iOS 26 is both the cause and solution to your iPhone battery problems
iOS 26 is here, and if you've noticed a decline in your battery life since updating, you're probably not imagining it.
It's been a long-held belief among Apple users that an iPhone's battery performance declines — at least temporarily — after updating to a new operating system.
Apple itself acknowledges that there may be a decline in battery performance on a page dedicated to software updates.
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Apple wrote:
"Immediately after completing an update, particularly a major release, you might notice a temporary impact on battery life and thermal performance. This is normal, as your device needs time to complete the setup process in the background, including indexing data and files for search, downloading new assets, and updating apps.
New features are exciting and help you get even more out of your Apple product, though some may require additional resources from the device. Depending on individual usage, some users may notice a small impact on performance and/or battery life. Apple continually works to optimize these features in software updates to ensure great battery life and a smooth user experience."
However, iOS 26 could also be the answer to your iPhone battery problems, as well as the cause.
iOS 26 comes with battery management tools, which, in my experience, have actually helped me hold a charge more reliably after updating. The new software has a feature called "Adaptive Power," which should work in the background to make adjustments to save your battery life. This could mean dimming your screen, letting low-priority activities take a bit longer, or automatically turning on low-power mode when your charge is low. The new OS also has a feature that tells you how long it will take you to charge to 80 percent, which is a personal favorite update. I've found it has helped me charge my phone more efficiently.
So yes, your battery life might be a bit down with iOS 26. But it should also prove easier to manage.
Tim Marcin is an Associate Editor on the culture team at Mashable, where he mostly digs into the weird parts of the internet. You'll also see some coverage of memes, tech, sports, trends, and the occasional hot take. You can find him on Bluesky (sometimes), Instagram (infrequently), or eating Buffalo wings (as often as possible).
