In 18 months, my iPhone’s battery life has become terrible from great

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Key takeaways of zdnet

• My iPhone is less than 18 months old.
• It can no longer make it through a day without a recharge.
• Nothing seems unusual in settings.

Instead of making your normal normal and re -upgrading your iPhone last year, with only one year on the clock, I decided to try what most people do – keep it running for a few years.

Apple says that the battery is designed to maintain 80% of its original capacity in 1,000 recharge cycles “under ideal conditions”. At that point, when the maximum capacity of the battery falls below the mark of 80%, it occurs functionally at the end of his life and will need to be replaced.

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So, I should be good for at least a few years, right? Wrong.

Some backgrounds

The battery in my iPhone 15 Pro Max was produced in December 2023 and was first used in March 2024 (it was given to me on 9 March). At the time of writing, it is in early September 2025, so the iPhone is about 17 months old.

Also: Changing these iOS 18 settings improved my iPhone’s battery life considerably

According to data stored by the operating system, the battery health is normal, when it was new, the maximum capacity is 89%, and it is done through 501 recharge cycles – about half the way through those 1,000 recharge cycles.

At the top of it, I have taken all possible measures for battery care: I permanently set the charging range at 80% (Settings> Battery> Charging), avoiding the handset on charging for a very long period, and ensured that it stayed away from extreme temperatures.

Now it does not last a day

I start the day with 80% charge because it is the charge range that I set it, and by late noon, it is close – if it’s not the past – 20% zone.

It is running the beta version of the iPhone iOS 26, in which adaptive power is capable, so in principle it should be better managed by battery consumption. However, the bug is to be expected in the beta software, so I thought something could have to be done with the issue and the latest iOS 18 rolled back on release.

Too: If these iPhone 17 air rumors are real, then my old phone is going to retire

No. Battery life is not defective under iOS 26 as compared to iOS 18.

Now, I am a very heavy iPhone user. This is never more than one hand access, and I regularly play with the screen off in music, audible, or youtube background (yes, I am a boy paying for YouTube premium). This has always been my use pattern, so nothing has changed. I was able to make it in the evening. Now, the start of the afternoon is difficult.

So, what is going on?

What I am seeing here is a symptom of heavy use. Not only does it use more batteries during the day, but it also accelerates the fall of the battery, which reduces the overall lifespan of the battery.

Also: The best power bank you can buy in 2025

Now, it can only be me, but A quick search It is suggested that I am not alone.

So, what are my options if I wanted this handset to run me for three years?

Okay, I will tell you now, I am completely convinced that this handset will not make it without total disturbance to use for a three -year mark. I can increase more battery life by increasing the charging limit from 80%, but it will possibly accelerate the battery wearing.

Also: Finally, a light power bank for my iPhone that can also take a beating

I can also change the battery. This is what I will do. I am planning to change this handset this year, but I cannot pass it in this position.

In the interim, I will catch one Thin-and-light magasaf power bank And should take that part of me everyday.