Apple Watch Battery Draining Fast: Causes and Fixes

An Apple Watch battery that drains fast is usually caused by the screen, workouts with GPS, a weak connection to your iPhone, or a recent software update. Start with Always On display, brightness and Low Power Mode, then check Battery Health. If the battery still falls quickly after a restart and an update, contact Apple Support.

Why your Apple Watch battery drains fast

Apple says battery life depends on the age of your watch and how you use it. Being out of range of your iPhone, a weak Wi-Fi or cellular signal, the Always On display, playing audio through the speaker, and GPS and heart rate tracking during workouts can all increase drain. Battery life can also look worse for a few days after a watchOS update, while background tasks finish.

The fixes below are ordered from easiest to most drastic. Try them one at a time so you can tell which one helped.

Fixes to try, in order

1. Turn off Always On. On the watch, open Settings, tap Display & Brightness, tap Always On, and switch it off. The screen then goes dark when you lower your wrist. This is one of the quickest ways to save power.
2. Lower the brightness. In the same Display & Brightness menu, drag the brightness slider down a step or two. A dimmer screen uses less power, and the screen is the biggest consumer on the watch.
3. Turn on Low Power Mode. Press the side button to open Control Center, tap the battery percentage, then switch on Low Power Mode. It turns Always On off, and it switches itself off when the watch charges above 80 percent.
4. Keep the watch near your iPhone. Apple says the watch is most efficient when it has a Bluetooth connection to its paired iPhone. Away from the phone, it works harder to find Wi-Fi or cellular.
5. Check Wi-Fi and cellular. If you will be somewhere with poor coverage for a while, open Control Center and turn on Airplane Mode. On a cellular model, staying connected through the iPhone instead of the mobile network saves power.
6. Review notifications. A watch that buzzes and lights up all day uses more power. In the Apple Watch app on your iPhone, open My Watch, then Notifications, and switch off apps you do not need on your wrist.
7. Restart the watch. Hold the side button until the power options appear, then turn the watch off and back on. A restart clears stuck background processes.
8. Update watchOS. Updates fix battery bugs. Keep the watch on its charger, open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone, go to My Watch, General, Software Update, and install anything offered. Menu labels can differ slightly between watchOS versions.
9. Check Battery Health. See the section below.

Settings that quietly use power

Background app refresh

Apps can refresh their data in the background so they are up to date when you open them. In the Apple Watch app on your iPhone, open My Watch, then General, then Background App Refresh. Turn it off for apps where you do not need fresh data the moment you look at your wrist. This is a trade-off, because those apps may load a little slower.

Workouts and GPS

An outdoor run or ride uses GPS and the heart rate sensor, and Apple lists both as common causes of faster drain. A long workout can use a large share of the battery. If you need a long session to last, open Settings on the watch, tap Workout, and turn on Fewer GPS and Heart Rate Readings. Apple notes this applies to outdoor walking, running and hiking workouts when Low Power Mode is on.

Audio through the speaker

Playing sound from the watch speaker adds drain. Apple suggests using AirPods or other Bluetooth headphones instead.

A busy watch face

A very busy watch face with many complications that update often can use a bit more power, because each one fetches new data. In practice the effect is usually small compared with the screen and workouts. If you suspect a face is part of the problem, switch to a simpler one for a day and compare. Do not expect a dramatic change.

Check Battery Health

On the watch, open Settings, tap Battery, then Battery Health. Scroll to Maximum Capacity. The percentage shows how much charge the battery can hold compared with when it was new. If your watch shows a message that the battery needs service, contact Apple. Battery Health is available on newer watch models, so you may not see it on an older one.

On the same screen you may see Optimized Battery Charging or Optimized Charge Limit. Apple says you can pause it until tomorrow, but warns that turning off Optimized Charge Limit can increase wear on the battery and shorten its lifespan. Leave it on unless you really need a full charge today.

Give it a few days after an update

If the drain started right after you installed a new watchOS version, wait a few days before judging. Apple says background update tasks can affect battery life for a short time. If it is still poor after that, work through the list above again.

When to contact Apple Support

Contact Apple if Battery Health says the battery needs service, if the watch drains quickly even after a restart, an update and the settings above, or if the watch gets unusually hot or the case looks swollen. Apple has a dedicated page on this problem: If the battery in your Apple Watch drains too quickly. You can book help from there.

Frequently asked questions

How long should an Apple Watch battery last?

It depends on the model, your settings and how you use it, so there is no single number. Check the specifications for your model on Apple's website, and expect less on days with long GPS workouts.

Does the Always On display really matter?

Yes. Apple lists it as a cause of faster drain, and turning it off in Display & Brightness is one of the first things worth trying.

Is it normal for battery life to drop after a watchOS update?

Yes, for a few days. Apple says background tasks after an update can temporarily affect battery life.

Should I replace the battery?

Look at Maximum Capacity in Battery Health first. If it shows the battery needs service, or you think it needs replacing, ask Apple Support to check it.