iPhone users say Apple’s iOS 17.4 update is RUINING their battery life – here’s what to do if your device is affected
The latest software update for iPhones brought users over 100 new emojis, security upgrades, and a range of other changes.
But some users have discovered an annoying problem that could stop you from downloading iOS 17.4.
Furious Apple fans have taken to social media to warn others that the update has ruined their battery life.
One user claimed that the battery dropped by 40 percent after two hours of use, while another user reported a 13 percent drop in the time it took to write two messages on X.
If you’re experiencing battery issues since updating to iOS 17.4, here’s what you can do to resolve the issue.
The latest software update for iPhones brought users over 100 new emojis, security upgrades, and a range of other changes. But some users have discovered an annoying problem that could stop you from downloading iOS 17.4
The latest iOS update was released yesterday, bringing iPhone users a wide range of changes and bug fixes.
Most notably, iOS 17.4 includes 118 new emoji, including a lime, shaking head, phoenix, mushroom, and breaking chain.
The update also includes a major security upgrade for iMessage, which aims to protect users’ messages from future quantum computing attacks.
However, some users who have already downloaded the update say that it has also negatively impacted their battery life.
Less than 24 hours after the update was released, Apple users had already taken to X (formerly Twitter) reporting that the update had led to increased battery consumption.
One frustrated user tweeted: ‘DO NOT UPDATE TO IOS 17.4. It’s a trap, your battery will run out quickly’
iPhone users took to X, formerly Twitter, to warn others about installing the update. They complained that iOS 17.4 led to increased battery consumption
Some iPhone users shared their battery drain issues, saying the update resulted in their phone’s charge dropping to 40 percent in just two hours
One commenter asked, “Has anyone else experienced rapid battery drain after updating to iOS 17.4?”
Other commenters were much more blunt, writing: ‘DO NOT UPDATE TO IOS 17.4. It is a pitfall that your battery will run out quickly.’
While another commenter simply wrote: ‘Major drain. Do not update’.
A few social media users also shared the details of their battery drain issue, which, if correct, shows significantly reduced battery life.
Other commenters reported struggling to charge their batteries after upgrading their phone’s software.
One user wrote: ‘Today I tried to charge my iPhone 11 pro which still had 40% battery power when I plugged it in.
‘It took over 4 hours to charge 94%.’
If you are experiencing battery drain after iOS update, the most important thing you need to do is be patient.
After an update, it’s normal to expect longer battery life as your iPhone continues to perform various tasks in the background, such as updating apps and rebuilding caches.
Some users who have already downloaded the update say that it has also negatively impacted their battery life
Other commenters reported struggling to charge their phones properly after installing iOS 17.4
Since your phone is doing more work than normal, the battery is expected to drain faster than normal.
This could take anywhere from a few hours to a day, depending on the age of your phone and the bandwidth of your connection.
Restarting your phone can also resolve these issues a little faster.
To do this, try a force restart by pressing and holding the side or volume button until the power slider appears. Then turn off the phone, wait a few seconds and turn it back on.
Additionally, after updating iOS, some outdated apps may cause unexpected issues with the new software, which can drain the battery.
Greater battery consumption after an update is to be expected. The best way to avoid this problem is to update your apps, restart the phone and check the battery status for any issues
Making sure all your apps are updated should go some way to solving the problem, but for a more detailed analysis, you can use the iPhone Battery Tools for more information.
Open the Settings app and navigate to the ‘Battery’ section. If you scroll down, you’ll see how your battery usage is distributed across different apps.
If there are any apps that are consuming a lot of power, you can try updating the app, keeping it closed when not needed, or just uninstalling the app altogether.
Luckily for iPhone 15 users, iOS 17.4 also includes new battery status information, which can help you learn even more about your phone.
Under the ‘Battery status and charging’ settings, users who have updated can find information such as the number of cycles, date of manufacture and when the battery was first used.
Apple has been contacted for comment.