The release of iOS 17.4 has brought several new features and improvements to iPhone users. However, many users have reported experiencing significant battery drain issues after updating to the latest version. If you are one of those affected by this problem, don’t worry – there are several steps you can take to fix the iOS 17.4 battery drain issue and get your iPhone’s battery life back to normal.
Why Is the Battery Drain Problem on iOS 17.4?
Before we dive into the solutions, it’s important to understand what’s causing the battery drain issue in iOS 17.4. According to user reports, the problem seems to be most prevalent on iPhone 13 and newer models. Some users have reported losing as much as 10% battery in just 15 minutes of light usage like web browsing.
The exact cause is unclear, but it could be related to background processes and indexing that occur after a major iOS update. 5G connectivity also appears to be a significant battery drain culprit for some users on iOS 17.4. While the issue is frustrating, the good news is that there are several troubleshooting steps you can try to resolve it.
Read: Should You Update to iOS 17.4?
Restart Your iPhone
If no new iOS update is available, try restarting your iPhone. A simple reboot can often resolve battery drain bugs and other glitches after a major iOS update. To restart any iPhone 14 or later model:
- Press and hold the Side button and either volume button until the power off slider appears.
- Drag the slider to power off your iPhone.
- After your iPhone shuts down, press and hold the Side button again until the Apple logo appears.
Give It Time
After major iOS updates, your iPhone may need some time to re-index files and complete background tasks before battery life stabilizes. Some users who initially experienced iOS 17.4 battery drain have reported that it resolved itself after about a week. So, if the above steps don’t fix the issue immediately, give it some more time.
Adjust 5G Settings
Since 5G appears to be causing significant battery drain for some iOS 17.4 users, adjusting your iPhone’s 5G settings may help. You have a few options:
- Switch to LTE. Go to Settings => Cellular => Cellular Data Options => Voice & Data and tap “LTE” to disable 5G completely.
- Use Smart Data mode. Go to Settings => Cellular => Cellular Data Options and turn on “Smart Data mode”. This will automatically switch to LTE when 5G speeds aren’t needed.
- Use Low Power Mode. This will disable 5G as well as other battery-intensive features. Go to Settings => Battery and turn on “Low Power Mode”.
Check Battery Health
If your iPhone’s battery is significantly degraded, that could be exacerbating the iOS 17.4 battery drain issue. On iPhone 15 models, iOS 17.4 added a revamped Battery Health screen that provides more details.
To check your battery health, go to Settings => Battery => Battery Health. If it says “Service” or “Replace Now”, it may be time for a new battery. For older iPhones, a battery health percentage below 80% indicates it may need replacement.
Limit Background App Refresh
Some apps refresh content in the background to provide a smoother user experience. However, this can also contribute to battery drain. To disable Background App Refresh:
- Go to Settings => General => Background App Refresh
- Turn off “Background App Refresh” entirely, or for specific apps you don’t need constantly refreshed.
Reduce Motion and Transparency Effects
The flashy animations and transparency effects in iOS look great but can also impact battery life. To tone them down:
- Go to Settings => Accessibility => Motion
- Turn on “Reduce Motion” and “Prefer Cross-Fade Transitions”
- Go to Settings => Accessibility => Display & Text Size
- Turn on “Reduce Transparency”
Disable Widgets
Widgets on the lock screen and home screen allow apps to run in the background to constantly fetch data. While convenient, widgets can significantly impact battery life. Consider removing widgets you don’t need to preserve battery.
Turn Off Haptic Keyboard Feedback
The haptic keyboard feedback feature introduced in iOS 16 can affect battery life according to Apple. If you have this feature enabled, consider turning it off in Settings => Sounds & Haptics => Keyboard Feedback.
Conclusion
Battery drain can be a frustrating issue, especially after a major iOS update like iOS 17.4. However, by following these solutions, you should be able to resolve the problem and get your iPhone’s battery life back to normal. If nothing else works, you can always try a factory reset as a last resort, or contact Apple Support for further assistance. Hopefully iOS 17.4.1 or iOS 17.5 update will also include more optimizations and bug fixes to improve battery life for all iPhone users.
