19 Battery and Performance Tips for iOS 26: Boost Your iPhone

If you want to make your iPhone last longer on a single charge and run faster, these 19 battery and performance tips for iOS 26 are what you need. With smart settings, hacks, and tricks, you can cut down on power use from features like the Liquid Glass design and keep your phone smooth.

These steps work on iPhone 11 and newer models, helping you handle daily tasks without running out of battery or facing slowdowns.

Getting Started with Battery and Performance in iOS 26

iOS 26 brings new tools like Adaptive Power Mode to help manage battery, but it also adds features that can drain power if not set right. This update works on iPhone 11 and later, but drops support for older models like iPhone XR.

To start, check your battery health in Settings > Battery > Battery Health. If capacity is below 80%, think about a replacement. Back up your phone before changes, using iCloud in Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup.

These tips build on iOS 26's updates. For a full look at the system, read our iOS 26 Review. If you want more ways to tweak your phone, see our 77 Tips and Tricks for iOS 26.

19 Battery and Performance Tips for iOS 26

These tips will help you save battery and boost performance with easy-to-use settings and hacks.

1. Turn On Adaptive Power Mode

iOS 26’s Adaptive Power Mode adjusts your phone’s performance to save battery when you’re using it a lot. It lowers screen brightness or slows background tasks during heavy use.

  • How to Use: Go to Settings > Battery > Power Mode > Adaptive and toggle it on. You can also enable notifications to know when it activates.
  • Why It Helps: Saves up to 10% more battery during long tasks like gaming or streaming.

2. Check Estimated Charging Time

When you plug in your iPhone, iOS 26 shows how long it’ll take to reach 80% or full charge on the lock screen.

  • How to Use: Plug in your phone and lock it. Look at the top of the lock screen for the estimated time.
  • Why It Helps: Helps you plan when to unplug, avoiding overcharging that can wear out the battery.

3. Reduce Transparency for Better Battery

The Liquid Glass design looks cool but uses more power for its see-through effects. Reducing transparency saves battery and makes the screen easier to read.

  • How to Use: Go to Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size > Reduce Transparency and toggle it on.
  • Why It Helps: Cuts down on visual effects, saving battery and improving performance on older iPhones.

4. Blur Wallpaper on Always-On Display

The always-on display can drain battery by showing your wallpaper. Blurring it reduces power use while keeping the feature active.

  • How to Use: Go to Settings > Display & Brightness > Always On Display > Blur Wallpaper Photo and toggle it on.
  • Why It Helps: Lowers power consumption, especially on iPhone 14 Pro and newer models.

5. Turn Off Always-On Display Wallpaper

For even more battery savings, disable the wallpaper on the always-on display entirely.

  • How to Use: Go to Settings > Display & Brightness > Always On Display > Show Wallpaper and toggle it off.
  • Why It Helps: Saves battery by showing only the clock and widgets on a black background.

6. Disable Full-Screen Screenshot Preview

The screenshot preview that pops up after you take a screenshot uses extra power. Turning it off speeds up your phone.

  • How to Use: Go to Settings > General > Screen Capture > Full Screen Preview and toggle it off.
  • Why It Helps: Reduces animations, saving a small amount of battery and making screenshots faster.

7. Set Screenshot Format to SDR

Using SDR (Standard Dynamic Range) instead of HDR for screenshots saves battery by reducing image processing.

  • How to Use: Go to Settings > General > Screen Capture > Format > SDR.
  • Why It Helps: SDR uses less power than HDR, especially if you take many screenshots.

8. Stop Autoplay in CarPlay

Autoplay in CarPlay can start music or apps automatically, draining battery when connected to your car.

  • How to Use: Open Shortcuts app > Automation > New Automation > CarPlay Connected > add action “Pause Media” > save.
  • Why It Helps: Prevents unnecessary app activity, saving battery during drives.

9. Enable Phone Screening for Unknown Calls

Screening unknown calls with AI reduces interruptions and saves battery by avoiding unnecessary notifications.

  • How to Use: Go to Settings > Apps > Phone > Screen Unknown Callers > Ask Reason for Calling and toggle it on.
  • Why It Helps: Filters out spam calls, reducing screen wake-ups and saving power.

10. Turn On Hold Assist for Calls

Hold Assist lets your iPhone wait on hold during calls, so you don’t have to keep the screen on.

  • How to Use: Go to Settings > Apps > Phone > Hold Assist and toggle it on. During a call, tap the Hold Assist button when prompted.
  • Why It Helps: Keeps the screen off during long holds, saving battery.

11. Filter Unknown Callers and Spam

Filtering unknown callers sends them to voicemail, reducing notifications and battery drain.

  • How to Use: Go to Settings > Apps > Phone > Filter Unknown Callers and toggle it on.
  • Why It Helps: Fewer notifications mean less screen activity, saving battery.

12. Disable Character Preview on Keyboard

The pop-up preview of each letter you type uses extra power. Turning it off speeds up typing and saves battery.

  • How to Use: Go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Character Preview and toggle it off.
  • Why It Helps: Reduces animations, improving performance and saving a small amount of battery.

13. Enable Keyboard Haptics Instead of Sound

Keyboard sound clicks drain battery slightly. Switching to haptics gives feedback without sound.

  • How to Use: Go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Keyboard Feedback > Haptic and toggle it on. Turn off Sound in the same menu.
  • Why It Helps: Haptics use less power than audio feedback, saving battery.

14. Turn Off Keyboard Sound Clicks

If you don’t want haptics, you can disable keyboard sounds entirely.

  • How to Use: Go to Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Keyboard Feedback > Sound and toggle it off.
  • Why It Helps: Eliminates audio output, saving a small amount of battery.

15. Disable Lock Sound

The sound your iPhone makes when locking uses a tiny bit of battery.

  • How to Use: Go to Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Lock Sound and toggle it off.
  • Why It Helps: Removes unnecessary audio, saving battery over time.

16. Turn Off Change with Buttons for Volume

Using side buttons to change ringer volume can lead to accidental adjustments, waking the screen.

  • How to Use: Go to Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Ringer and Alerts > Change with Buttons and toggle it off.
  • Why It Helps: Prevents screen wake-ups, saving battery.

17. Enable Adaptive Power Notifications

Get alerts when Adaptive Power Mode kicks in to save battery.

  • How to Use: Go to Settings > Battery > Power Mode > Adaptive Power Notifications and toggle it on.
  • Why It Helps: Keeps you informed about battery-saving actions, helping you manage power better.

18. Turn Off Prioritize Faster Shooting in Camera

Prioritizing speed over quality in the Camera app can increase processing and battery use.

  • How to Use: Go to Settings > Camera > Prioritize Faster Shooting and toggle it off.
  • Why It Helps: Improves photo quality and reduces processing power, saving battery.

19. Sign Out of Game Center

Game Center runs in the background, using battery for game tracking and notifications.

  • How to Use: Go to Settings, search for Game Center, and tap Sign Out.
  • Why It Helps: Stops background activity, saving battery for non-gamers.

Why These Tips Work

These tips focus on reducing unnecessary animations, sounds, and background tasks that drain your battery. For example, disabling visual effects like transparency or always-on wallpaper cuts power use on iPhone 14 Pro and newer models. Filtering calls and notifications reduces screen wake-ups, which can save up to 5% battery daily. These hacks also improve performance by freeing up processing power, making apps open faster and reducing lag.

For more productivity-focused hacks, check out our 33 Best Productivity and Settings for iOS 26.

Battery and Performance Comparison Across iPhone Models

The effectiveness of these tips varies by iPhone model, especially with the iPhone 17 lineup released in September 2025. Here’s how battery life stacks up:

Model Video Playback Hours Charging Speed Notes
iPhone 17 30 hours 25W Great for daily use
iPhone 17 Air 27 hours 20W Thin design limits battery; use MagSafe pack
iPhone 17 Pro 33 hours 25W Larger battery than base
iPhone 17 Pro Max 39 hours 25W Best battery in lineup

For a full comparison of these models, see our guide on iPhone 17 vs iPhone 17 Air vs iPhone 17 Pro vs iPhone 17 Pro Max.

Tips for Maximizing Battery Health

To keep your battery in top shape long-term:

  • Avoid Extreme Temperatures: Don’t leave your iPhone in hot cars or freezing conditions, as this damages the battery.
  • Use Optimized Charging: Enable Settings > Battery > Battery Health > Optimized Battery Charging to limit charging to 80% when possible.
  • Check Battery Health: Go to Settings > Battery > Battery Health to see your battery’s maximum capacity. If it’s below 80%, consider a replacement.

What to Expect from iOS 26 Updates

Since iOS 26 is in beta, some tips may work better after the final release in September 2025. Apple will likely add more battery-saving features or improve Adaptive Power Mode. If you’re using the beta, expect occasional bugs like faster battery drain or warm phones. Wait for the stable version if you rely on your iPhone daily.

FAQ

1. How does Adaptive Power Mode save battery in iOS 26?

Adaptive Power Mode in iOS 26 adjusts screen brightness and slows background tasks when your battery is draining fast. Turn it on in Settings > Battery > Power Mode > Adaptive. It can save up to 10% battery during heavy use, like gaming or streaming, making it one of the best battery hacks.

2. Which iPhone models benefit most from these battery tips?

These tips work on iPhone 11 and newer, but newer models like the iPhone 17 Pro Max (39 hours of video playback) see the biggest gains due to larger batteries. The iPhone 17 Air has the smallest battery at 27 hours, so tips like disabling always-on wallpaper are critical. Check model details in our iPhone 17 comparison.

3. Can I use these tips on the iOS 26 beta?

Yes, but since iOS 26 is in beta until September 2025, some settings may cause bugs or drain battery faster. Always back up your phone before applying these tips. For a full list of iOS 26 features, see our iOS 26 Review.

4. How do I know if my battery is draining too fast?

Check Settings > Battery to see which apps use the most power. If an app is using over 20% in a few hours, close it or limit background activity. Enable Adaptive Power Notifications in Settings > Battery > Power Mode to get alerts when your battery needs help.

5. What’s the best way to improve performance on older iPhones?

On older models like the iPhone 11, reduce transparency (Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size) and disable always-on display features (if available). These tips cut processing demands, speeding up your phone and saving battery.

Conclusion

These 19 Battery and Performance Tips for iOS 26 make your iPhone last longer and run faster. From enabling Adaptive Power Mode to turning off unnecessary sounds, each hack is simple and effective. Try them out to keep your iPhone in top shape, whether you’re using an iPhone 17 or an older model. For more ways to customize your phone, explore our 25 Customization Tips for iOS 26. Keep tweaking your settings to get the most from iOS 26!

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