Apple has officially acknowledged that users may notice battery drain and increased heat generation after updating their iPhones to iOS 26. The company states that this behaviour is normal and should stabilise gradually.
According to Apple's latest support document, major software upgrades bring along re-indexing files, refreshing system data and app updates, all of which take up a lot of resources to process. That is ultimately what causes faster battery drain and thermal throttling or higher device temperatures in iPhones running on the latest OS.
In addition, Apple also noted that some of iOS 26's new features may also demand more from the device, which can also aid in the battery drain. However, the brand stressed that these issues are not permanent and should resolve automatically once the system optimises itself and gets used to the new OS.
For users worried about post-update issues like these, Apple recommends updating apps for iOS 26 compatibility and monitoring battery usage via Settings. Moreover, the brand also emphasises on making use of temporary fixes like lowering the screen brightness or limiting background activity, which may help.
The warning comes right after the stable iOS 26 update begins rolling out globally. With millions of iOS 26-eligible iPhone owners expected to install the update over the coming days, it only makes sense for Apple to warn users beforehand.
