iPhone Battery Drains Overnight: Why It’s Happening And How To Fix It

Have you ever gone to bed with plenty of iPhone battery only to wake up and find it drained quicker than you expected?

Perhaps it died altogether and you missed your alarm? 🤦

You’re not alone. Last year Apple launched its latest operating system iOS 18.2. Many users complained on social media that their iPhones’ batteries were draining far faster than usual since downloading the update.

Rapid battery drainage is frustrating and can be a sign of deeper issues. Luckily, you can do several things to reduce the load on your battery to ensure it doesn’t run down too quickly.

This article lists the potential reasons your iPhone battery is draining quickly and what you can do to stop it from happening.

Ten Reasons Your iPhone’s Battery Could Be Draining

Here are ten reasons your battery may be getting drained. We’ll provide some solutions for reducing iPhone battery load in the next section.

1. Legitimate apps running in the background

Some apps keep running even after you think you’ve closed them.

For example, music streaming apps or social media platforms can use up battery power by syncing data or refreshing content.

Checking which apps are active and closing unnecessary ones can help reduce overnight battery drain.

2. Push email or Background App Refresh

Features like push email or background app refresh constantly check for updates, even when you’re not using your phone.

These activities require data and battery power. Disabling push email or turning off background refresh for certain apps can prevent unnecessary drain.

3. Too many notifications

Every time your iPhone receives a notification, it lights up the screen and uses power. If you’re getting frequent alerts from apps like social media, news, or games overnight, this could cause battery drain. Turning off unnecessary notifications or enabling “Do Not Disturb” mode can help.

4. Spyware

Spyware is a type of malicious software that secretly runs in the background to steal your personal information. It can track your location, log keystrokes, or access your files—and send it all to a hacker over the internet.

If your battery drains unusually fast, it could be a sign of spyware. Using trusted security software like Certo AntiSpy for iPhone can help detect and remove spyware.

5. Poor signal or constant searching for a network

When your iPhone struggles to find a strong cellular or Wi-Fi signal, it works harder to stay connected. This increased effort can drain the battery quickly. Switching to airplane mode in areas with poor reception can save battery life.

6. iOS software updates overnight

Apple often pushes software updates at night when your device is idle. While these updates are helpful for security and performance, they can temporarily use more power as your iPhone downloads, installs, and reboots. Keeping your phone connected to a charger during updates can prevent unnecessary drain.

7. Location Services running

Some apps, like maps and weather, use your location in the background. If location services are left active overnight, they can cause battery drain. You can adjust app permissions to limit location access and only allow it when necessary.

8. Ageing or faulty battery

All batteries degrade over time. An older iPhone battery may lose its ability to hold a full charge, leading to faster drain. Faulty batteries can also cause problems, regardless of age.

You can check your battery’s health by going to Settings > Battery > Battery Health & Charging and replace it if needed to restore performance.

9. Screen or display settings

If your screen brightness is set too high, or your phone’s display doesn’t turn off automatically, it can waste battery overnight. Check your settings to ensure your screen turns off after a few minutes of inactivity and lower the brightness to save power.

10. Extreme temperatures

Exposing your iPhone to very hot or cold conditions can affect battery performance. Batteries don’t work efficiently in extreme temperatures, which can lead to faster drain. Keep your phone in a moderate environment overnight to maintain its battery health.

How To Stop Your iPhone Battery From Draining Overnight

Here are the 12 most effective ways you can stop your iPhone’s battery from draining.

Turn off Wi-Fi and mobile data

When left on overnight, Wi-Fi and mobile data can constantly search for connections, consuming battery power even if you’re not using them. This can significantly drain your battery overnight.

Turning off both Wi-Fi and mobile data helps preserve battery life by stopping the search for signals.

💡 How to do it:

1. Swipe down from the top right of the screen to enter the Control Center.
2. Toggle the Wi-Fi and cellular data icons off.

Fig 1. The Control Center with the blue Wi-Fi icon (bottom left) and green cellular data icon (top right).

Turn off Bluetooth

Like Wi-Fi and mobile data, if Bluetooth is left on overnight, your iPhone will keep searching for devices to connect to, consuming unnecessary power.

Turning off Bluetooth when you don’t need it can save a lot of battery.

💡 How to do it:

1. Swipe down from the top right of the screen to open the Control Center.
2. Tap the Bluetooth icon to turn it off.

Fig 2. The Control Center showing the blue Bluetooth icon (bottom right).

Enable Airplane Mode

Airplane mode disables all wireless connections, including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and cellular data. This can drastically cut power consumption if you don’t need your phone to stay connected while sleeping.

It doesn’t impact functions like alarms, so you won’t oversleep! Don’t forget to tap it off again when you are ready to start receiving calls and messages again.

💡 How to do it:

1. Swipe down from the top right of the screen to open the Control Center.
2. Tap the Airplane Mode icon to activate it.

Fig 3.  Airplane Mode being turned on.

Disable Always On Display

The Always On Display feature, available on iPhone 14 and newer models, keeps your screen dimmed but active at all times, showing the time, notifications, and widgets. While convenient, this feature can significantly drain your battery.

💡 How to do it:

1. Go to Settings.
2. Tap Display & Brightness.
3. Tap Always On Display and toggle it off.

Fig 4. Always on Display in Display & Brightness.

This simple adjustment can noticeably extend your battery life while only minimally affecting convenience. Your iPhone will still light up when you receive notifications or tap the screen.

Close unneeded apps

As mentioned earlier, running apps in the background uses up your iPhone’s battery. Luckily, closing them is quick and easy.

💡 How to do it:

1. Swipe up from the bottom of the screen and pause in the middle of the screen.
2. Go through your open apps and swipe up to close any you don’t need.

Fig 5. Closing unneeded apps.

Scan for and remove spyware

Spyware can significantly drain your device’s battery by running in the background and accessing your data without your knowledge.

It also exposes you to a range of privacy issues including:

• Unauthorized access to personal information puts you at risk of theft and fraud.
• Location tracking puts you at risk of stalking and malicious advertising.
• Access to your camera or phone, leading to privacy invasion.
• Data collection could lead to it being sold to data brokers or used to blackmail you.

To prevent this, regularly check your device for any suspicious apps or behavior.

💡 How to do it:

1. Download Certo AntiSpy.
2. Connect your iPhone to your computer.
3. Click Scan.
4. Click Remove next to any threats to restore your privacy.

Fig 6. Detecting spyware on an iPhone using Certo AntiSpy.

By removing spyware, you not only enhance privacy but also significantly reduce battery consumption caused by background processes.

Enable Low Power Mode

Low Power Mode reduces background activity, lowers the screen brightness, and turns off certain features to conserve battery.

By restricting power-draining processes, Low Power Mode helps your battery last longer overnight.

💡 How to do it:

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Battery.
3. Toggle on Low Power Mode.

Fig 7. Low Power Mode in Battery Settings.

Turn Off Background App Refresh

Background App Refresh allows apps to update their content in the background, which can significantly drain your battery if left enabled overnight. Luckily, it’s easy to turn off.

💡 How to do it:

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap General.
3. Tap Background App Refresh.
4. Select Off to disable it.

Fig 8. Background App Refresh in General Settings.

Disable Location Services

Apps that use your location can drain your battery by constantly using GPS. While some apps need this feature, disabling it for apps that don’t is a smart way to increase battery life.

💡 How to do it:

1. Go to Settings.
2. Tap Privacy & Security.
3. Choose Location Services.
4. Toggle off Location Services.

Fig 9. Location Services in Privacy and Security.

You can also turn off location services for specific apps by selecting them individually in this menu.

Regularly update iOS apps

Outdated apps can contain bugs or inefficient code that can drain your battery. Keeping your apps updated ensures they are optimized for battery performance.

For example, wireless audio manufacturer Sonos has an app that customers use to manage and interact with its products. A previous version of the app was draining user’s batteries due to background activity and inefficient resource management.

The company released an update that fixed this issue. However, users who did not download this update would continue experiencing battery drainage.

Make sure all apps are up-to-date to prevent unnecessary power consumption.

💡 How to do it:

1. Open the App Store.
2. Tap your profile icon at the top, then scroll to see available updates.
3. Tap Update All.

Fig 10. Updating downloaded apps in the App Store.

Update iOS software

Sometimes, battery drain issues are due to bugs or issues within the iOS system itself. Keeping your iPhone’s operating system updated can fix known issues.

For example, in 2019, after the release of iOS 13, many iPhone users reported significant battery drain issues. Apple acknowledged the problem and released iOS 13.1 to address it.

Installing the latest iOS updates can help prevent problems with battery drain.

💡 How to do it:

1. Go to Settings.
2. Tap General.
3. Choose Software Update.
4. If an update is available, tap Update Now.

Fig 11. Updating the iOS software.

Replace your battery

If you think your battery is worn out, then the first step is to check its condition.

💡 How to do it:

1. Go to Settings.
2. Tap Battery, then Battery Health & Charging.
3. If it says “Your battery’s health is significantly degraded” it might be time to replace it.

Fig 12. Battery Health & Charging in Battery settings.

If your phone is under warranty then the manufacturer may be able to replace the battery (or the entire handset).

If not, you can replace the battery yourself or you can take it to a repair specialist.

Replacing a worn-out battery will help your device hold a charge more effectively, improving your phone’s performance.

Wrapping Up

While battery technology continues to improve with each iPhone generation, our increasing dependence on these devices means even minor optimizations can make a significant difference in our daily lives.

The solutions outlined above aren’t just about extending your iPhone’s overnight battery life—they represent a holistic approach to digital wellness. By implementing these practices, you’re not only preserving battery power but also potentially:

• Enhancing your sleep quality by reducing digital distractions.
• Protecting your privacy and personal data from unauthorized access.
• Extending your device’s overall lifespan by reducing battery wear.
• Creating more mindful technology habits.

Remember that battery performance is often the canary in the coal mine for your iPhone’s overall health. Unexpected battery drain can alert you to issues ranging from outdated software to privacy concerns before they develop into more serious problems.

Rather than viewing battery management as a tedious chore, consider it an opportunity to reclaim control over your technology. In our always-connected world, sometimes the most powerful action is simply toggling features off—allowing both you and your iPhone to properly recharge.