Is your iPhone battery draining fast all of a sudden? Does the iOS 16 update rapidly drain your battery life? iOS forums are rife with reports of this problem increasing since the latest iOS 16.4 software update.

If you’re experiencing iPhone battery draining fast after updating to iOS 16.4, you’re not alone. Many users have reported iOS 16.4 battery drain issues on various platforms, including Twitter and Apple’s discussion forum. One user tweeted that iOS 16.4 was an “absolute menace” due to problems like phone overheating, screen stalls, and shocking battery life. Another user also complained about significant iPhone battery drain and overheating after upgrading to iOS 16.4. If you’re facing similar issues, you may want to try some iPhone battery drain fixes, including those designed for iOS 10 or specific to the iOS 16.4 battery drain issue. These may include checking for updates, breaking up long video recordings, setting brightness to “Automatic,” monitoring background app battery usage, and checking your iPhone’s Battery Health, among other troubleshooting tips.

What’s causing iOS 16.4 battery drain?

In late March, Apple released iOS 16.4, which introduced exciting new features including 21 new emojis, a widget for order-tracking, Voice Isolation for calls, and the return of the page-curl animation for Apple Books. However, despite the benefits of the update, some users have reported a number of frustrating issues, particularly concerning iPhone battery drain with the new iOS 16.4.

One member of an online forum suggested that battery drain can be normal for up to two days after a software update, while behind-the-scenes tasks are being completed. However, iAppleBytes tested iOS 16.4’s battery drain on six iPhone models and concluded that the battery life on the latest update is the worst it has seen since iOS 15.7. Anecdotally, the iMore team also reported experiencing battery drain on various iPhone 14 models.

iPhone Battery Drain

If you’re experiencing fast iPhone battery drain after installing iOS 16.4, there may be an issue with the update that needs to be addressed. Technowize has listed a few fixes for iPhone battery drain in iOS 10 or troubleshooting tips specifically for the iOS 16.4 battery drain issue.

While not everyone has experienced battery drain after updating to iOS 16.4, some have reported significant issues. A Redditor claimed that their iPhone 14 Pro Max’s battery life had significantly improved, while others warned against updating.

iOS 16.4.1 battery drain issue fix

To fix iOS 16.4.1 battery drain issues, users should:

  • Confirm that they are on the latest version of iOS.
  • Check for updates to see if there are any new patches available.
  • Avoid long video recordings, as video recording is a demanding task and increases the heat being generated.
  • Try to break up video recordings into chunks to help keep the phone cool and lessen strain on the battery.
  • Set the brightness to “Automatic” to let the phone drop the brightness in darker environments and see a boost in battery life.
  • Check background app battery usage by heading to Settings > Battery and looking at the apps using up battery life.
  • Consider removing the apps that are sucking up resources in the background.
  • Check the iPhone’s Battery Health by going to Settings > Battery and looking for the Battery Health number.
  • Expect the Battery Health figure to drop between 5-10% each year, depending on usage and recharge habits.
  • Know that when Battery Health drops to below 80%, Apple will recommend a battery replacement.

If you’re concerned about the power efficiency of the iOS 16.4 update, consider forgoing the update altogether.