Apple brings smarter battery insights and Adaptive Power Mode to iPhones with iOS 26

Apple announced its latest operating system – iOS 26 at the Worldwide Developers conference (WWDC) 2025 event recently. The update brings the all-new Liquid Glass design to iPhones along with other features like improved communication with redesigned Phone and Messages apps and more personalization to the Lock Screen and Home Screen. With iOS 26, Apple has significantly revamped the battery section, offering users a deeper understanding of how their iPhone usage affects battery life. Here’s what changes

iOS 26 iPhone battery overhaul

The iOS 26 update introduces new analytics, smarter app breakdowns, and improved power management tools — all aimed at helping users extend their daily charge. Now located at the top of the Battery section in Settings is a real-time readout showing the current charge level along with the time of the last charge. If the phone is plugged in, it also displays the estimated time remaining for a full charge.One of the most notable changes is the redesigned usage breakdown. Apple has removed the previous 24-hour and 10-day tabs and replaced them with a single weekly view. This new layout compares current usage to your average, letting you know whether you’re consuming more, less, or the same amount of battery as usual.

iOS 26 enables users to track which app is draining your iPhone battery

Users can also review app-by-app battery consumption. iOS 26 now indicates whether an app spent more time onscreen, ran longer in the background, or triggered more notifications than normal—making it easier to spot what’s draining the battery.You can scroll back through the past seven days to examine daily usage, split between active screen time and idle screen time, along with charge times and durations.Apple has retained the Battery Health section, which includes details like charge cycles and maximum capacity. Meanwhile, the Charge Limit feature still allows users to cap charging at 80% to preserve battery health.

Adaptive Power Mode

In addition, iOS 26 introduces a new Adaptive Power Mode. This feature automatically detects when iPhone usage is higher than usual and subtly adjusts performance—like dimming the display or reducing background activity—to stretch battery life without user input. Low Power Mode also remains available as a manual toggle.The enhanced battery tools are rolling out with iOS 26 and iPadOS 26, though they do not yet apply to Macs. The developer beta is currently live, with a public beta expected next month. The official release is slated for September.