Is iOS 26 Draining Your iPhone's Battery Faster? Apple Says It's Only Temporary

With iOS 26 now available to all iPhone users, many people might delay updating because they think Apple could be making their devices slower with new software versions. While this isn't true, Apple confirms that your iPhone's battery life could take a hit once you update to iOS 26. However, this should only be a temporary issue. In a support document, the company states: "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."

Apple also says that iOS updates can have a small impact on performance and battery life, depending on individual usage, as some features may require additional resources from the device. Still, none should be concerning enough to prevent users from installing a major update.

While concerns about battery life are valid whenever a new update is available, Apple addresses the main reason users should keep their devices updated: to have access to the latest security features. The brand says, "Software updates provide important security enhancements and critical fixes, protecting you against the latest malware, viruses, and other cybersecurity threats." A few weeks ago, the company released the iOS 18.6.2 update, which fixed a system flaw exploited by hackers. While only a few users might have been affected, ensuring you have the latest software prevents you from suffering an attack.

After all, hackers usually exploit older software because they have more time to study the possible flaws and security issues it might have. Additionally, updating to the latest version, such as iOS 26, ensures users get new features and improvements. In this case, iPhone users get the new Liquid Glass design, better Apple Intelligence features, and spam protection. As for battery life — use your iPhone like you normally would for a few days, and the software should learn your usage patterns. Once the optimization phase is complete, your iPhone's battery life will be back to normal.