iOS 26 hurting your iPhone’s battery? Apple says not to worry because...

iOS 26, being a major update, brings several new features, but Apple says it could make your phone less stable for a little while too. Here are the details.

If you have just installed the iOS 26 update and have noticed a hit to your battery life on your iPhone, irrespective of your model, it turns out this could be normal and most importantly, temporary. At least, that's what Apple says in a brand-new support document published on September 15.

Apple says it normal for your iPhone to exhibit abnormal battery and performance right after an update. (AI-generated)

By Shaurya Sharma

Shaurya Sharma is the Technology Editor at Hindustan Times Digital Streams, where he oversees technology coverage across digital and social platforms. With over eight years of experience across editorial, video production, and digital media, his work focuses on smartphones, AI, consumer gadgets, and shaping audience-first content strategies for modern tech consumers.

He began his career in 2018 as a fashion cinematographer before turning his lifelong passion for technology into a profession. From spending his childhood immersed in tech magazines, video games, and the latest gadgets to covering the global consumer tech industry today, technology has remained a constant throughout his journey.

Over the years, Shaurya has worked with some of India’s leading media organisations, including CNN-News18, Sportskeeda, and Guiding Tech, where he led video initiatives that combined strong editorial storytelling with engaging visual and social-first execution.

A graduate in Journalism and Mass Communication from Manipal University, Shaurya has reviewed hundreds of products across categories including smartphones, laptops, gaming consoles, cameras, and wearables. Beyond work, he is passionate about animal welfare, environmental causes, and automobiles, particularly turbo-petrol cars

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The support document addresses various details about Apple software updates, including why it is important to update your software, the types of updates such as major releases like iOS 26 and minor releases like iOS 26.1 and, most importantly, discusses the temporary impact the software update might have on performance and battery life.

iOS 26 launched: Here's what Apple said

Apple says that while its hardware and software are designed to work together to deliver great performance and battery life, sometimes new features and improvements, as they are added, can change the way you use your devices and explore all the new capabilities.

“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 added, “New features are exciting and help you get even more out of your Apple product, though some may require additional resources from the device. Depending on individual usage, some users may notice a small impact on performance and/or battery life. Apple continually works to optimise these features in software updates to ensure great battery life and a smooth user experience.”

What users on social media are saying

Well, with a quick glance at platforms like X about iOS 26, you will see people detailing how they have already run out of juice and that iOS 26 is a “battery hog.”

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