iOS 26 makes iPhone hot, battery drains 'rapidly', Apple says it's okay

iOS 26 is now out for iPhone users, and in a new support document, Apple has explained the importance of software updates, while also clarifying their potential impact on battery life and device performance.

Users complain that iOS 26 causes battery drain and overheating.

According to Apple, it is true that iPhone battery and performance will be affected after updating, but for most users, this situation will not last long.

Under “Performance and Battery Impact,” Apple explains: “Immediately after completing an update, especially a major one, you may notice a temporary impact on battery life and thermal performance. This is normal, as your device needs time to complete background setup, including indexing data and files for searching, downloading new resources, and updating apps.

The new features are exciting and help you get more out of your Apple products, although some may require additional resources from your device. Depending on individual usage, some users may notice a small impact on performance and/or battery life..."

Essentially, Apple is suggesting two things:

- It's completely normal for your iPhone to experience faster battery drain and temporary heat after updating a major software version.

- There is also the possibility of a long-term impact on performance and/or battery life if users frequently use new features that "demand a lot of resources from the device".

Apple explains that the battery drain and overheating issues will... disappear on their own after a few days.

This isn't surprising to anyone who has experience updating iPhone software, but this is the first time Apple has officially explained the reasoning behind it in detail.

The bottom line is that after installing iOS 26 or any other major update, there will be an initial period where background tasks will be running heavily, putting a strain on your device. This will settle down and return to normal after a day or two.

However, there's still a chance that battery life will be affected if you use a lot of the new features that are particularly resource-intensive. As Apple says, this depends entirely on "individual usage," but it's a possibility.