Troubleshooting iPhone Battery Drain: Solutions and Tips

Have you noticed that your iPhone is draining its battery much faster than usual? Whether your iPhone 8S suddenly started showing significant battery depletion within a couple of hours, or you're experiencing similar issues, this article will guide you through some common reasons behind this problem and potential fixes.

Common Causes of Rapid iPhone Battery Drain

One of the most common reasons for a rapidly draining iPhone battery is frequent accidental drops. When the iPhone hits the ground, it can damage the internal battery, causing it to lose charge more quickly. In such cases, capturing and saving the phone with care can significantly improve its battery performance. If you suspect that this might be the issue with your iPhone, it's advisable to take it to an authentic Apple Store for professional battery replacement.

Another frequent cause of battery drain is the settings and usage patterns. If you have the screen brightness set very high, it can indeed consume a lot of power. Additionally, poor cellular signal strength can make your phone work harder to maintain a connection, which also depletes the battery faster. If you experience these issues, making adjustments to these settings can help enhance battery life.

Age and Health of Your iPhone Battery

As your iPhone ages, its battery inevitably degrades. For older models, such as the iPhone 8S, the battery might not last as long as when the phone was new. This is a normal part of the phone's lifecycle. If your battery is at or below 80% health, you can expect it to last about 50-60% of its original capacity. For example, if your phone initially provided 12 hours of battery life on a full charge, it might only last for 6 to 7 hours under similar usage conditions now.

When the battery health drops below 80%, you might start to notice a significant decrease in battery life. However, if your battery is still at or above 93% health, you should check your battery usage in the settings to identify other potential culprits. The screen is usually the primary user of battery power, but if another app or function is using more power than the screen, that might be the reason for the rapid battery drain.

Diagnostic Tips and Solutions

To get a better understanding of what's causing your iPhone's battery to drain so fast, you should answer the following questions:

What is your battery health percentage expressed in the settings? How old is your battery, and when was the last time it was replaced? How long did your battery use to last, and has it become significantly shorter? What is your iPhone doing during this period? What apps are open? Is your iPhone hunting for cellular service, WiFi access, or Bluetooth signals? How bright is your screen?

By gathering this information, you can assess whether you need to replace your battery or if simply adjusting some settings might help. If the battery health is around 80%, you might consider getting it replaced. However, if it's still 90% or higher, you can investigate the usage patterns and settings to figure out the exact cause of the rapid battery drainage.

One of the cost-effective solutions is to replace the battery, especially if the battery health percentage is low. For instance, replacing the battery in my iPhone 12 Pro Max earlier this year, with a battery health around 83%, allowed me to extend the phone's battery life significantly without the need to purchase a new device. The cost was about $90, compared to $1200 for a new phone. Older or smaller devices might even be even cheaper to replace the battery.

In conclusion, if you're experiencing rapid battery drainage on your iPhone, consider taking steps to protect the phone from accidental drops, adjusting settings such as screen brightness, and checking your usage patterns. If the issue persists despite these changes, it might be beneficial to have your battery checked and potentially replaced.