Apple’s latest iOS 18.4 update is a big one in many ways. With this update, Apple has introduced a lot of new features, including Bug fixes, Priority notifications, Visual Intelligence Action Button and others. However, not everything is as smooth as it appears. A lot of users have reported the iOS 18.4 battery drain issue. If you too are one of them, this blog can help you find the fixes for the same.
Read along till the end to find out.
Also Read: iOS 18.4 Update: Release Date, Best Features, Supported Devices
Here’s What Users Are Saying About iOS 18.4 Update
Before we talk about the challenging part (iOS 18.4 battery drain issue), let us see what users are saying about the latest iOS update.
iOS 18.4 is a major upgrade by Apple and users on Reddit are praising the update for its stability so far. Some previous bugs like momentarily notifications collapsing, Siri suggestions in other languages, Replace option issue in Writing tools, etc., have been fixed with this update too.
Furthermore, the update looked promising in its Candidate Release as well. However, a huge segment of the users have reported issue with their iPhone’s battery after updating to iOS 18.4.
Some shared that the battery is draining faster even with the same Settings and same phone usage.
One user on Twitter has shared that the battery is draining twice as fast, dropping from 87% to 79% instantly.
Another user posted that the battery life has become horrendous after updating to the iOS 18.4.
While Apple is yet to release any official fix for the iOS 18.4 battery drain issue, you can try the fixes mentioned below to solve this issue.
Try These Fixes For The iOS 18.4 Battery Drain Issue
Here are some quick workarounds to help you get over the this issue:
Give It Some Time
As with any of the previous iOS update, it is quite normal to witness a battery dip right after installing the update. It can be that your iPhone is running some high-power tasks in the background like syncing, app optimization, and others and thus causing the iOS 18.4 battery drain issue.
With iOS 18, you can, however, track this in Settings> Battery, where you may see “Device Setup & Updates” listed under Activity. This means your phone is still settling in.
Turn Off Apple Intelligence
Apple Intelligence is quite a broader concept and can drain the battery even when not in use. Although, Apple claims that with the iOS 18.4, it has improved the overall efficiency of the Apple Intelligence, it can still lead to battery drain issue.
Disabling Apple Intelligence (when not in use) could be a smart move to fix this issue. Here’s how you can do so:
- Open Settings on your iPhone.
- Go to Apple Intelligence> Toggle it off.
Update The Apps
Keeping outdated apps on your iPhone can be one of the reason of iOS 18.4 battery drain issue. Additionally, if you do no update the app for long, they can also mess the overall performance of your iPhone. That’s why it is always advisable to keep your apps updated to the latest versions.
You should also keep a check on which apps are using the most power. For doing that go to Settings> Battery> Battery Usage By App to have a more clear picture.
Also, tap on Activity By App to keep an eye on how the apps are using power while being on screen or in the background.
If you find any app with excessive background activity, you must disable it for a while or uninstall it to check if that’s what causing the battery drain issue.
Also Read: 7 Reasons to Wait for Apple iPhone 17 Launch
Change The Settings
Modifying some Settings on your iPhone can help you fix iOS 18.4 battery drain issue. Here’s what you can do:
- Keep your screen brightness on low to save the battery.
- Go to Settings > Cellular, scroll down, and turn off Wi-Fi Assist to stop your phone from switching to mobile data when Wi-Fi is weak.
- Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset Network Settings.
- Keep your iPhone on Dark Mode to reduce power usage.
Restart The iPhone
If the above fixes for iOS 18.4 battery drain issue do not work out, try restarting your iPhone. It can be that your iPhone needs some time to adapt to the new update. Restarting will allow it to readapt to the change.
- Press and hold the power button till you see “Slide to power off” option.
- Slide it to turn off the device.
- Wait for some time and then restart it.
Minimize Push Notifications
Getting too many notifications from different applications can be one of the reasons of the iOS 18.4 battery drain issue. That is why, you must turn off the unnecessary notifications to save battery.
- Go to Settings on your iPhone.
- Scroll down to find Notifications.
- Choose the apps for which you want the notifications to be off and turn it off for individual apps.
Wait For The Next iOS Release
All said and done and if none of the above fixes work, you might have to wait for the next iOS release. As seen earlier, bugs in the current updates are fixed with the next update. So, Apple might fix the iOS 18.4 battery drain issue with its next iOS release. So, all you are left with is waiting.
Also Read: iPhone 16 Pro Shortcuts: 5 Tips & Tricks You Need To Try In 2025
Final Thoughts
iOS 18.4 update has its own share of positives and negatives. While you are getting a lot of exciting new features, the iOS 18.4 battery drain issue can be annoying. However, with the quick fixes mentioned above, we hope you can have a little sigh of relief.
Do let us know in the comments section below if any other method worked for you to get rid of this battery drain issue.
Also Read: Google Pixel 9 Pro Alternatives: 5 Best Competitors To Consider
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my iOS 18 draining the battery faster?
Your iPhone might be running a lot of tasks in the background. That is why you are facing the battery drain issue. Wait for some time, kill the background apps, restart your iPhone to fix this issue.
Are there issues with the iOS 18.4?
While Apple has fixed a lot of previous bugs with the iOS 18.4 update, battery drain is a common issue that many users are facing.
Is it safe to install the iOS 18.4?
Yes, installing the latest iOS 18.4 update is safe. Some users might face the battery drain issue but that is most likely to get fixed with the next iOS release.
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