Apple & Mobile Phone Repair Specialist
    Expert Answer
    Open Settings and scroll down to Privacy, then click on Location Services. Toggle the slider next to Location Services to turn them on or off.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 0 Helpful 1
  • Question
    How do you turn on power saving mode?
    Josef Storzi
    Apple & Mobile Phone Repair Specialist
    Josef Storzi is an Apple and Mobile Phone Repair Specialist and the Owner of Imobile LA, a mobile phone repair company based in Los Angeles, California. Josef specializes in repairing screens, charging ports, batteries, water damage, speakers, and microphones on all mobile phone brands including Apple, Samsung, LG, Nokia, and Sony. He also specializes in tablet, laptop, and computer repairs as well as the pros and cons of recent mobile software updates.
    Josef Storzi
    Apple & Mobile Phone Repair Specialist
    Expert Answer
    To enable power saving mode, navigate to Settings. Click on Battery, then toggle the slider next to Low Power Mode.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 0 Helpful 2
  • Question
    How do you close background apps on an iPhone?
    Josef Storzi
    Apple & Mobile Phone Repair Specialist
    Josef Storzi is an Apple and Mobile Phone Repair Specialist and the Owner of Imobile LA, a mobile phone repair company based in Los Angeles, California. Josef specializes in repairing screens, charging ports, batteries, water damage, speakers, and microphones on all mobile phone brands including Apple, Samsung, LG, Nokia, and Sony. He also specializes in tablet, laptop, and computer repairs as well as the pros and cons of recent mobile software updates.
    Josef Storzi
    Apple & Mobile Phone Repair Specialist
    Expert Answer
    Double-click your home button if your device has one, then swipe up on each app. If you don't have a home button, use your finger to swipe up from the bottom, similar to how you swipe up to minimize an app. However, when you swipe up, don't release, but keep your finger on the display until the menu pops up revealing all your background apps. From there, you may swipe up on each app to close it.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 0 Helpful 0
See more answers
Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
      Advertisement

      Tips

      • Checking the time and battery life uses power. Do so less frequently to preserve battery life.
        Thanks
        Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
      Submit a Tip
      All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
      Name
      Please provide your name and last initial
      Submit
      Thanks for submitting a tip for review!
      Advertisement

      You Might Also Like

      How to
      Hard Reset an iPhone
      Apple ID Sign Out Unavailable? Here's How to Fix It
      How to
      Get Past the Activation Lock on an iPhone or iPad without the Seller
      10 Simple Ways to Fix an iPhone or Android That Won’t Send Pictures
      6 Easy Steps to Reload Your Cash App Card at the Store
      How to
      Fix the “iPhone Unavailable” Message: Explanation and Fixes
      How to
      Turn On MMS Text Messages on an iPhone
      2 Ways to Get a Still Image from Video on iPhone or iPad
      How to
      Use the iPhone Hidden Album to Hide Private Photos
      How to
      Fix "Notifications Silenced" on iPhone Messages
      How to
      Bypass Your Screen Time Passcode: Reset, Remove, or Hack Screen Time
      4 Ways to Find Your Lost iPhone When It’s Offline or Dead
      How to
      Downgrade and Restore Older Versions of iOS on iPhone
      Turn Off Location Sharing on an iPhone Without Anyone Knowing
      Advertisement

      References

      1. ↑ Josef Storzi. Apple & Mobile Phone Repair Specialist. Expert Interview. 7 December 2020.
      2. ↑ https://birchtree.me/blog/wqoc7twm9a26g29pbwkvjikqju8tz7/
      3. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT205234
      4. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT205234
      5. ↑ Josef Storzi. Apple & Mobile Phone Repair Specialist. Expert Interview. 7 December 2020.
      6. ↑ Josef Storzi. Apple & Mobile Phone Repair Specialist. Expert Interview. 7 December 2020.
      7. ↑ Josef Storzi. Apple & Mobile Phone Repair Specialist. Expert Interview. 7 December 2020.
      8. ↑ http://www.macworld.co.uk/how-to/iphone/iphone-ipad-battery-life-ios-9-battery-saving-tips-2016-3513323/

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      1. Open Settings.
      2. Tap Battery .
      3. Slide Low Power Mode to "On."

      Did this summary help you?
      In other languages
      Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 707,204 times.

      Reader Success Stories

      • Anonymous

        Jun 14, 2016

        "Turning off background refresh was the most helpful tip."
      Share your story

      Is this article up to date?

      Advertisement