For Apple products, it’s fair to say that battery lifespan has always been a concerning fact for users. After a given amount of time, no matter what sort of battery you have in your phone, it will begin to deteriorate. As Apple uses Li-ion batteries and is enclosed completely, it is hard for common users to replace the battery. So, if you are concerned about your battery lifespan and want to know how to increase maximum capacity of iPhone battery, this article will help you.
In this article, we will provide in-depth findings, observations about iPhone batteries, and suggestions on how to improve battery health on iPhone.
iPhone battery type and performance
iPhone uses an internal non-removable Li-ion battery. It charges faster and retains capacity longer than any other type of battery. From iPhone 6, the battery life has gradually increased in every model. This is a full breakdown of the iPhone battery capacity advertised with audio-video playback time. A complete analysis of iPhone battery capacity and Apple’s stated life expectancy of different generations from iPhone 7 to iPhone 13 Pro Max is provided here.
iPhone battery and performance as provided by Apple
Model | Battery capacity | Video playback | Audio playback |
iPhone 7 | 1960 mAh | 13 hours | 40 hours |
iPhone 7 Plus | 2900 mAh | 14 hours | 60 hours |
iPhone 8 | 1821 mAh | 13 hours | 40 hours |
iPhone 8 Plus | 2675 mAh | 14 hours | 60 hours |
iPhone X | 2716 mAh | 13 hours | 60 hours |
iPhone XS | 2658 mAh | 14 hours | 60 hours |
iPhone XS Max | 3174 mAh | 15 hours | 65 hours |
iPhone XR | 2942 mAh | 16 hours | 65 hours |
iPhone 11 | 3110 mAh | 17 hours | 65 hours |
iPhone 11 Pro | 3046 mAh | 18 hours | 65 hours |
iPhone 11 Pro Max | 3969 mAh | 20 hours | 80 hours |
iPhone SE (2nd-gen) | 1821 mAh | 13 hours | 40 hours |
iPhone 12 | 2815 mAh | 17 hours | 65 hours |
iPhone 12 Pro | 2815 mAh | 17 hours | 65 hours |
iPhone 12 Pro Max | 3687 mAh | 20 hours | 80 hours |
iPhone 12 Mini | 2227 mAh | 15 hours | 50 hours |
iPhone 13 | 3227 mAh | 19 hours | 75 hours |
iPhone 13 Mini | 2406 mAh | 17 hours | 55 hours |
iPhone 13 Pro | 3095 mAh | 22 hours | 75 hours |
iPhone 13 Pro Max | 4353 mAh | 28 hours | 95 hours |
The chart shows that except for the budget version of the iPhone, the SE, and all other iPhone models improved in battery life. It is battery life, which is the amount of time a device runs before recharging. On the other hand, “battery lifespan” is the amount of time a battery lasts until it completely loses its charge holding capacity and needs to be replaced.
No matter how high the battery capacity is, it will gradually lose its capacity and lifespan. But in this limited lifespan, if you follow some tips and tricks, you can easily get more out of your battery and device. To get more out of your iPhone battery, here’s what you can do.
How to increase maximum capacity of iPhone battery | Get long-lasting performance
It will be a helpful segment for you if you are curious about how to make your iPhone battery last longer; or how to take care of your iPhone battery. Battery life is directly related to its chemical age. As batteries are basically nothing but packets full of chemical mixture, they tend to be degraded over time. But yet, you can take some necessary steps to slow down the degradation. Follow these ways to save battery on your iPhone.
1. How to improve battery health on iPhone by controlling brightness

If you are thinking how to increase battery life on iPhone, screen usage is the first thing you should check. The component that uses most of the battery life of your iPhone is your screen. If you just lower the brightness of your screen or set it to auto, you will gain a huge boost in your battery life. Simply go to your Control Center by swiping down on the upper right screen. Then drag down the bar of the brightness controller.
2. How to make iPhone battery last longer by disabling location service
Unless you are living under a rock, you have definitely heard about GPS. GPS is a service that often runs in the background. Although, very few apps require constant GPS connectivity. So, disabling it will maximize iPhone battery lifespan. You can enable it when required from your Control Center easily.
To disable location service on iPhone, follow these steps

– Never: Won’t use the location service.
– Ask Next Time: It will ask for permission to use the location service every time you use the app.
– While Using the App: This option is the most convenient. It will only use the location service while you are using the app. It’s good for battery performance and app activity.
– Always: It always allows access to location service. Therefore, this mode is very demanding for the battery.
3. How to increase maximum capacity of iPhone battery by using a simple and dark background
You might be using a live wallpaper or a colorful UHD wallpaper and also, at the same time thinking, how to increase maximum capacity of iPhone battery. Although it may seem nice and cool to use a live wallpaper or high-quality colorful wallpaper, they come with a toll on your battery. Colorful images will require more pixels to light up.
As Apple introduced AMOLED screen for their latest iPhone models, using dark wallpaper or dark mode will actually help your battery life. If you change background on your iPhone display into any dark object, the screen would require fewer pixels to light up. So, battery life will get an effective boost up. For convenience, here are the steps on how to change your iPhone background.

4. How to save your battery on iPhone by turning off Bluetooth

If you are curious about how to extend iPhone battery lifespan, consider turning off the Bluetooth when you are not using the Apple Watch or Apple AirPods. Continuous usage of Bluetooth degrades some battery life. You have to go to your Control Center and tap on the Bluetooth icon. You can simply follow the same steps to turn it on when you require it.
5. How to increase maximum capacity of iPhone battery by enabling Low Power Mode
Low Power Mode reduces the power usage of device. If you are not using any power-hungry app or gaming, consider turning on “Low power mode.” You can turn it on from the section of battery in settings. Follow these steps to enable low power mode on your iPhone:

When Low Power Mode is activated, your iPhone or iPad will last longer before it has to be charged. Although, some features may take longer to update or complete. You may also need to switch off “Low Power Mode” or charge your iPhone or iPad to at least 80% before you can do some functions.
Low Power Mode affects the functionality of these features:
6. How to optimize battery on iPhone by connecting to 2G network
If you are using Wi-Fi at your home or have poor coverage of 3G or 4G, simply select the network mode to 2G. Poor network coverage forces your phone to work harder for network communication. Also, higher network frequency demands more battery. Therefore, the battery will run out faster. To connect to 2G network, follow these steps on your iPhone:

You can always select back to a higher network frequency when you are in a good network coverage area by following the same steps.
7. How to optimize battery usage by restricting background activity

Some apps stay active in the background continuously and degrade some battery life. You can turn off this feature of refreshing in the background by tweaking some simple settings. Simply go to Settings> General> Background App Refresh and turn off the apps that you don’t require background activity.
8. How to maximize iPhone battery lifespan by disabling the Mail app’s background activity

Mail app is the default app for email service on iPhone. It always keeps on refreshing in the background and checks for new emails. You can change this from the Mail app settings. Just locate your Mail app> Settings> Accounts & Passwords> Fetch new data. Select “Manual” and the background refreshing will be disabled. Beware that you won’t be notified of new emails immediately by doing this. You will be able to see your new emails when you refresh the app by yourself.
9. Update to the latest software
Apple is continuously improving the user experience by upgrading the software and system process. Your device’s battery life may improve if you just upgrade the operating system of your iPhone. You might feel skeptical or be thinking about how to increase the maximum capacity of iPhone battery by simply updating the OS.
But by installing all the security features and patches, you will notice some improvement in your device performance. Before updating, make sure you are connected to Wi-Fi or have enough cellular data package. You can update your iPhone by following these simple steps:

10. Less frequent use of wireless and fast charging

If you are curious about how to increase maximum capacity of iPhone battery, you should check your charging process. Charging a battery too quickly stresses it out. And stressing a battery for a long time will degrade its lifetime.
Also, wireless charging produces quite a lot of heat. So, even if wireless charging seems more convenient, use the certified Apple wired charger whenever it is possible. Remove any cases, avoid charging in direct sunlight, and keep the pad on a hard surface for charging to be cooler (not on blankets or anything that might block the air holes).
11. Use the “Optimized Battery Charging” function wisely
Believe it or not, your device itself is also trying to learn how to increase maximum capacity of iPhone battery with the help of AI. You might be wondering what is optimized battery charging on iPhone. It is a new feature in iOS 13 which reduces the amount of charging time, hence extending the life of your battery. It’s possible to delay charging on your iPhone past an 80 percent level if you enable this function. The feature is activated only when your iPhone predicts that it will be plugged into a charger for a lengthy period of time, thanks to on-device machine learning.
iPhone carefully monitors your daily usage of the device to ensure a good charging backup and longer battery life. However, you can manually control this feature too. By default, the feature is on when you set up your iPhone or after updating to iOS 13 or later. But if you need to turn on the feature manually, follow these instructions:
How to turn on and off optimized battery charging

Notifications appear on the Lock screen when Optimized Battery Charging is on. Touch and hold the notification, and then hit “Charge Now” if you need to charge your iPhone faster.
12. Use Wi-Fi instead of mobile data whenever possible

You might be thinking how to increase maximum capacity of iPhone battery. High usage of mobile data is a concerning factor on this side. If you want to prolong the battery life, switching to Wi-Fi is a must. Wi-Fi uses less power to connect your device to the internet compared to mobile data. In order to activate Wi-Fi, swipe down the upper right on your screen to access Control Panel. Tap on the Wi-Fi icon and activate Wi-Fi.
13. Be careful about temperature
Nobody likes extreme temperature, whether it’s your pet, you, or your iPhone battery. If you are trying to find out how to increase maximum capacity of iPhone battery, this is one of the critical points. Extreme heat and extreme cold both are harmful to an iPhone battery. If you live or work in an area of extreme cold or extreme heat, use your phone with care. Consider using a heatproof phone case and avoid direct sunlight or cold contact.
What is the optimum battery condition of iPhone?
All iPhone devices come with 100% battery capacity. But Apple officially claims that 80% is the optimum battery condition for iPhone devices. They always make sure the optimum battery performance lasts for at least a year. It is also covered by the warranty, which is applicable if any iPhone device battery falls below 80% in one year. You can also check your battery health status by going to Settings>Battery>Battery health.
What ruins iPhone battery health?
Besides aging, some other factors also cause battery capacity degradation. Such as external or internal damage, temperature fluctuation, device usage, charging routine, environmental factors, etc.
1. External or internal damage
If a device is damaged or dented somehow due to drop or water spillage, the battery may behave abnormally and lose capacity. You may notice excessive heat, or maybe your phone suddenly shuts off during usage. To prevent unwanted damage to your iPhone, try to use a soft silicon or shock absorber phone case.
2. Temperature fluctuation
Any Li-ion battery operates better and lasts longer at room temperature. But in certain situations, the temperature limit may stretch from 0℃ to 35℃. Any random fluctuation of temperature or using the device longer in temperature over 35℃ or below 0℃ also degrades the battery capacity.
3. Device usage
Use pattern of the device can also be a cause of battery capacity. Frequent gaming or using high brightness on the screen will degrade the performance quicker. Also, try not to use your device while charging.
4. Charging routine
If you regularly use your device to 5% charge and charge it up to 100% again, the battery capacity will degrade more quickly. Batteries tend to perform better at 50-65% charge level. But if you require more screen time, consider charging to 85 to 90% and start charging again around 15% charge level.
5. Frequent use of fast charging
Although fast charging sounds convenient, it comes with a fair share of problems. Using fast charging regularly degrades battery lifespan. Due to heat generation during charging, the battery loses its charge holding capacity faster.
6. Using wireless charging
Extensive use of wireless charging will also degrade the battery life quicker on the iPhone. Wireless charging is usually very inefficient and produces quite a lot of heat. As we discussed before in this article, heat is quite bad for Li-ion batteries.
Closure
In this post, we tried to answer a decade-long question of how to increase maximum capacity of iPhone battery. Any type of chemical battery is a naturally degradable component. Hence, they will eventually fall victim to degradation. Yet you can slow the degradation process by simply following the above procedures.