{"id":357117,"date":"2025-07-31T21:09:34","date_gmt":"2025-07-31T16:09:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/d8866b13-0f66-46b2-b49e-62dba2dab1dd"},"modified":"2025-07-31T21:09:34","modified_gmt":"2025-07-31T16:09:34","slug":"should-you-let-ios-26-slow-down-your-iphone-for-better-battery-life-i-tried-it-to-find-out","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.technologyforyou.org\/should-you-let-ios-26-slow-down-your-iphone-for-better-battery-life-i-tried-it-to-find-out\/","title":{"rendered":"Should you let iOS 26 slow down your iPhone for better battery life? I tried it to find out"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure class=\"c-shortcodeImage u-clearfix c-shortcodeImage-large c-shortcodeImage-hasCaption\">\n<div class=\"c-shortcodeImage_imageContainer\">\n<div class=\"c-shortcodeImage_image\"><picture class=\"c-cmsImage c-cmsImage_loaded\"><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.zdnet.com\/a\/img\/resize\/8d3c26bb0f9f9c490b3fa99f30dd0acadd01e4ff\/2025\/07\/31\/079cf4c2-ae88-4021-93e8-3593502a0530\/710556d2-908d-4617-9b1a-d1089036f244.jpg?auto=webp&amp;width=768\" alt=\"Does iOS 26's Adaptive Power Mode work? \"><source media=\"(max-width: 1023px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.zdnet.com\/a\/img\/resize\/832456048a12847c7999ff09b4dac0ea7e1ffee0\/2025\/07\/31\/079cf4c2-ae88-4021-93e8-3593502a0530\/710556d2-908d-4617-9b1a-d1089036f244.jpg?auto=webp&amp;width=1024\" alt=\"Does iOS 26's Adaptive Power Mode work? \"><source media=\"(max-width: 1440px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.zdnet.com\/a\/img\/resize\/30b8adfe59d4d076adecca3892ddfaed140769a8\/2025\/07\/31\/079cf4c2-ae88-4021-93e8-3593502a0530\/710556d2-908d-4617-9b1a-d1089036f244.jpg?auto=webp&amp;width=1280\" alt=\"Does iOS 26's Adaptive Power Mode work? \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.zdnet.com\/a\/img\/resize\/30b8adfe59d4d076adecca3892ddfaed140769a8\/2025\/07\/31\/079cf4c2-ae88-4021-93e8-3593502a0530\/710556d2-908d-4617-9b1a-d1089036f244.jpg?auto=webp&amp;width=1280\" alt=\"Does iOS 26's Adaptive Power Mode work? \" width=\"1280\" height=\"720\" fetchpriority=\"low\"><\/picture><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div><figcaption>\n<div class=\"c-shortcodeImage_caption g-inner-spacing-right-small g-color-black\" readability=\"6\">\n<div class=\"c-ShortcodeContent\" readability=\"32\">\n<p>Does iOS 26&#8217;s Adaptive Power Mode work?&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p> <span class=\"c-shortcodeImage_credit g-outer-spacing-top-xsmall u-block\">Adrian Kingsley-Hughes\/ZDNET <\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3> ZDNET&#8217;s key takeaways <\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>The new Adaptive Power Mode in iOS 26 seems to noticeably improve battery life.<\/li>\n<li>The performance hit from activating this feature appears to be negligible.<\/li>\n<li>Be aware, though, that the iOS 26 public beta seems quite crashy right now.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr>\n<p>One of the features that I&#8217;ve been testing out in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zdnet.com\/article\/we-tested-ios-26-on-the-iphone-16-pro-these-5-features-make-the-update-worthwhile\/\">public beta of iOS 26<\/a> is Adaptive Power. This is a feature that monitors battery usage, and when it is higher than usual, the system makes small performance tweaks to extend battery life.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Also:&nbsp;<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.zdnet.com\/article\/you-can-download-ios-26-public-beta-right-now-how-to-install-and-which-iphones-support-it\/\"><strong>You can download iOS 26 public beta right now &#8211; how to install (and which iPhones support it)<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>But is it worth trading performance for battery life and is there actually any noticeable change to battery life or performance? <\/p>\n<p>I decided to find out. I switched on the feature &#8212; you can find this in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zdnet.com\/article\/ios-26-envy-5-iphone-features-you-can-already-use-on-your-android-samsung-included\/\">iOS 26<\/a> by tapping on Settings, then Battery, followed by Power Mode &#8212; and saw what would happen. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"c-shortcodeImage u-clearfix c-shortcodeImage-medium c-shortcodeImage-hasCaption\">\n<div class=\"c-shortcodeImage_imageContainer\">\n<div class=\"c-shortcodeImage_image\"><picture class=\"c-cmsImage\"><!----> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.zdnet.com\/article\/should-you-let-ios-26-slow-down-your-iphone-for-better-battery-life-i-tried-it-to-find-out\/\" alt=\"Adaptive Power Mode tweaks performance features to eke out a bit more battery life.\" width=\"740\" height=\"913.4375\" fetchpriority=\"low\"><\/picture><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div><figcaption>\n<div class=\"c-shortcodeImage_caption g-inner-spacing-right-small g-color-black\" readability=\"6\">\n<div class=\"c-ShortcodeContent\" readability=\"32\">\n<p>Adaptive Power Mode tweaks performance features to eke out a bit more battery life.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p> <span class=\"c-shortcodeImage_credit g-outer-spacing-top-xsmall u-block\">Adrian Kingsley-Hughes\/ZDNET<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>My results with testing Adaptive Power<\/h2>\n<p>I had a few days of normal usage (which itself is quite hard), and then I pushed my <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zdnet.com\/article\/best-iphone\/\">iPhone<\/a> hard on a few hikes because I find that mapping apps such as <span class=\"c-commerceLink\"><a href=\"https:\/\/apps.apple.com\/us\/app\/alltrails-hike-bike-run\/id405075943\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\"><span>AllTrails<\/span><!----><\/a><\/span> and <span class=\"c-commerceLink\"><a href=\"https:\/\/apps.apple.com\/gb\/app\/os-maps-walk-hike-run-bike\/id978307846\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\"><span>OS Maps<\/span><!----><\/a><\/span> (the official app for the UK&#8217;s Ordnance Survey maps, the best maps you&#8217;ll find anywhere in the world) really tax battery life. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Also:&nbsp;<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.zdnet.com\/article\/we-tested-ios-26-on-the-iphone-16-pro-these-5-features-make-the-update-worthwhile\/\"><strong>We tested iOS 26 on the iPhone 16 Pro &#8211; these 5 features make the update worthwhile<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Normally I&#8217;d have a power bank to hand for any hike that took me beyond about six miles and be using it to keep the handset topped up, but for these tests I kept the power bank in the backpack unless it was really needed. <\/p>\n<p>So with my backpack on my back and smartphone in hand, I set off to explore a section of the Peak District National Park here in the UK. Would I need that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zdnet.com\/article\/best-power-banks\/\">power bank<\/a>?<\/p>\n<figure class=\"c-shortcodeImage u-clearfix c-shortcodeImage-large c-shortcodeImage-hasCaption\">\n<div class=\"c-shortcodeImage_imageContainer\">\n<div class=\"c-shortcodeImage_image\"><picture class=\"c-cmsImage\"><!----> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.zdnet.com\/article\/should-you-let-ios-26-slow-down-your-iphone-for-better-battery-life-i-tried-it-to-find-out\/\" alt=\"Would I need that power bank in my back pack?\" width=\"1280\" height=\"720\" fetchpriority=\"low\"><\/picture><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div><figcaption>\n<div class=\"c-shortcodeImage_caption g-inner-spacing-right-small g-color-black\" readability=\"6\">\n<div class=\"c-ShortcodeContent\" readability=\"32\">\n<p>Would I need that power bank in my back pack?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p> <span class=\"c-shortcodeImage_credit g-outer-spacing-top-xsmall u-block\">Sarah Williams-Davies\/ZDNET <\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Oddly, I do feel that even though I&#8217;m running a beta version of iOS &#8212; and they can be pretty sketchy when it comes to battery efficiency &#8212; my <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zdnet.com\/article\/which-iphone-15-model-should-you-buy-comparing-the-base-plus-pro-and-pro-max-models\/\">iPhone 15 Pro Max<\/a> is lasting longer.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>On one 11-mile hike that took me about seven hours &#8212; including snack breaks, stops for photos, and a longer-than-expected stop to watch (and feed) a cute family of ducks &#8212; my iPhone went from 80% (full charge for me because that&#8217;s the limit I have set) down to 35%. Quite a drop, but because I&#8217;d been using mapping apps, I wouldn&#8217;t have been surprised if it had fallen to around 20%. <\/p>\n<figure class=\"c-shortcodeImage u-clearfix c-shortcodeImage-medium c-shortcodeImage-hasCaption\">\n<div class=\"c-shortcodeImage_imageContainer\">\n<div class=\"c-shortcodeImage_image\"><picture class=\"c-cmsImage\"><!----> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.zdnet.com\/article\/should-you-let-ios-26-slow-down-your-iphone-for-better-battery-life-i-tried-it-to-find-out\/\" alt=\"This sort of hike, especially using maps, camera, and being off-grid for big chunks, would usually be a battery burner.\" width=\"740\" height=\"1502.3720930232557\" fetchpriority=\"low\"><\/picture><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div><figcaption>\n<div class=\"c-shortcodeImage_caption g-inner-spacing-right-small g-color-black\" readability=\"8.5\">\n<div class=\"c-ShortcodeContent\" readability=\"37\">\n<p>This sort of hike, especially using maps, camera, and being off-grid for big chunks, would usually be a battery burner.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p> <span class=\"c-shortcodeImage_credit g-outer-spacing-top-xsmall u-block\">Adrian Kingsley-Hughes\/ZDNET<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><!----><\/p>\n<p>These are real-world, non-scientific tests, but I do feel that my iPhone lasts longer when the pressure is on. <\/p>\n<h2>But what about performance?<\/h2>\n<p>I can&#8217;t say that I noticed any difference.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>For what I was doing with my iPhone &#8212; navigating, taking photos, dismissing notifications saying I could send my location using satellite (you get a lot of those when out of cellular and Wi-Fi coverage) &#8212; everything felt as smooth and snappy as usual.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Also:&nbsp;<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.zdnet.com\/article\/7-helpful-ai-features-in-ios-26-you-can-try-now-and-how-to-access-them\/\"><strong>7 helpful AI features in iOS 26 you can try now &#8211; and how to access them<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Again, not bad for an iPhone running beta software. I have quite high hopes that this feature can tweak performance in such a way as to boost battery life without the downsides being too noticeable.<\/p>\n<h2>Should you switch to the iOS 26 public beta and get all this battery boost right now?<\/h2>\n<p>Well, one thing I have noticed running this <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zdnet.com\/article\/apples-ios-26-and-ipados-26-public-betas-are-here-how-to-access-and-why-youll-want-to\/\">public beta<\/a> is crashes.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Also:&nbsp;<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.zdnet.com\/article\/how-to-install-the-ipados-26-public-beta-and-which-ipad-models-support-it\/\"><strong>How to install the iPadOS 26 public beta (and which iPad models support it)<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Before installing this update, I couldn&#8217;t remember the last crash I had; now I&#8217;ve been seeing several a day. Nothing showstopping, but it&#8217;s quite a change from the usual rock-solid experience I&#8217;m used to. <\/p>\n<p>So maybe wait a while for some more bugs to be squashed before hitting download on the iOS 26 public beta. <\/p>\n<p><em>Get the morning&#8217;s top stories in your inbox each day with our <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.zdnet.com\/newsletters\/\"><strong><em>Tech Today newsletter.<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.zdnet.com\/article\/should-you-let-ios-26-slow-down-your-iphone-for-better-battery-life-i-tried-it-to-find-out\/\">Source Link<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Apple has a new battery-saving feature, Adaptive Power, in the iOS 26 public beta. Here&#8217;s what happened when I flipped it on and went for a hike.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14083],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-357117","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-technology-industry-news"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.technologyforyou.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/357117","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.technologyforyou.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.technologyforyou.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.technologyforyou.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.technologyforyou.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=357117"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.technologyforyou.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/357117\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.technologyforyou.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=357117"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.technologyforyou.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=357117"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.technologyforyou.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=357117"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}