How to Enable Low Power Mode on iPhone?

Low Power Mode helps you extend your iPhone’s battery life by temporarily reducing power consumption. When enabled, background activities and visual effects are minimized until you can charge again. This guide covers everything you need to know: what Low Power Mode is, when to use it, how to turn it on and off, and tips for maximizing battery life.

What Is Low Power Mode?

Low Power Mode is an iOS feature that conserves battery by limiting or disabling certain functions and visual effects. When your battery level drops to 20% (and again at 10%), iOS prompts you to enable Low Power Mode. You can also turn it on manually at any time.

How It Works

When activated, Low Power Mode:

• Reduces or pauses automatic downloads and mail fetch
• Lowers screen brightness and auto-lock interval
• Disables background app refresh
• Pauses “Hey Siri” voice activation
• Limits visual effects like animated wallpapers and mail fetch

These changes extend your remaining battery life by up to several hours, depending on usage.

Why Use Low Power Mode?

Low Power Mode is ideal when you:

• Are traveling and can’t charge soon
• Attending a long event or conference
• Expect intermittent access to charging
• Want to stretch your battery during emergencies

By reducing non-essential tasks, Low Power Mode lets you make calls, send messages, and use essential apps longer.

When to Enable Low Power Mode

iOS automatically suggests Low Power Mode at 20% and 10% battery. However, you might choose to enable it earlier to prepare for extended use without charging. Consider turning it on whenever:

• Your day will be long and you can’t recharge
• You’re in an area with limited power outlets
• You want to conserve battery overnight if you use “Bedside” or “Sleep” modes
• You’re using power-hungry apps (navigation, streaming, gaming) and need more uptime

How to Enable Low Power Mode

There are three main ways to turn Low Power Mode on or off: via Settings, Control Center, and Siri voice commands.

Enable via Settings

• Open Settings: Tap the gray Settings gear icon.
• Go to Battery: Scroll down and select Battery.
• Toggle Low Power Mode: Tap the switch next to Low Power Mode so it turns green.

When enabled, the battery icon in the status bar turns yellow to remind you that Low Power Mode is active.

Enable via Control Center

You can add a Low Power Mode shortcut to Control Center for quick access.

• Open Settings > Control Center.
• Customize Controls: Tap Customize Controls (iOS 13 and earlier) or directly scroll to More Controls (iOS 14 and later).
• Add Low Power Mode: Tap the green “+” next to Low Power Mode.
• Access Control Center: Swipe down from the top-right corner (iPhones with Face ID) or up from the bottom (Touch ID models).
• Tap the Battery Icon: The new battery icon toggles Low Power Mode on or off.

Enable with Siri

For hands-free activation, use Siri:

• Invoke Siri by holding the Side/Home button or saying “Hey Siri.”
• Say “Turn on Low Power Mode” (or “Turn off Low Power Mode”).
• Siri confirms by responding, “Low Power Mode is on” (or off).

How to Disable Low Power Mode

Low Power Mode automatically turns off when you charge your iPhone to 80% or above. You can also disable it manually:

• Settings > Battery > Toggle Low Power Mode off.
• Control Center > Tap the Low Power Mode icon again.
• Siri > “Turn off Low Power Mode.”

Monitoring Battery Usage

Knowing which apps consume the most power helps you decide when to enable Low Power Mode and which apps to limit.

• Settings > Battery.
• Battery Usage by App: Scroll to see a list of apps and the percentage of battery they used in the last 24 hours or 10 days.
• Last Charge Level Graph: Visualize your battery level over time and note when Low Power Mode was active.

Use this data to identify battery-hungry apps and adjust your usage or settings accordingly.

Customizing Battery Settings

Beyond Low Power Mode, iOS offers several settings to fine-tune battery performance:

Background App Refresh

• Settings > General > Background App Refresh.
• Choose to disable it entirely, allow it only on Wi-Fi, or turn it on per app.

Disabling Background App Refresh stops apps from updating content in the background, saving power.

Screen Brightness and Auto-Lock

• Settings > Display & Brightness.
• Drag the Brightness slider down to reduce screen intensity.
• Settings > General > Auto-Lock, then choose a shorter interval (30 Seconds or 1 Minute).

Lower brightness and shorter auto-lock times significantly reduce battery drain.

Mail Fetch Settings

• Settings > Mail > Accounts > Fetch New Data.
• Turn off Push and set Fetch schedules to Manual or longer intervals (Hourly or Every 30 Minutes).

Reducing mail fetch frequency decreases network use and conserves energy.

Troubleshooting Low Power Mode

If Low Power Mode won’t stay enabled or behaves unexpectedly, try these fixes:

Restart Your iPhone

A quick reboot often clears glitches:

• iPhone 8 or later: Press Volume Up, Volume Down, then hold Side until the Apple logo.
• iPhone 7/7 Plus: Hold Side and Volume Down together until you see the logo.
• iPhone 6s and earlier: Hold Home and Side (or Top) buttons.

Update iOS

Ensure you’re on the latest iOS version:

• Settings > General > Software Update.
• Tap Download and Install if an update is available.

Reset All Settings

Resets system preferences without deleting personal data:

• Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset.
• Tap Reset All Settings, enter your passcode, and confirm.

After resetting, re-enable Low Power Mode and customize your battery settings again.

Extending Battery Life Beyond Low Power Mode

For maximum battery longevity, combine Low Power Mode with these best practices:

Limit Location Services

• Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services.
• Review apps and set to While Using or Never as needed.

Disable Unused Features

• Turn off Bluetooth and Wi-Fi when not in use via Control Center.
• Disable Hey Siri if you rarely use voice activation.

Use Dark Mode

On OLED-screen iPhones (iPhone X and later), Dark Mode saves energy:

• Settings > Display & Brightness > select Dark.

Manage Notifications

• Settings > Notifications.
• Turn off Allow Notifications for non-critical apps to reduce wake-ups.

Conclusion

Low Power Mode is an effective, built-in way to extend your iPhone’s battery life during critical times. You can enable it quickly via Settings, Control Center, or Siri, and it automatically disables once you reach an 80% charge. Combine it with custom battery settings—like Background App Refresh, reduced brightness, and Mail Fetch adjustments—to maximize battery performance. If you encounter issues, restart your iPhone, update iOS, or reset all settings to restore normal functionality. By understanding and leveraging Low Power Mode alongside other battery-saving techniques, you’ll ensure your iPhone stays powered throughout your day, even when charging isn’t an option.