How to Check Which Apps Are Draining iPhone Battery

To check which apps are draining iPhone battery, open Settings > Battery and review the Battery Usage by App section. The list shows which apps used the most battery in the last 24 hours or last 10 days. High percentages, heavy background activity, or unexpected screen time usually identify battery hogs.

Steps

Open Settings and tap Battery.
Wait a few seconds for battery data to load, then review the chart and app list.
Tap Last 24 Hours or Last 10 Days to compare short-term and longer usage patterns.
Tap Show Activity to see screen time and background activity for each app.
If one app shows unusually high battery usage by app, update the app, limit background refresh, or reduce usage.

Option	Best For	Limitation
Last 24 Hours	Finding recent battery drain	Short view may miss patterns
Last 10 Days	Spotting repeated battery hogs	Less useful for one-time issues
Battery Percentage	Measuring total drain by app	Does not explain exact cause
Show Activity	Checking screen vs background use	Requires interpretation

Common Issues and Fixes

Battery list looks inaccurate — Recent charging or heavy use can skew numbers — Check both Last 24 Hours and Last 10 Days before deciding which apps are draining battery.
An app drains battery in background — Background App Refresh, location access, or notifications may stay active — Turn off Background App Refresh or change location access to While Using the App.
A rarely used app appears high on the list — Background tasks or stuck syncing may be running — Force close the app, restart iPhone, and check for app updates.
Battery drains fast after an iOS update — Indexing and system cleanup may run temporarily — Wait 24 to 48 hours, then recheck battery usage by app.
No app stands out, but battery still drops quickly — Battery health or system services may be the cause — Check Settings > Battery > Battery Health & Charging for low maximum capacity.

Quick Tips

Streaming, navigation, video calls, and gaming often appear as battery hogs even when behavior is normal.
High background activity with low screen time usually points to syncing, location tracking, or app refresh.
Poor signal can increase drain across multiple apps because the iPhone uses more power to stay connected.
Low Power Mode reduces background activity and can help confirm whether software activity is causing fast drain.

Why is one app using so much battery on iPhone?

High battery use usually comes from long screen time, constant location access, background refresh, or poor network conditions. App bugs can also cause unusual drain.

How to stop apps from draining battery on iPhone?

Disable Background App Refresh, reduce location access, turn off unnecessary notifications, and update the app. If battery drain continues, reinstalling the app can help.