Complaints of battery drain have surfaced since the iOS 26 update launched. Many iPhone users expressed anger on social media after installing the new software. They said their phones are draining very quickly. Some also reported that the devices are overheating.
Some users have shared their experiences on X (formerly known as Twitter) and other social media platforms after installing the update. Some said that their phones’ batteries lost 20 percent within one hour after installing the update. They also complained about sudden drop in battery health along with overheating the phone.
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This situation is not new for Apple. Complaints of battery drain have appeared after big updates in the past as well. It happens often because the phone runs background processes after the update. These include updating system files and indexing data. The same thing seems to be happening this time.
Apple has also given an explanation. The company wrote on its support page that devices run several background tasks after a major update. These include creating new files and updating apps. Apple said it is normal and assured that the problem will settle in a few days and battery life will return to normal.
Talking about the battery drainage issue on the support page, Apple said: “Immediately after completing an update, particularly a major release, you might notice a temporary impact on battery life and thermal performance. This is normal, as your device needs time to complete the setup process in the background, including indexing data and files for search, downloading new assets, and updating apps.”
The complaints are coming from users worldwide. Some said they used the phone less than usual, yet the battery drained quickly. Others said they did not change their charging habits, but still noticed a drop in battery health.
Tech experts believe there is no reason to panic. They say that once the background tasks are complete, the phone will work as expected. Battery performance will also improve.
Meanwhile, iOS 26 brings one of the biggest changes in years. The new Liquid Glass theme is available on all supported iPhones and iPads. The iPhone 17 series and iPhone Air will come with iOS 26 pre-installed. Sales for these devices will begin on September 19.
Older models including iPhone 17, iPhone 16, iPhone 15, iPhone 14, iPhone 13, and iPhone 12 series are also getting this update. The oldest model in this list is iPhone 11. According to experts iOS 26 may be the last major update for these devices.
The initial battery issue appears temporary. But the new design and features of iOS 26 promise a fresh experience for users.
