A growing number of iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro users, along with some owners of older models running iOS 18, are reporting excessive battery drain issues. These complaints have surfaced on various forums, including Reddit, Apple Support Communities, and MacRumors, with many users experiencing significant battery depletion even when their phones are not in use.
While battery life concerns are common following new iOS updates, the frequency and severity of these reports suggest that a larger issue might be affecting a broader range of users.
Several iPhone 16 users have shared specific instances of poor battery performance. One user noted that their iPhone 16 Pro drains from 100% to 60% by midday with minimal usage, while another expressed disappointment after upgrading from an iPhone 15 Pro Max, expecting better battery life but instead experiencing a 40-50% decrease in battery longevity between charges.
These users had taken steps like disabling features such as background app refresh and limiting screen refresh rates, but the improvements were minimal or non-existent.
A significant part of the problem seems to stem from battery drain during standby mode, where the phone consumes power despite not being in use. One user pointed out that background activities were running excessively on their iPhone 16 Pro even when it was not connected to other devices like their Apple Watch.
Disabling features such as the Always On Display (AOD) and ProMotion helped reduce background activity, but the overall battery drain issue persisted, leaving users puzzled.
Users on Reddit have shared similar experiences, including one who observed their new iPhone 16 Pro losing 10-15% battery overnight while in idle mode.
In an experiment comparing the battery performance of an iPhone 16 Pro and an iPhone 14 Pro under identical usage conditions, the iPhone 16 Pro saw a drop to 58% battery life after 36 hours, while the older iPhone 14 Pro still had 85% remaining. These comparisons suggest that the issue may not be related to user habits but rather to how the newer models handle power management.
Some users have attempted troubleshooting methods, such as turning off features like ProMotion, Always On Display, background app refresh, and even resetting their phones entirely.
While a few users reported slight improvements after updating to iOS 18.0.1 or trying the iOS 18.1 beta, many are still facing battery problems. This points to the possibility of an underlying software bug, which may require Apple to address the issue with a future iOS update.
