Does your iPhone's battery normally degrade? Here's what you need to know (2024)

Lithium-ion batteries degrade naturally over time. That includes the lithium-ion battery currently in your iPhone.

When batteries deteriorate, they can cause all kinds of problems for your iPhone, from shorter battery life to performance issues.

This is an especially relevant topic in the wake of the Batterygate fiasco and the introduction of battery health tools in iOS 11.3. The new battery section allows users to see what percentage of their battery's original capacity remains.

But while this is great for transparency, it can also cause users to worry unnecessarily about whether their iPhone's batteries are draining "normally" or whether something is wrong.

If you only read one sentence in this article, read this one:Don't think too much about battery capacity.

That said, it can be helpful to know a little more about iPhone batteries, how they degrade, and how you can keep yours at peak performance for longer.

• Contents

  • How to read the new battery usage reports in iOS 12
  • What happens if the batteries fail?
  • What is a normal decay rate?
    • What causes your battery to deteriorate?
  • 8 iPhone battery saving tips you need to know

  How to read the new battery usage reports in iOS 12

What happens if the batteries fail?

Apple defines an officially defective battery as any battery that contains less than 80 percent of its original battery capacity.

A defective battery can no longer provide the same amount of power as a new one. It can cause problems during times of peak load, such as when running CPU-intensive applications.

In some cases, this causes an iPhone to randomly shut down when the maximum power threshold is reached.

Of course, Apple has built in a failsafe to prevent accidental shutdowns: energy regulation. Slowing down your iPhone's performance puts less strain on its battery and reduces the chance of accidental shutdown.

In recent versions of iOS, Apple has allowed users to disable power management. This will result in more random shutdowns with severely damaged batteries. Users must weigh the pros and cons of each.

What is a normal decay rate?

Simply put, it's almost impossible to track what a "normal" rate of battery degradation is.

This is partly because battery wear depends on how often you use your smartphone and what you use it for.

Apple says it takes about 500 full charge cycles for a new battery to degrade to 80 percent.

A charge cycle is defined as a device being fully charged and drained to 0 percent.

Of course, partially charging your iPhone, no matter what point it's at, will eventually amount to full charge cycles.

Based on some rudimentary math, a 1 percent decline in battery capacity per month would be normal. At least if you often use, empty and charge your smartphone.

But again, so much of this is variable that it's hard to give a concrete number. Your mileage can vary greatly.

What causes your battery to deteriorate?

Essentially, anything that quickly drains your iPhone's battery can deteriorate it as you use up your charging cycles.

Power-hungry apps, such as apps that useRefresh background appInLocation servicesare habitual sinners.

As for other factors, they are also very different.

If yoursmartphone gets too hotwhile charging, this can irreparably damage your battery, reducing the overall lifespan and capacity of your battery.

A good tip is to remove the case from your iPhone before charging it, and make sure you never charge your iPhone in the sun or high ambient temperatures.

Some users report that battery deterioration occurs faster when using USB-C fast charging, while others claim that leaving your iPhone on the charger for too long can degrade battery life.

8 iPhone battery saving tips you need to know

Because of the way charging cycles work, not draining your battery too quickly can extend its life.

In other words, battery saving tips help. Here are some of our favorites to keep in mind.

• Keep your brightness as low as you can tolerate.
• Make sure you always have the latest, updated version of iOS installed on your device.
• Use Safari instead of third-party browsers like Google Chrome or Firefox.
• Background App Refresh, which allows an app to automatically refresh content in the background, is a notorious battery killer. Try to get inSettings > General > Background app refreshand disable it for apps that don't need it.
• Location services is a similar story. Go toSettings > Privacy > Location Servicesand disable it for apps that don't need to know where you are. In any case, set it to while in use for apps that need your location.
• Go toSettings > Email > Accounts > Get new data. SetTo retrieveto a longer time interval, or set it differentlyManualto extend the battery life as much as possible.
• Navigate toBatterimenuto find out which apps consume the most battery life. Treat them accordingly.
• If you use Spotify or Apple Music, try listening to music over Wi-Fi instead of the cellular network. Or better yet, download songs to your device for offline listening.