If you often find yourself reaching for the charger before the day ends, you’re not alone. Even with Apple’s efficient battery optimization, certain hidden iPhone settings quietly drain power in the background. The good news? You can easily fix it by switching off a few options that most people don’t even realize are active.
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Let’s go through three iPhone settings you should turn off right now to enjoy noticeably longer battery life, all without sacrificing your phone’s performance.
1. Background App Refresh
What It Does
Background App Refresh allows apps to run and update their content even when you’re not using them. For example, Instagram may fetch new stories, or your Mail app may update in the background. While it sounds convenient, this feature constantly uses your phone’s processor, Wi-Fi, and sometimes even mobile data, all of which drain your battery faster.
Why You Should Turn It Off
Every time your iPhone wakes an app in the background, it uses energy. The more apps do this, the faster your battery dies.
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Disabling this setting means apps will only refresh when you open them, saving power without affecting daily use.
How to Turn It Off
1. Open Settings
2. Go to General → Background App Refresh
3. Tap Background App Refresh again and choose Off
(Tip: You can also choose “Wi-Fi” instead of “Wi-Fi & Mobile Data” if you still want limited background updates.)
Result
Once turned off, you’ll notice your iPhone stays cooler, and battery drain slows down, especially if you use apps like Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube frequently.
2. Location Services for Unnecessary Apps
What It Does
Location Services lets apps use your GPS to determine your location. This is useful for navigation, weather updates, or finding your phone through “Find My iPhone.”
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But here’s the problem: many apps track your location even when you don’t need them to, which puts extra strain on your battery.
Why You Should Turn It Off
Apps constantly ping your GPS chip, Wi-Fi, or Bluetooth to track your position. When multiple apps do this, your phone’s battery takes a hit. Most apps, like social media or shopping apps, don’t need your exact location to function properly.
How to Turn It Off
1. Go to Settings → Privacy & Security → Location Services
2. Scroll through the list of apps
3. For apps that don’t need location access, select Never or While Using the App
Result
By controlling which apps can use your location, you’ll reduce background tracking and save significant battery life. Your iPhone will also run smoother and cooler throughout the day.
3. Push Email (Fetch New Data)
What It Does
The “Push” feature in your Mail settings automatically updates your inbox as soon as new mail arrives on the server.
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While it’s fast and convenient, your iPhone must stay in constant communication with mail servers, and that continuous background activity drains your battery faster than you think.
Why You Should Turn It Off
If you receive a lot of emails, your iPhone is working nonstop to fetch them instantly. Switching to a manual or timed fetch schedule lets your device rest between checks, saving both power and data.
How to Turn It Off
1. Go to Settings → Mail → Accounts → Fetch New Data
2. Turn off the Push toggle at the top
3. Scroll down and choose Fetch every 30 minutes or manually
Result
You’ll still get your emails, just not instantly. This simple tweak can add hours to your battery life, especially if you have multiple email accounts connected.
💡 Bonus Tip: Turn On Low Power Mode
When you’re running low on charge or traveling, enable Low Power Mode for an instant boost in efficiency.
How:
- Go to Settings → Battery → Low Power Mode and toggle it on.
This mode automatically pauses background app activity, disables automatic downloads, and reduces visual effects, helping your iPhone last noticeably longer until you can plug it in again.
You don’t need to change how you use your iPhone, just tweak how it works in the background.
By turning off Background App Refresh, limiting Location Services, and adjusting your Email Fetch settings, you can stretch your battery life significantly.
These small changes make a big difference, keeping your iPhone powered for longer days, long trips, or just when you’re away from the charger.
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So go ahead, switch off these energy-hungry features and enjoy your iPhone the way it’s meant to be: fast, efficient, and long-lasting.
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