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Another day, another iOS update for the iPhone, and this is quite a big one. iOS 18.4 brings with it a bunch of Apple Intelligence features, such as Priority Notifications, Visual Intelligence for iPhone 15 Pro handsets, the addition of a Visual Intelligence Action Button, and a handful of new emojis.
Also: Apple Home finally gets robot vacuum support, thanks to Matter and iOS 18.4
Who can resist new emojis! That one with the bags under its eyes will surely come in handy.
Oh, and it also patches 62 security vulnerabilities, some of which are serious.
Reactions to iOS 18.4 so far
A new iOS release means that it is time to venture into the wilderness of social media to see what users have to say about the new release, especially relating to battery life.
First, the good news. As far as iOS releases go, this one does not seem so bad. I have been using the release candidate for a few days, and it has been pretty solid. In fact, I would say this is one of the smoothest releases in a while.
But let's see what iOS users on social media have to say.
"The new iPhone update - iOS 18.4 - drains the battery. Users are complaining that the charge drains twice as fast as before.""The latest iOS 18.4 is a battery killer""I take it back -- Battery life isn't just s*** in iOS 18.4 it's utterly horrendous."Oooooft.
Fixes for your iPhone issues
Based on past experience with countless iOS releases over many years, I would be willing to wager that many of these people's issues will be solved by following my first tip.
It's completely normal to notice a drop in battery life after installing a new iOS update. This happens because your iPhone is busy performing a bunch of background tasks that require extra power.
Apple even tells you to expect battery life and thermal performance to be affected.
With iOS 18, Apple made it easier to see what is going on behind the scenes. If you head over to Settings > Battery, you might spot an entry under Activity labeled Device Setup & Updates. This indicates that your phone is running additional processes that can temporarily drain your battery.
Don't worry, though -- your battery life should return to normal once these tasks are completed. It is just a matter of giving your device a little time to settle down.
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNETWhile you're waiting for your iPhone to finish its post-update tasks, here are a few tips that might help extend your battery life:
Turn Down Screen Brightness: Lowering your screen brightness can significantly reduce battery consumption.Disable Wi-Fi Assist: This feature uses cellular data when your Wi-Fi connection is weak, which can drain your battery. To turn it off, go to Settings > Cellular, then scroll down and switch off Wi-Fi Assist.Reset Network Settings: Although it is not entirely clear why, many people have found that resetting network settings can dramatically improve battery life. You can do this by going to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone, then tapping on Reset and selecting Reset Network Settings.Use Dark Mode: Enabling Dark Mode can make a noticeable difference in battery life, especially on OLED screens.If you have tried all the previous steps and your battery issues persist, it might be due to a rogue app consuming more power than it should. I see this quite often, even with people who do not update their apps regularly. Fortunately, iOS provides tools to help you track down these misbehaving apps.
Go to Settings > Battery: Here, you will find a wealth of information, including Battery Usage By App. This section shows you which apps are using the most power.
Switch to Activity By App: By tapping on this, you can see a breakdown of how much power each app is using while on the screen and in the background.
Also: How to clear your iPhone cache for a fresh (and faster) start in 2025
You can use this information to diagnose battery drain issues. Here are some other things you can use this information for:
Identify Background Activity: If an app shows a lot of background activity compared to screen activity, it might be running excessively in the background. You can try disabling background activity for that app by going to Settings > General > Background App Refresh and turning it off for the problematic app.Spot Charging Issues: This data can also help you determine if your phone was charging when you thought it was.Detect Poor Battery Performance: Look for instances where the battery charge drops rapidly, which might indicate a problem.These insights can help you diagnose and address battery drain issues effectively.
Sometimes, bugs can slip through the cracks, and all you can do is wait for Apple to address the issue with a new update. Apple has been improving its response to fixing these problems, but it does require some patience. There is always a bit of a gamble involved, as you hope the new update resolves the issue without introducing new ones.
Also: 3 Apple devices you definitely shouldn't buy this month (and 10 to get instead)
Despite the occasional bugs, it is important to keep your iPhone updated. Each update typically includes important iOS security fixes, which help protect your device from vulnerabilities and potential attacks. So, even if you are hesitant about new updates, it is generally a good idea to install them to keep your iPhone secure.
I know it sounds like giving up, and that we should expect a smartphone's battery to last an entire day, but sometimes you have to work with where you are and what you have. I now carry a power bank with me during the day as an insurance policy.
Also: The best power banks: Expert tested and reviewed
Power banks are cheap enough, small enough, and lightweight enough that they are not a burden, and something like the Sharge CarbonMag 5K is so thin and light as to almost be unnoticeable when attached to an iPhone.
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