It's Not Just You — Many iOS 14 Users Are Experiencing a Battery Drain
Updated Sept. 23 2020, 5:24 p.m. ET
The recent launch of Apple's iOS 14 has users thrilled with its potential. From the ability to customize a home screen like never before, watch a video in the background while still using your apps, and personalize your Memoji to look a lot more like you (you can even give it a face covering), iPhone users are by and large pleased with the new upgrade.
But there is one issue that's beginning to surface among Apple users who've downloaded the newest software, which is the problem of an iOS 14 battery drain. So, is the new operating system frying your iPhone's battery? Here's everything you need to know about what's going on, and how to fix the issue.
Apple users who downloaded iOS14 are saying the update has drained their battery.
The iOS 14 update, which was released worldwide on Sept. 16, has improved a ton of features on the iPhone ranging from Messages, which now allows tagged replies in group messages, Memoji, a Translate app designed to rival Google Translate, and of course, the ever-popular widgets.
And while the arrival of Apple's latest software update has been a source of excitement for iPhone users, many have noticed an issue with their phone's batteries draining uncharacteristically quickly since the upgrade.
"This #iOS14 is killing my battery," one person wrote on Twitter, adding that their "battery is draining fast." "Anyone with #ios14 noticing their battery drain quick since the update?," asked another. A third said their "phone is plugged in all day and loses charge" since the update.
Why does iOS 14 drain the iPhone battery and how can you fix that?
It's not uncommon for major iOS updates to drain Apple devices during the first few days of use. Tech outlets agree that there are a few reasons for this, and the first might be the fact that you're using your phone more than usual in order to keep up with all the cool updates.
After all, it takes some serious time to commit to an aesthetic before downloading all the pictures you need to make your home screen absolutely perfect. Plus, there are so many new features to discover and play with that you might be using your phone a little more than you were in the week before iOS 14 rolled out.
Secondly, whether you're opting to update your apps, or whether these updates are happening in the background, many of the apps on our phones are rolling out updates to their software in order to best take advantage of the iOS 14 upgrades.
If you think one of these reasons might explain why your battery is draining uncharacteristically quickly, then rest assured that they'll go back to normal as soon as all the apps are updated and your phone's customization is to your liking.
A third reason your phone might be eating up your battery life is that major iOS updates require your smartphone to re-index your data, meaning that all your information — from songs to contacts — are being re-categorized and sorted. Apple explains that this "background activity" usually takes around 48 hours to be completed, and that users' battery life should even back out after a couple of days.
