Wepairs expert tip
iPhone battery drops to 20% by lunchtime
Asked at the counter: “My iPhone battery goes from full to 20% by lunchtime. Does it need a new battery?”
Sometimes, and the phone will tell you. Check this before booking a battery replacement.
1 reply
A battery is a consumable. Apple’s wording: all rechargeable batteries have a limited lifespan and their capacity and performance decline over time. But fast draining is just as often an app, a setting or a weak signal, and those are free to fix.
Free, one-minute checks
- Open Settings, Battery, Battery Health. Maximum Capacity compares the battery now with when it was new. If you see the message that your battery’s health is significantly degraded and a service provider can replace it, that is your answer: it needs a battery.
- In Settings, Battery, look at the graph and the list below it. If one app is using a large share while you were not using the phone, that app is the problem.
Simple things to try
- Poor signal is a big drain: a phone hunting for signal all day empties fast. If it happens mostly at work or in one building, that is why, and a battery will not fix it.
- Turn off Background App Refresh for apps that do not need it (Settings, General, Background App Refresh) and check Location Services for apps set to Always.
- Lower screen brightness or use Auto-Brightness; the screen is the biggest single drain.
- Update iOS. Battery bugs get fixed in updates.
- Restart the phone once a week if you never switch it off.
When a new battery is the right call
- Battery Health shows the service message, or Maximum Capacity is around 80% or below and the phone is over two years old.
- The phone shuts down at 20% to 30% on a cold day or under load (a camera or a game).
- The screen is lifting at one edge; a swollen battery pushes the screen out. Stop using the phone and get it looked at; do not press on the screen.
A battery replacement does not affect your data, but back up anyway before any repair.
Sources checked: Apple Support (UK): iPhone battery and performance.