Does Low Power Mode Hurt Your Battery? Exploring the Good and Bad

With battery life being a constant concern for many users, a lot of us rely on our device’s Low Power Mode to squeeze out some extra juice when their charge is running low. But does using Low Power Mode actually impact the long-term health of your phone’s battery? Let’s take a closer look.

Does Low Power Mode Affect Battery Health?

Apple states that Low Power Mode does not affect iPhone battery health, as it simply reduces performance to conserve power. Independent battery tests have confirmed this – phones using Low Power Mode regularly showed similar battery capacity retention to those without after 500 charge cycles (80% capacity retained). For example, in Apple’s testing, an iPhone 13 used regularly in Low Power Mode retained 79% of original capacity after 500 cycles. This matches normal use. So, Low Power Mode extends battery life per charge but does not degrade long-term battery health.

What Does Low Power Mode Actually Do On An iPhone?

Low Power Mode temporarily reduces background activity to conserve battery life. According to Apple, enabling Low Power Mode can add up to 3 additional hours of battery life. Low power mode on iPhone disables background app refresh, automatic downloads, email fetch, and other non-essential functions. Animations and some visual effects are also reduced or disabled. However, Low Power Mode does not completely disable the phone – core functions like making calls and using apps remain available.Tests show it can extend battery life by 20-30% for most users.

Is It Safe To Keep Your Phone In Low Power Mode All The Time?

Since depleted batteries degrade faster, Low Power Mode can actually prolong lifespan by reducing power drain. However, users who rely heavily on:

– syncing 

– location services

– and background app activity may find full-time Low Power Mode disruptive. For most users, keeping Low Power Mode enabled provides longer battery life per charge without downsides for the battery or device performance itself. Just be aware of which features will remain disabled.

How To Turn Low Power Mode On And Off?

Turn On:

To turn on Low Power Mode, open the Settings app and tap on Battery. 

Here you will see the Low Power Mode option which can be toggled on or off. 

When toggled on, your iPhone will immediately reduce performance to conserve power. 

The battery icon in the top right corner will also turn yellow when Low Power Mode is active.

Turn Off:

To turn off Low Power Mode, simply return to the Battery settings and toggle the Low Power Mode switch to off.

This will immediately restore full performance and re-enable background activity and syncing capabilities. 

The battery icon will revert to normal when Low Power Mode is disabled. 

Low Power Mode iPhone Disadvantages And Advantages:

Disadvantages:

• Email, messages, and apps do not sync or update in background
• Location accuracy reduced without GPS and WiFi active
• Background app refresh suspended

Advantages:

• Extends battery life by disabling non-essential features
• Typically adds 3+ hours of usage per charge
• Reduces power drain on depleted batteries
• Maximizes battery life for MacBooks with older batteries

Ultimately, the choice is yours whether you want to go with low power or normal mode.