iOS 26 causing battery drain? Here's how to optimize your iPhone for all-day use

Apple officially released iOS 26 on September 16 (Vietnam time), bringing iPhone users a new look and many notable features. This is a major update, marking an important shift in Apple's software strategy, not only because of the appearance of the modern Liquid Glass interface but also thanks to a series of improvements in security, Siri and system performance.

However, right after the update, many users noticed that the battery drained faster than usual, and the device even got hotter during use. This made many iPhone owners wonder if the new update caused the battery problem.

According to Apple, the phenomenon of rapid battery drain after upgrading is completely normal and only temporary. The company explained that every time the device updates to a major version of iOS, the system will have to perform a series of background tasks such as indexing data, re-analyzing files to serve the Spotlight search engine, downloading new resource packages, syncing iCloud, updating applications or optimizing photos and videos. All of these processes require a lot of power and hardware resources, leading to rapid battery drain in the first few days after the update.

Apple emphasizes that users do not need to worry too much because after the system completes background tasks, the battery consumption will return to a stable state. However, it cannot be denied that iOS 26 with many new visual effects and features will also cause higher energy demand, especially for iPhone lines that have been released for many years. Therefore, understanding battery saving settings and adjusting reasonable usage habits is the key to maintaining a smooth experience without being interrupted by limited battery life.

1. Liquid Glass: Modern but energy-consuming

One of the most prominent changes in iOS 26 is the Liquid Glass interface . With the transparent effect spread throughout the system, from the settings menu, notification bar to the control center, the iPhone brings a more modern and sophisticated feel than ever. This is a bold move by Apple when deciding to change the look of iOS after many years of maintaining a flat and simple style.

However, this transparency effect is one of the reasons why the battery drains faster. The layers of dynamic effects, combined with complex graphics processing, force the iPhone's GPU to work harder, especially when users constantly switch between applications. For older iPhone models, the battery drain phenomenon is even more noticeable.

If you want to optimize battery life without losing the beauty of iOS 26, you can turn off some of the effects in Liquid Glass. Go to Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size > Reduce Transparency and turn on this option. This will reduce the transparent glass effect, making the interface more similar to previous iOS versions. This is a balanced solution that both saves battery life and maintains a stable experience on iOS 26.

Turning off Liquid Glass not only improves battery life, but also reduces the risk of your iPhone overheating during extended use. For those who prioritize performance and battery life over aesthetics, this is a necessary adjustment.

2. Reasons for battery draining quickly after update

In addition to Liquid Glass, there are some other reasons that cause iPhone battery to drain quickly after upgrading to iOS 26.

First of all, as Apple explains, the system needs time to finish optimizing. Depending on the amount of memory and the number of apps, this process can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days. During that time, it is inevitable that the battery will drain faster.

Second, new features like upgraded Siri, Adaptive Power, and AI in call filtering all require more resources. Every time the system operates AI algorithms, the amount of energy consumed increases significantly. This is a point that Apple admits and says that users need a few days for the iPhone to stabilize again.

Finally, individual usage habits also play a role. Continuously turning on 4G/5G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, location sharing or keeping the screen at high brightness will cause the battery to drain faster. iOS 26 with its new interface also makes users interact more in the early stages, thereby creating the feeling that the battery drains faster than usual.

3. Necessary settings to save battery on iOS 26

Although battery drain after an update is normal, Apple still equips iOS 26 with options to help users proactively control this situation.

In addition to reducing Liquid Glass transparency as mentioned, users should pay attention to the Adaptive Power feature , the new battery management mode that Apple introduced on iOS 26. This is a big step up from the previous Low Power Mode.

Adaptive Power works based on the device's built-in AI, learning the user's usage habits over time. For example, if the iPhone detects that you often use many heavy applications in the evening, the system will proactively allocate energy more intelligently, reducing background tasks during that time frame to prioritize performance. Conversely, when the battery is low, Adaptive Power will automatically reduce screen brightness, pause syncing of some applications, or even turn on Low Power Mode when the battery is 20%.

To activate, users go to Settings > Battery > Power Mode > Adaptive Power and turn the switch to On. According to Apple, this feature takes about 7 days to fully "learn" usage habits, thereby bringing about significant battery saving effects.

In addition, users can apply some additional adjustments: reduce screen brightness or enable Auto-Brightness mode, turn off location for unnecessary applications, control push notifications from social networks and limit background application running. These steps are small but when combined can significantly extend battery life.

4. Change your usage habits to optimize battery life

Not only relying on the settings options, saving battery on iOS 26 also comes from usage habits. Apple has repeatedly recommended that users should charge the battery properly, avoid letting the iPhone battery completely drain before plugging it in to charge, and should not let the device get too hot during the charging process.

Some everyday tips include: turning off Bluetooth when not in use, using Wi-Fi instead of 4G/5G when possible, limiting Screen Time to avoid overuse, and taking advantage of Dark Mode if you have an iPhone with an OLED screen. All of these tweaks contribute to improved battery life.

Also, keep in mind that each new version of iOS comes with periodic bug fixes. If you find that your iPhone's battery is draining too quickly even after several weeks, it's possible that there's a software bug in the system. In that case, updating to the next patched version of iOS 26 will usually fix the problem.

Among the new features, Adaptive Power is considered the most valuable change when it comes to battery saving. Unlike Low Power Mode, which only reduces performance and disables some features, Adaptive Power is smarter by relying on the actual habits of each user.

What’s special about Adaptive Power is that it doesn’t degrade the user experience. Instead of rigidly limiting performance, it only intervenes when absolutely necessary. As a result, users can still enjoy iOS 26 with its smooth Liquid Glass interface, upgraded Siri, and a host of other improvements without worrying too much about battery life.

Apple says Adaptive Power leverages on-device AI, meaning all data is processed locally, ensuring user privacy. This is also the company's way of affirming its commitment to keeping personal data safe, an advantage over many other platforms that rely on cloud computing to analyze habits.

5. Conclusion

The rapid battery drain after upgrading to iOS 26 is not a sign of a buggy update, but rather an inevitable consequence of the system optimization and testing of new features. Apple has openly acknowledged this, and at the same time provided users with many tools to better manage energy.

From turning off Liquid Glass when needed, activating Adaptive Power, to changing daily usage habits, all contribute to extending battery life, ensuring iPhone operates stably while still taking advantage of the outstanding advantages of iOS 26.

As smartphones become more and more reliant on AI and graphical effects, finding the balance between performance, experience, and battery life becomes a big challenge. iOS 26 shows that Apple is on the right track with Adaptive Power, a smart and personalized solution that paves the way for an era of energy-efficient yet powerful iPhones.

Finally, users should be patient for a few days after updating to let the iPhone complete background tasks. If the battery still drains abnormally fast after that, try applying battery saving settings and reasonable usage habits. With this combination, iOS 26 not only brings a new experience but also helps the iPhone maintain long-term performance, meeting the needs of both work and entertainment.