Apple admits installing iOS 26 will impact your iPhone's battery life

On September 15, 2025, Apple started rolling out major updates for its operating systems under a single version umbrella. iOS 26, iPadOS 26, watchOS 26, and others are now available, and millions of users are likely upgrading their iPhones and iPads to check out Liquid Glass, multitasking improvements, and plenty of other features. As such, get ready for the now-traditional wave of complaints about battery life, to which Apple has an official response.

Apple published a new support document that explicitly warns users that installing iOS 26 or any other major update may worsen your iPhone's or iPad's battery life. The good news is that the hit will most likely be temporary, and it is something to expect.

A major iOS update involves a lot of background and foreground processes. Even after your iPhone is back on the home screen, iOS still does plenty of stuff behind the curtain. That includes data indexing, downloading additional assets, updating apps, etc. Thus, you will most likely experience more noticeable battery consumption and even higher device temperatures.

Additionally, Apple is not shy to admit that new features indeed sometimes consume more power. However, the company promises that the impact on performance and battery life should be small. Plus, it will depend on individual cases, with the exact experience varying from user to user.

Here is what Apple says in its official documentation:

Immediately after completing an update, particularly a major release, you might notice a temporary impact on battery life and thermal performance. This is normal, as your device needs time to complete the setup process in the background, including indexing data and files for search, downloading new assets, and updating apps.

 

New features are exciting and help you get even more out of your Apple product, though some may require additional resources from the device. Depending on individual usage, some users may notice a small impact on performance and/or battery life. Apple continually works to optimize these features in software updates to ensure great battery life and a smooth user experience.

If you are concerned about your iPhone's battery life, you can always choose to wait a bit. There is no shame in waiting for a few more servicing updates for iOS 26 that should refine the experience and battery life. Apple is not forcing its latest operating systems on users, and it lets everyone stay on iOS 18 or iPadOS 18 for longer. Waiting for a couple of bug-fixing updates is a strategy that many users opt for, and one of the recommendations we mentioned in our recent "10 things to do before installing iOS 26 on your iPhone" article.

Do you plan to upgrade your Apple devices to one of the new "26" releases? If yes, do not rush to grab pitchforks, and let the system finish its background processes.

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Posted Tuesday 16 September 2025 at 6:39 pm AEST (my time).

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