iOS 16.0.3 Battery Drain: How to Fix the Battery Drain Issue After the Update

It’s been over a month since iOS 16 was released worldwide. Along with lots of new features, it also came with battery drain issues on the iPhone.

Honestly, I also felt that my iPhone was struggling to stay alive all day without charging. Many iOS 16 users must be facing a battery draining problem.

It had been said that with the new updates to iOS 16, the battery issue would be resolved, but the window of improvement is still open.

Recently, iOS 16.0.3 was released, and you might have already installed it. Many iOS users reported that the new iOS 16 update has solved the iPhone’s battery draining issue, but for others, the problem is persistent.

If your iPhone’s battery juice dries very quickly even after updating to iOS 16.0.3, there are some fixes that you can try.

Here’s how you can fix the iOS 16.0.3 battery drain issue on your iPhone.

iPhone Battery Draining Issue in iOS 16

Different users and different iPhone models have different experiences regarding the battery keeping draining after updating to iOS 16, iOS 16.0.2, and iOS 16.0.3.

In a recent YouTube comment, I found out that iPhone 12 users have a lot of battery issues after updating to iOS 16 and later versions as well.

The same goes for iPhone 11, iPhone 13, and iPhone 13 Pro users. One user has mentioned that the iPhone consumes more battery and causes heat problems while using Instagram on iOS 16, while other apps don’t trigger such a problem.

Another user reported that he slept with the iPhone’s battery at 95% and it reduced to 88% in the morning. This is concerning for all users who have updated to iOS 16 from 15.7.

We hope Apple will address the issue and solve it with the iOS 16.1 update, but there are fixes you can try to improve your iPhone’s battery life.

Fix iOS 16.0.3 Battery Drain Issue

If you have read iPhone battery improvement tips on some blogs or watched videos, you might have noticed that most of them suggest turning off various iPhone features that can drain your iPhone’s battery.

Well, I won’t suggest that. For god’s sake, you have bought an iOS device to use its features, and now you would not want to turn off its many features to convert it to an old Nokia feature phone.

However, turning off some features that you don’t use will not harm your experience while using iOS 16.0.3.

1.      Close Apps that You Don’t Use

On your iPhone running iOS 16.0.3, it is easier to run multiple applications. Unlike many other smartphones, the iPhone doesn’t lag, and that is why we tend to forget to close all apps properly.

Eventually, these apps may crash in the background, which can heat up your iPhone. Thus, it is recommended to close apps properly that you don’t use.

Swipe any app from the bottom and all apps that you have used will appear. Now just swipe up apps that you don’t use. This can help to improve your battery life on iOS 16.0.3.

2.      But Don’t Force Close Apps that You Use Frequently

Some people have this weird habit of “force-closing” all apps that are open. As stated, it is wise to close apps that you don’t use, but it is wiser to never close apps that you use frequently.

For instance, I check Telegram and Instagram every 10-15 minutes. So, if I close it every time, it will suck up more battery when I launch it again than if I keep it open in the background.

So, don’t force-quit apps that you use regularly.

3.      Turn Off the iPhone 14’s Always-On Display

An always-on display feature has been added to the iPhone, which is limited to only the iPhone 14 Pro series. It is convenient, but it is not one of the features that is very useful anyway.

For instance, we are happy to check the notifications or time on an iPhone by tapping the display.

Settings => Display and Brightness => Toggle Off Always On

4.      Remove Unnecessary Widgets

With iOS 16, Apple offers excellent widget support on the iPhone. However, if you fill your iPhone’s home screen and lock screen with unnecessary widgets, it can have a toll on the iOS device’s battery.

For instance, I and most of my friends kept the weather widget and the new widget on the screen in order to have the best experience on iOS 16. These widgets refresh in the background to provide the latest information.

However, neither of these widgets is actually useful to any of us. Thus, if you are one of us, you should remove such unnecessary widgets that can drain your battery.

5.      Dark Mode May Help

Well, this tip is not made up. Apple even said while launching iOS 13 that using dark mode on your iPhone can improve battery life. You may not see a huge difference, but it can help.

Hence, if you are addicted to using your iPhone on full brightness without a dark mode (like me), you should enable the dark mode on your iPhone running on iOS 16.0.3.

6.      Enable Optimized Battery Charging

This feature doesn’t directly improve your iPhone’s battery life for a day, but it improves the battery health for a very long time.

When enabled, this feature learns your charging patterns and will stop charging after your iPhone is charged to 80% until you need to use it.

For example, if you keep your iPhone charged at night and unplug it at 7 in the morning, daily. It will not charge more than 80% until 5 in the morning. So, this really keeps the iPhone battery healthy.

Settings => Battery => Battery Health => Optimized Battery Charging

Wrapping up…

Unfortunately, Apple hasn’t resolved the battery draining problem with iOS 16.0.3 yet, and these are the only tips that can help you until it is resolved.

We believe Apple is likely to address this issue with the iOS 16.1 update, which will be a major iOS 16 update.

Nevertheless, never put off updating your iPhone to the most recent iOS version. Since all updates fix many bugs and come with security updates, you shouldn’t delay.