iPhone XR, XS, or XS Max Battery Draining Fast? Fix

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iPhone XR, XS, or XS Max Battery Draining Fast? Fix
There have been reports of iPhone XR, XS and XS Max batteries draining faster than usual. This can be depressing , particularly to those who are always on the go and needs their iPhone for their day to day living. There are numerous factors that can cause battery drain issue and both the software and hardware aspects can be involved. In this article, i’m going to tell you exactly why your iPhone XR, iPhone XS, or iPhone XS Max battery drains so quickly and exactly how to fix it. I’ll explain how you can get longer battery life out of your iPhone without sacrificing functionality. Take my word for it:.

Its worth noting that hardware damage like bad battery is not likely the underlying cause and so we’ll rule out hardware-related factors, particularly the common triggers. Read on to find out why battery drains on your iPhone XS, iPhone XR or iPhone XS Max and what you can do to fix the issue.

Contrary to popular belief, most battery issues on an iPhone are software related. Only a small number come from faulty batteries. Apple has designed the battery to be strong and safe for use. In most cases, downloaded apps are the main cause for concern. More specifically, it’s how these applications perform and various settings that cause iPhone batteries to die fast.

The good news is that, there are a number of ways you can increase your iPhone’s battery life. These simple fixes can cut back on energy usage, allowing your iPhone to stay juiced up for much longer than normal. In this article, you’ll find some common reasons why iPhone XR, iPhone XS or iPhone 11 XS Max batteries die out so quickly and proven methods to make it better.

Part 1: Why is iPhone XS Max, iPhone XS, or iPhone Xr battery draining fast?

There can be a number of reasons why your iPhone’s battery is draining faster. It could be because of a bug from the recent update, or maybe there is some issues with the recently installed apps or current apps on your iPhone. The settings on your iPhone could also affect battery consumption. With that in mind, here are the reasons why your iPhone XR, iPhone XS or iPhone XS Max battery dies fast:

#1. Email Push Notifications

One of the reasons why your iPhone battery die so fast is Constant email push notifications. When users set up the built-in mail application, push notification is automatically enabled. This feature creates a quick alert to notify users when a new email is delivered. While useful to some users, it can cause your iPhone’s to drain so fast.

Essentially, this feature makes the phone stay in constant contact with the associated email server. Data is constantly flowing between the device and the servers. The iPhone continually checks to see if there’s new mail in order to create an instant notification. While the data is relatively small, it adds up and strains the battery throughout the day. This also consumes lot of data, which can cause further battery problems. This issue is only worsened if the user has multiple email accounts set for push notifications. Some servers, such as Exchange, causes iPhone battery to drain faster than others.

Fixing Pushed Mail

For instance, if your iPhone XS battery drains so fast, the easiest way to fix this problem is to change the email settings to “Fetch.” This setting stops the device from constantly checking the email server. Instead, it checks the server periodically based on the user’s preference. It can be set to check every 15 minutes, 30 minutes, or hour. Alternatively, you can turn off the schedule completely and set the phone up for manual fetching. In this case, your device only checks the server when you launch the Mail app. The phone is also set to perform manual mail checks on top of the designated schedule. Doing this will surely increase your iPhone’s battery life.

You can find these settings within the settings app of your iPhone in the “Passwords & Accounts” section. Towards the bottom of the page is a section called “Fetch New Data.” To turn off push notifications, simply switch the “Push” toggle to the off position. Then, you can change your Fetch schedule by choosing an option on the bottom of the page. This change should be made on each account to save as much battery life as possible.

#2. Location Services

Hidden location services keeps your device abreast of where you are at all times. It uses GPS technology to track your movement throughout the day. This information is relayed to certain apps and websites to provide users with a better experience. Location services play an important role in making your iOS device convenient.

It’s important to choose which applications have access to the location services to improve your battery life and security. Otherwise, continuous location tracking can cause your iPhone XS battery to die so fast. Location services are often indicated by a status bar on the top of the home screen. It appears as a small compass arrow when an app is using the servicing. Within the settings application, arrow symbols also let users know which applications have used the service. A purple icon indicates that it’s being used at that moment while a gray icon indicates that the app has used the service within the last 24 hours.

Fixing Location Services

You can configure location services to improve battery life in a number of ways. These settings can be found within the “Privacy” menu of the settings app. There is a separate “Location Services” section that controls location sharing and system services.

Location sharing, named “Share My Location” is used to let friends and family know where the user is. This can be turned off if not needed. Disabling this feature can save battery life while also helping to keep users safe. At the bottom of the “Location Services” section is the “System Services” menu. This section shows you the information that’s being sent to Apple. You can turn off everything except for “Find My iPhone” and “Motion Calibration & Distance.” Both of these settings should not be disabled. “Find My iPhone” is a necessary location service that can help you find a missing or stolen device. “Motion Calibration & Distance” allows applications to utilize the various technology within the phone, such as the gyroscope.

While in the “System Services” menu, it’s a good idea to turn off “Significant Locations.” This feature keeps tabs on where users go and can significantly drain your iPhone’s battery life. Users should also turn on “Status Bar Icon” to ensure that the home screen indicator is active. It lets users know when location services are being used.

Back in the main “Location Services” section, you can scroll down to see what applications are using the service. Using the previously mentioned indicators, You can get a better idea of how often the service is being used. To save battery life, unnecessary applications should be disabled with the simple toggle. However, you should keep the service on for applications that absolutely needs it. These include the “Maps” app and any other frequently used applications.

#3. Constant Notifications

Notifications, though useful, can cause your iPhone’s battery to drain faster. Most applications come with the option to enable push notifications. Actually, users are presented with this option when they launch an app for the first time. By choosing to turn on the setting, the application will stay running in the background at all times. It does this so that it can alert users when something within the app has occurred.

It’s not uncommon for users to quickly enable this feature to get to bypass the window and start using the app. you should consider the number of notifications You receive and limit the permissions on apps you don’t need. With multiple apps enabled, your iPhone is constantly strained of its resources causing your iPhone’s battery to drain faster. Notifications such as text and phone calls are necessary, but other options should be enabled sparingly.

Controlling Which Apps Provide Alerts

You can easily see which apps deliver push notifications and what form these notifications take. This information can be found on the “Notifications” page of the settings app. This section will show you a list of their applications along with a small “On” or “Off” indicator. You can scroll through this list and determine which notifications you want to disable.

Tapping on an app brings up a toggle switch for notifications. You can switch the toggle to turn notifications off completely for that app or choose The type of notification you want to receive if you choose to keep them on. Notifications can appear in form of badges, windows, or banners. These options are usually for personal preference, as any type of notification will drain your iPhone’s battery.

#4. Your iPhone is Always On

It’s not uncommon for iPhone users to keep their device on all the time. Most users leave their device on to stay connected and use power shut-offs only as a last ditch effort to resolve some kind of performance issue. However, keeping your iPhone on all the time can be harmful to your battery life and prevents hidden problems from being resolved.

You should turn your iPhone off at least once a week to help fix technical problems. This can reset crashed apps and prevent problems from getting worse over time. You don’t have to keep your iPhone turned off for a long period of time. You can turn the device off for a few seconds and turn it back on quickly to stay connected. That short moment of being shut off basically resets the iPhone and frees up the memory and other resources.

Turning an iPhone Off Correctly

All it takes to switch an iPhone off is a long-press of the power and either of volume button. Holding them down will display the “Slide to Turn Off” option. With a swipe of the finger, your iPhone will shut off completely.

#5. App Connection in the Background

A number of apps will run in the background when they’re not in use. They use a wireless data connection to update information or download new content. These apps are persistent. While many users may think that shutting off the app completely will prevent it from using resources, there are numerous apps that bypass this process and stay connected. Whether it’s a game or a simple news application, this regular updating can cause your iPhone Xr battery to drain so fast. It’s important to turn off this feature .

Fixing Background App Refresh

This setting can be configured within the “Background App Refresh” section in the settings app. This setting is found within the “General” tab. There’s an option to turn this feature off completely for all apps. However, you should go through the list of apps and choose which options you want to keep on.

The feature is very useful for certain apps. It can help to keep information updated in real time. Having said that, it’s also unnecessary and burdensome on many others. The secret is to enable the feature on frequently-used applications while turning it off for others.

#6. Prolonged Exposure to Extreme Temperatures

iPhones are designed to work efficiently in environments with temperatures between 35 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit, or between 0 and 35 degrees Celsius. Because most people aren’t continually exposed to temperatures beyond that range, it’s generally a non-issue. However, there are certain exceptions where Users can accidentally expose their iPhone to environments that can cause some significant damage.

Leaving an iPhone in a hot car can cause the smartphone to overheat. Apple has implemented a unique status window that prevents owners from using the device when it is too hot. The phone will shut off until it’s cooled down. If it’s exposed to temperatures above the higher threshold, the battery can get damaged. It’ll become weaker and can pose a huge safety risk even if it’s not on.

If an iPhone is exposed to temperatures below the low threshold, the battery isn’t damaged. However, power is drained much faster and may cease to operate until it reaches an appropriate temperature. It’s important to keep your iPhones in normal environments at all times. You should be careful when you spend any significant amount of time outdoors. Your iPhone should stay covered and protected from the elements.

#7. Flashy Visual Effects

iPhones are purposefully designed to be gorgeous. They have a stunning chassis and an eye-popping display. With the latest versions of iOS, Apple has included some great visual effects that can run in the background. Animated wallpapers add a unique effect that can be customized to the user’s liking.

Unfortunately, iPhone battery dies fast when these cool visual tricks are turned on. They’re controlled by the graphics processor unit, or GPU. This tiny piece of hardware is notoriously power hungry. With an unnecessary visual effect constantly flashing, the GPU puts more and more strain on the battery as you use your iPhone.

To save battery, you can minimize extraneous visual effects. These setting can be found in the”Accessibility” tab. This page presents a number of options to improve the way the iPhone looks and operates. Under “Motion,” there is an option named “Reduce Motion.”

Turning this feature on will take away the unique parallax found on animated wallpaper. You won’t be able to see that motion effect as you tilt your iPhone. It doesn’t affect many other areas of your iOS device, so you won’t notice much of a difference if any. However, it can save some significant resources that ultimately translate to better battery life.

Part 2: Troubleshooting battery draining issue on an iPhone XR, iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max

Solution #1: Restart Your iPhone

If you suddenly start noticing abnormal battery drain try restarting your device. Turn it off, wait for a minute, and then turn it back on. This sometimes works, especially if you haven’t restarted your iPhone for a long period of time.

Solution #2: Force Restart your iPhone

This is perhaps one of the most easiest and reported to have solved almost all of iPhone issues. In this case, doing a force restart on your iPhone can somehow solve drainage problems as this refreshes your iPhone, force quitting all opened app that maybe causing the battery to drain faster.

To force restart iPhone XR, XS and XS Max, simply follow these steps:

  1. Quickly press and let go of the Volume up button. It is located at the left-hand side of your iPhone.
  2. Quickly press and let go of the Volume down button. It is also located at the left side just below the volume up button.
  3. Press and hold the side Button. It is located at the right side of your iPhone.
  4. Keep pressing on the side Button until the Apple logo appears. When that happens, simply let go of the side button.
  5. Wait for a few seconds, the iPhone will automatically restarts.

Solution #3. Update Your iPhone

If your iPhone is currently running an outdated version of iOS, try updating it to the latest version.

It is very important to always update your iPhone to the latest version of iOS. Updating to the latest software fixes bugs and issues relating to battery draining issue on iPhone XS, XR and XS Max

Before you install a new version of iOS on your iPhone, make sure you read reviews and dig into feedback before you initiate the download.

To check and update to the latest iOS version:

  1. Start the setting app on your iPhone.
  2. Go to General.
  3. Now, tap on Software Update.
  4. If there is an update available, tap Download and Install.

Solution #4. Check Your Apps

More often than not, an application is the cause of the battery draining faster on your iPhone XR, XS and XS Max . Apps, particularly third-party applications, sometimes act up after Apple releases new iOS firmware.

Checking in on an app’s performance is very easy and you should be able to pinpoint culprit in a matter of minutes. Here’s how to do that:

  • First, launch the Settings app.
  • Go to Battery.
  • Find a section called “Battery Usage by app.”

In this section, you’ll see the apps draining your iPhone’s battery life and when they’re doing so. If you use an app a lot, it will obviously put a strain on your iPhone’s battery.

That said, if it’s draining an absurd amount of battery or an app you rarely use is consuming a lot of power, you’ll definitely need to investigate.

If something is off, try updating the application to the latest version. App developers are constantly rolling out support updates and these releases could Help fix battery draining problems on iPhone XR, XS and XS Max

If installing the update (s) doesn’t fix your issue, try deleting the app (permanently or temporarily) it and see if your battery life returns to normal. If the issue persists, you might want to
contact the app developer.

Solution #5. Reset All Settings

If you determine that your apps aren’t the culprit, try resetting your iPhone’s settings. This will restore your settings to their factory defaults (so make sure you have your Wi-Fi passwords handy), but it could help fix battery draining issue on iPhone XR, XS and XS max. Here’s how to do that:

  • Start the Settings app on your iPhone.
  • Go to General.
  • Tap Reset.
  • Tap Reset All Settings.
  • If asked, enter your passcode.

Solution #6: Use Screen Time

Your iPhone XR, XS or XS Max comes with
Screen Time
which could help you conserve battery life while eliminating bad habits.

Screen Time offers you a set of controls that can help keep your addictive behavior in check. If you aren’t on your iPhone using your apps, you won’t be chewing through battery life.

Screen Time gives you the ability to set limits on how long you can use a particular app on a given day. If you approach the threshold, it’ll warn you.

Solution #7. Use Low Power Mode

Your iPhone comes with a feature called Low Power Mode that can help you conserve battery life by temporarily shutting off background activity including Hey Siri, automatic downloads, and mail fetch.

You can flip Low Power Mode on and off whenever you want. Your iPhone will also prompt you to turn it on whenever it reaches 20% battery.

You can add Low Power Mode to Control Center for easy access. Simply follow these steps:

  • Start the Settings app on your iPhone.
  • Now, tap Control Center.
  • Next, tap Customize Controls.
  • Finally, tap the green plus sign next to Low Power Mode.

The next time you launch Control Center on your device you’ll see a battery icon and you can tap it to enable or disable Low Power Mode.

Alternatively, you can turn Low Power Mode on through the settings app. Here’s how to do that:

  • Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
  • Tap on Battery.
  • Tap on Low Power Mode.
  • Switch it On.

Solution #8: Disable Vibrations

If your iPhone vibrates every time you get a message or phone call, and you don’t want or need it to, try turning those vibrations off. This will help resolve battery draining issue on iPhone XS, XR and XS Max.

Here’s how to disable your iPhone vibrations:

  • Open the Settings app.
  • Go to Sounds & Haptics.
  • Switch Vibrate on Ring and Vibrate on Silent to off.

You’ll also need to check each individual Sound and Vibration and make sure Vibration (which is located at the top of the screen) is set to “None.”

Solution #9: Turn off Background app Refresh

Background App Refresh is a feature that refreshes apps in the background in order to show you the latest data when you open them up. It’s useful, however, it can also consume battery life because your iPhone is working in the background. Turning it off could help FIX BATTERY DRAINING ISSUE ON iPHONE XS, iPHONE XR and iPHONE XS MAX.

Follow these steps to disable Background App Refresh for your apps if you don’t think you need it:

  • Launch the Settings app on your iPhone.
  • Now, go to General.
  • Next, tap Background App Refresh.
  • Finally, turn it off for any applications you don’t use.

You can also turn it off completely.

Solution #10: Turn Off Fitness Tracking

Your iPhone features a co-processor that tracks your steps and other movements. If you use your iPhone for fitness-related activities, you should keep this feature on. If you don’t, switch it off because it could help you conserve battery life. Please follow these steps:

  • Start the settings app on your iPhone.
  • Go to Privacy.
  • Select Motion & Fitness and toggle the Fitness Tracking function to off position.

You also might want to toggle off apps listed below Fitness Tracking in the menu.

Solution #11: Turn Off Assistive Touch

If you’re currently using
Assistive Touch
on your device, it might be one of the reasons your battery is draining quickly. If you don’t want or need Assistive Touch active on your iPhone, try turning it off. Here’s how:

  • Open the Settings app.
  • Tap Accessibility.
  • Tap on “Touch.
  • Tap AssistiveTouch.
  • Toggle it to Off.

Solution #12: Adjust Screen Display

There is a high chance that the cause of the battery draining faster on your iPhone XR, XS and XS Max is because of the settings on your screen display. Make sure to change your iPhone screen dimmer on for daytime use and enable auto-brightness in order for it to auto adjust based on the lightning conditions with the use of a light sensor that is built-in to your iPhone device.

You can adjust the brightness of the screen manually in two ways:

  • First option: Drag the Sun Icon when you opened the Control Center by swiping down from the upper right corner of your iPhone.
  • Second option: Start the settings app on your iPhone and tap on Display & Brightness, then drag the slider to adjust brightness

To enable Auto-Adjust function, simply:

  1. Launch the settings app on your iPhone
  2. Go to Accessibility
  3. Tap on Display & Text Size
  4. Toggle ON Auto-Brightness tab.

Solution #13: Disable Raise to Wake feature

Enabling this feature can drain your battery life since we are used to holding our iOS device most of the time thus placing your iPhone in an upright position either intentionally or unintentionally somehow drains your battery as it automatically lights up.

Here’s how to disable the Raise to Wake feature:

  1. . Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
  2. Go to Display & Brightness
  3. Switch OFF Raise To Wake tab

Solution #14: Enable Low-Data Mode

Enabling low data mode not only reduced usage of data network use from apps on your iPhone but also can help prolong battery thereby helping fix battery draining problems on iPhone XR, XS And XS Max.

Here’s how to enable Low Data Mode:

  1. Start the settings app on your iPhone
  2. Now, tap on Cellular button
  3. Next on, tap on Cellular Options tab
  4. Finally, turn ON Low Data Mode

Solution #15: Disable Background App Refresh feature

The main function of this feature is keeping app always refreshed to be able to run apps smoothly, however if your main concern is the battery, It’s a good idea to disable it. Here’s how:

  1. Start the settings app on your iPhone.
  2. Go to General
  3. Tap Background App Refresh
  4. Disable it by turning it OFF.

Alternatively, you can leave the feature on for the apps that you need to be refreshed from time to time.

Solution #16: Manage Location Services Feature

Location Tracking can drain your iPhone’s battery therefore, it is recommended to manage your location service feature not to track you
on all apps all the time. You can either choose to track you on a particular app “Once” and when an app tries to locate you again a prompt will appear
if you want to be tracked or not. This does not only fix battery draining problems but also keeping you secured with privacy as well.

To manage Location Services:

  1. Start the settings app on your iPhone
  2. Go to Privacy
  3. Tap on Location Services
  4. Choose and select While using the App on each of the apps

Solution #17: Enable Dark Mode

Since the dark mode feature is now available on iOS 13 update and most of Apple iPhones that supports the update, turning on Dark Mode feature can help fix battery draining issue on iPhone XR, XS and XS max. Why is that so? Its because pixels of the OLED screen displays from iPhones XS and XS Max is shut off thereby reducing too much consumption of your battery. As with iPhone XR with LCD Display, enabling Dark Mode feature also helps resolves the problem.

Here’s how to enable Dark Mode:

  1. Start the Settings app on your iPhone
  2. Go to Display & Brightness
  3. Tap on Dark Mode to enable it.

Solution #18: Disable Automatic Downloads

If Automatic Download is enabled, as the name suggest, it automatically downloads and updates apps purchased and installed on your
iPhone.
This means it constantly refreshes to search for available update especially if connected to a WiFi thereby consuming your iPhone’s battery life.

Here’s how to Disable Automatic Download:

  1. Start the Settings app on your iPhone
  2. Go to iTunes & App Store tab
  3. Now, under the Automatic Download section, you can turn Off for Music, Apps, Books and Audiobooks and App Updates. You have the option to select one or you can select to disable all.

Solution #19: Enable Optimized Battery Charging

This is a nifty feature that keeps track of charging routine on a daily basis. Turning on
Optimized Battery Charging
feature helps Fix battery draining issue on iPhone XR, XS and XS Max by waiting to finish charging your iPhone to more than 80% level. This is to help the battery from taking on the extra load.

Here’s how to enable Optimized Battery Charging feature:

  1. Start the settings app on your iPhone
  2. Go to Battery
  3. Tap on Battery Health
  4. Toggle ON the switch next to Optimized Battery Charging tab
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GeeksModo Staff is a team of iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch experts led by Moses Johnson. We're passionate about all things Apple!
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