How to Save Battery Life on iOS 18: A Comprehensive Guide
Mastering Battery Efficiency on iOS 18: Essential Tips and Tricks
As an iPhone user, saving battery life when you update to iOS 18’s advanced features is a crucial consideration. Particularly if you want to manage energy usage efficiently. That’s why we’ve created this simple guide to help you understand and implement a few key settings that will extend your device’s battery life without sacrificing functionality.
By following these detailed steps below, you can optimize your iPhone’s battery performance.

1. Lower Your Screen Brightness
The screen is one of the most power-hungry components of your iPhone. Reducing its brightness can make a noticeable difference in battery life. Here’s how you should adjust it:
- Open Settings and navigate to Display & Brightness.
- Use the slider to lower the brightness to a comfortable level for your eyes.
- Alternatively, you can enable Auto-Brightness to let your iPhone adjust brightness based on ambient light conditions.
- Additionally, you could consider reducing screen wake time by:
- Go to Settings > Display & Brightness > Auto-Lock.
Setting it to a shorter duration, like 30 seconds or 1 minute.
2. Turn Off Background App Refresh
Mosr people have apps running in the background, this habit consumes significant amounts of power, especially when they refresh frequently. Thankfully, disabling Background App Refresh can save energy:
- Open Settings and go to General > Background App Refresh.
- Select Off to disable it completely, or choose Wi-Fi if you want apps to refresh only when connected to Wi-Fi.
- You can also turn off refresh for specific apps by toggling them off individually.
This not only saves battery life but also reduces data usage.
3. Disable Unnecessary Location Services
Location services are essential for some apps but can be a significant drain on your battery if used excessively. Limit their usage by:
- Going to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services.
- Reviewing the apps listed and changing their permissions to While Using the App or Never, depending on your needs.
- Disable location services for system services you don’t need by selecting System Services at the bottom of the Location Services page.
- Turn off Significant Locations under Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services > System Services > Significant Locations. This feature tracks your frequently visited places and is unnecessary for most users.
For additional savings, turn off Precise Location for apps that don’t require pinpoint accuracy.
4. Use Wi-Fi Instead of Cellular Data When Possible
Cellular data typically consumes more power than Wi-Fi. Whenever you’re in a location with a reliable Wi-Fi connection, switch to it:
- Open Settings and toggle on Wi-Fi.
- Connect to a trusted network.
To prevent your phone from automatically switching back to cellular, disable Wi-Fi Assist under Settings > Cellular > Wi-Fi Assist.
5. Enable Dark Mode
Going dark has more benefits than just being an aesthetic preference; it can also save battery life, especially on OLED screens. Why? Black pixels require less energy to display, making this mode a practical choice:
- Navigate to Settings > Display & Brightness.
- Select Dark under the Appearance section.
You can also schedule Dark Mode to activate automatically during specific hours by enabling Automatic and setting a custom schedule.
6. Limit Push Notifications
While push notifications keep you updated, they can drain your battery when they appear too frequently. To manage them effectively:
- Go to Settings > Notifications.
- Review the list of apps and toggle off notifications for non-essential ones.
For apps where notifications are necessary, consider disabling sounds and banners to further reduce power consumption.
7. Consider Using Low Power Mode When Needed
Low Power Mode is a built-in feature designed to extend battery life by temporarily reducing power-hungry activities. While most users only enable it when the battery level is low, it’s also a good idea to use this feature when you know you’ll be away from a charger for a while. To enable low power mode:
- Open Settings > Battery and toggle on Low Power Mode.
- Alternatively, add it to your Control Center for quick access by going to Settings > Control Center > Customize Controls.
When activated, Low Power Mode reduces mail fetch, background app refresh, and some visual effects.
8. Limit the Number of Lock Screen Widgets
Lock screen widgets provide quick access to information but can consume power as they refresh. To minimize their use:
- Press and hold the lock screen, then tap Customize.
- Select the widgets you don’t frequently use and remove them.
Our pro tip? Opt for widgets that don’t require constant updates, as these are less taxing on the battery.
Additional Tips for Maximizing Battery Life
- Regularly Update Your iOS: Apple frequently releases updates that include battery optimization features.
- Keep Your iPhone Cool: High temperatures can degrade battery performance. Avoid leaving your phone in hot environments.
- Manage Power-Hungry Apps: Check battery usage under Settings > Battery to identify apps consuming the most power and limit their use.
- Turn Off Vibrations: Vibrations for calls and notifications use additional power. Disable them under Settings > Sounds & Haptics if not needed.
Final Thoughts
All the optimization tips that we’ve outlined in this short guide can keep your device running longer and enhance your overall user experience. Following these steps precisely will maximize the battery life of your iPhone while running iOS 18. Whether it’s through adjusting settings, enabling Low Power Mode, or managing notifications and widgets, these small changes can make a significant difference.
BONUS: iOS 18 Settings To Turn OFF Now!
- Battery Charge Limit: Set a limit (e.g., 90%) in Battery settings.
- Communication Preferences: Disable unwanted email switches.
- Subscriptions: Review and cancel unnecessary services.
- Cellular Data (5G): Switch to LTE if 5G signal is weak.
- 5G Standalone: Turn off in Cellular Data Options.
- Data Mode: Use "Low Data Mode" over "Allow More Data."
- iCloud Backup (Cellular): Disable over cellular.
- Wi-Fi (Ask to Join): Turn off to prevent unwanted connections.
- App Store (Downloads): Disable automatic downloads across devices.
- App Store (Video Autoplay): Turn off.
- App Store (Ratings & Reviews): Turn off in-app prompts.
- Camera (Faster Shooting): Turn off for better image quality.
- Camera (Apple ProRes): Disable unless specifically needed.
- Sounds & Haptics (Keyboard): Turn off sound and haptic feedback.
- Sounds & Haptics (Lock Sound): Turn off.