IPhone owners looking to stretch their battery life can adjust a handful of settings without force-closing background apps, according to guidance from Apple and Engadget. The advice covers display behavior, background data, connectivity and charging habits, and much of it applies to US consumers using the devices.
Background apps are not necessarily the main drain, but users can curb how much power they draw. The Background App Refresh setting, when enabled, allows apps to fetch data from the internet and update while suspended; switching it off stops those processes and conserves power. Users can also restrict individual apps to access location services only while in use.
Apple recommends two initial steps. The first is managing screen brightness, either by manually lowering it or enabling auto-brightness so the phone adjusts automatically; Apple suggests trying auto-brightness first to avoid constant manual changes. The second is keeping Wi-Fi on, since a cellular connection consumes more power than a Wi-Fi network.
Other display settings can also help. Disabling the Always-On Display removes a constant battery strain from a non-essential feature. Dark Mode can save power on OLED screens because those panels turn off pixels that display black. The Limit Frame Rate option drops the display to 60 Hz from ProMotion's 120 Hz, halving daily screen refreshes, though Engadget notes the savings may be minor for most people and the change can be jarring for those accustomed to 120 Hz.
The iPhone also offers settings that directly govern charging and power draw. Adaptive Power analyzes usage patterns and adjusts factors such as screen brightness and background data to reduce drain when full performance is not needed. Low Power Mode makes similar adjustments but tends to affect performance more heavily, so it is best reserved for when it is truly needed; with Adaptive Power on, Low Power Mode engages automatically at 20 percent battery.
Batteries degrade over time, losing their ability to charge efficiently and hold a charge. Optimized Charging limits wear by pausing a charge at 80 percent until it is needed, and users can set their own charge limit so the battery never reaches 100 percent. Keeping charge between 20 percent and 80 percent, rather than fully draining or filling the battery, can extend its lifespan noticeably even before the other tips are applied.
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