Introduction to Adaptive Power
Your iPhone has a clever new trick that unlocks bonus battery life when you need it most. This new feature, called adaptive performance, was added in the recent iOS 26 update and is also available on the new iPhone 17 smartphone models.
How Adaptive Power Works
Adaptive power analyzes how you use your device and makes predictions based on whether you need more battery life that day. According to Apple, "With adaptive performance, your iPhone can automatically extend the battery life on days when you use more electricity than usual." The function is automatically switched on when your battery falls to 20%, at which point it activates low power mode, reducing or deactivating certain settings such as "Mail-Fetch, Hey Siri, Background-App update, and some visual effects."
Availability of Adaptive Power
There is a big catch: this function is only available for certain iPhone models. By default, it is switched on in the new iPhone 17 devices. However, if you have one of the following devices, you have to activate it yourself:
- iPhone 16
- iPhone 16 plus
- iPhone 16 Pro
- iPhone 16 Pro Max
- iPhone 16e
- iPhone 15 Pro
- iPhone 15 Pro Max
If you have an even older iPhone, you cannot access this function, even if you have updated to iOS 26.
Activating Adaptive Power
To switch on the adaptive power supply, simply go into settings > Battery > Power supply mode. Then, switch on the adaptive performance function. You can also choose to receive notifications if adaptive strength has switched on during the day by going to Settings > Battery > Power mode and activating adaptive performance notifications.
Understanding Adaptive Power Mode
Adaptive power helps to extend the battery life of your iPhone if you use it more. It works automatically in the background, so you don’t have to manage it. According to Apple, "Adaptive Power uses the intelligence of on-device to predict when you need an additional battery life based on your latest usage patterns and then states to keep your battery longer on that day." Adaptive power does not manage the performance while using functions that require maximum performance, such as when using the camera or playing games with game mode.
Troubleshooting Battery Life Issues
If you have recently bought a new phone or updated your cell phone and your battery life is poor, that’s no surprise. If you buy a new iPhone, content will be downloaded and restored for a few days, and all your files are indexed. Similarly, after an iOS update, your iPhone reorganizes itself. You will also find that you update more apps than usual, while developers improve your software for the new system. Apple advises, "If you find that your battery life has decreased after updating your device, wait a few days and check again." Battery life should improve after a few days, so there’s no need to panic.
