Modern iPhones are incredibly powerful, capable of playing console-quality video games, rendering 4K video, and maintaining constant connections to 5G networks. However, all of this power comes at a severe cost to battery life. If you are travelling, stuck at an airport without a charger, or simply trying to make your phone survive until the end of a long workday, you must activate Low Power Mode.
Low Power Mode instantly transforms your iPhone from a high-performance supercomputer into a basic, energy-efficient communication device. When activated, your phone will deliberately dim the screen, reduce visual animations, pause automatic iCloud backups, stop downloading software updates, and prevent email apps from constantly fetching new messages in the background.
By crippling these power-hungry background tasks, you can squeeze several extra hours out of a dying battery.
Method 1: Turn on Low Power Mode via Settings
The standard way to activate the battery saver is through the main Settings menu.
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Scroll down and tap on Battery.
- At the very top of the screen, you will see a toggle switch for Low Power Mode.
- Turn the switch to the green “On” position.
The moment you flip the switch, the battery icon in the top right corner of your iPhone screen will turn from green (or white) to a solid Yellow. This yellow icon is the universal indicator that your phone is currently operating in its restricted, power-saving state.
Method 2: Add Low Power Mode to the Control Center (The Fast Way)
If you find yourself frequently running out of battery, digging through the Settings app every time you hit 20% is tedious. You should add a dedicated shortcut button directly to your Control Center for one-swipe access.
- Open the Settings app.
- Scroll down and tap on Control Center.
- Scroll down past the “Included Controls” section until you reach the list of More Controls.
- Find Low Power Mode (it has a yellow battery icon).
- Tap the green + (plus) button next to it.
To use your new shortcut, simply swipe down from the top right corner of your screen (or swipe up from the bottom on older iPhones with a Home button). You will see the new battery icon. Tapping it will instantly toggle Low Power Mode on or off without ever opening an app.
When Does Low Power Mode Turn Off?
Low Power Mode is designed as a temporary emergency measure, not a permanent lifestyle. You do not need to remember to turn it off when you get home.
Once you plug your iPhone into a charger, Low Power Mode will remain active to help the phone charge faster. However, the moment your battery reaches an 80% charge, iOS will automatically turn Low Power Mode off. Your screen will brighten, emails will start fetching in the background, and the yellow battery icon will return to normal.