Open Settings > Battery on your iPhone to see which apps and system activities used power. Compare today with recent days, then inspect an app’s activity; a high percentage can point to a contributor, but it doesn’t by itself show that the app is faulty.
Check app and system battery use
- Open Settings > Battery. This is where iPhone lists battery use and activity.
- Scroll to App and System Activity. Select View All Battery Usage to see the expanded history.
- Choose a day. The activity list and battery-use percentages correspond to the selected period.
- Tap an app. Its details show more about its battery use and activity for each day.
Compare today with recent use
Apple’s Daily Usage view compares today’s battery use with earlier days. When use is similar to or higher than usual, it highlights the three leading apps or system activities. Use that comparison to judge whether today looks unusual for your iPhone, rather than treating an app’s position in the list as a diagnosis.
The activity details distinguish On Screen, when an app or system activity was open and visible, from Background, when it ran while not visible. Background time can reflect ordinary tasks such as navigation, music playback, photo syncing, or fetching mail. Apple may also identify low mobile coverage or notifications that woke the device as contributors to battery use.
Compare the activity with what you were doing. A navigation app running in the background, for example, may fit a day when you used directions. A high-use percentage alone doesn’t establish a problem.
Check for update or setup activity
On iOS 18 and later, iPhone may show an Ongoing iOS Update or Ongoing Device Setup insight. Apple says this background work can temporarily affect battery life and thermal performance. If battery life is below expectations after an update, Apple advises waiting a few days and checking again.
Separate app use from battery condition
Battery use by app and battery condition answer different questions. On iPhone 14 and earlier, Apple’s guide directs users to Battery Health & Charging; on iPhone 15 and later, it directs users to Battery Health. Cycle count is available there on iPhone 15 and later. A charge cycle means using an amount equal to 100% of battery capacity, which can add up across multiple partial discharges.
Maximum capacity is measured against the battery’s capacity when new. A 75% maximum-capacity reading does not translate into a fixed number of hours: Apple says battery life depends on capacity and how software and hardware features are used. The remaining-charge percentage is separate from an app’s share of battery use; on supported models, it can be enabled in Settings > Battery, and Face ID models also show it in Control Center.
