Battery drain issue after iOS 18.7.2 update

Meelaya wrote:

And yes Mac Jim is right that META apps drain a lot of battery, but we've been using these apps on previous iOS updates/versions as well so it shouldn't change that much.

I would only say that your analysis here is completely off because you are not using the same version of those apps that you have used previously. With those Meta apps being updated about 13 times every single month there is no way you can say that since you used it before, their battery performance should be the same. That has not been true even if you never made an iOS update.

It is these latest versions of the Meta apps that have had the greatest negative effects on battery performance and why Google called out Meta 5 months ago for draining the battery on Android devices too. Early next year Google is going to start providing notification to users when an app drains the battery excessively and I think Apple should do the same. It is not enough just to show you the apps draining the battery in Settings as either users don't look there or don't understand what is being shown to them. It is going to take a warning on your screen with the option to uninstall the app. This may also force Meta to control their battery usage.

I have the same after a couple of days. I wish I hadn't done the update. I think Apple is forcing people to update to the iOS26. My phone was running fine on iOS18.7.1, I only updated because it had security updates. But this isn't a major update so there shouldn't be much indexing. The battery is draining by the minute. It used to last a least till the end of the day after being charged at night and now it doesn't last for even a few hours. Each time you pick up your phone to check email or text or open the photos it drains, every minute you have it on the battery is goes down by 1%. I have a new battery with 92% capacity. I'm not in the market for a new phone (as I recently got this one because my previous iPhone 12's battery life was completely zapped with the iOs26 update). I'm worried that now I will not be able to rely on my phone, unless I have a power bank attached.

Meelaya wrote:

I’m using a new iPhone 13 that was bought from someone who had barely used it. My battery capacity is at 92% at 228 cycles. On iOS 18.7.1 it was running fine. After the update it started draining per minute. See the screenshot - Home Screen not taking up much battery

https://discussions.apple.com/content/attachment/43829843-1f60-459c-a077-676a0b52d6de

• The green battery graph needs to be with the Last 24 hours selected, not the Last 6 days.
• The battery on your iPhone 13 is expected to last 500 charge cycles, so you are just about at the half way point where it will need to be replaced. I would not consider that to be new, but would still not expect a significant draining issue due to the battery as long as it had not been replaced by the previous owner already.
• Not surprising to see the other Meta app as being the top consumer for the reason mentioned previously.
• I believe the file indexing has completed by now with what you have posted and the daily drain decreasing after the update.

Please update with the last 24 hour option on the green battery graph so we have an idea on rate of discharge.

Meelaya wrote:

My battery capacity officially is still at a 100% but when I do the analytics then it’s more like 92% with 228 (now 229) charge cycles.

That is not good! It should not be showing a 100% Battery Health on 229 Charge Cycles. That is a very good indication you have a third party battery installed and it has been "boosted" to show an inflated value and your phone is also suffering from its poor performance. No amount of software updates or bug fixes is going to resolve that problem.

Unfortunately, it may be the case that the answer is going to be a new phone, not because Apple wants you to update, but because Apple may refuse to service a phone that has had its battery boosted in this manner and the Battery Controller that is attached to the battery has been altered.

My son has an iPhone 12 on iOS 18.7.2 with a battery replaced this year by Apple, and it is not experiencing that battery drain even though it is capable of being updated to iOS 26. And believe me, he is on the phone all day long. I may let him do that this weekend just because his friends have updated and he wants the Liquid Glass on his phone too, not because of any battery draining problem.

After updating my iPhone 16Pro Max to iOS 18.7.2 On Nov 7, I’ve noticed a major battery drain issue and got very hot also. I have been testing the problem myself in the pass few day. Last Sunday Nov 9, I drive from Point A to Point B about an hour with apple music on. the batter from 100% down to 60%. The phone was so hot that i can't even put in my pocket. In the pass few days. I just drive to work with my Apple music playing in my car , the battery start getting warm within 5 mins. The battery percentage drops quickly, I have to charge my phone 2 or 3 times a day now. My phone was running fine on iOS18.7.1

I think everyone on here understands that the more data points the more your phone will need to work hence the battery drain. But what we are talking about here isn't just apps zapping the battery but battery drain of 1% every 5 mins even when its idle. So it's clearly not the same as it was on even iOS18.7.1, and I don't understand why you keep explaining how apps use up battery.

What's the point of having smart phones if we can't run our usual apps on it. I'm not using it for gaming, or intense scrolling or even long calls. Just light social media use and regardless of what apps you have, if you had the same apps (even if different versions) had the same amount of data points and what's stored on your phone on previous iOS updates then you battery drainage shouldn't jump this excessively.

This is clearly an iOS 18.7.2 problem, as others also keep saying!

I'll end here as I have managed to stabilise my phone a little, but I will not be updating to IOS 26 or any further iOS 18 updates. Good night!

What I'm finding interesting is how you are dismissing everyones claims - even though they are more users to compare with within even their household and see its similar battery drain across various devices, but just because you have the example of one where the phone isn't having similar issues on iOS18.7.2 makes your point more valid?

if a majority of people here are experiencing the same or similar issues with battery drainage, then it's mostly likely the update itself rather than what apps people are on would be the most logical conclusion.

I don't find comments that are dismissive of the users concerns very helpful.

Dude, nothing has changed. I had no problems with 18.6. The battery started to drain very quickly with the next updates. I am a new iPhone user, but even as time passes, it is always the same thing, it does not fix it. I have tested this with every update, I just miss 18.6.

Even iOS 18.7.1 was better. I think this is Apples way of forcing those who can to move to iOs26 - which I hate as it also drains battery like no tomorrow on older phones.

my battery and phone are new and the issue only started after the update to 18.7.2.

ive done all that one should to conserve battery but like you said it drains while idle and even quicker with light use. I really hope it stabilizes because this apparently is the last iOs 18 update. I wish I had stuck with 18.7.1 - now I know never to update again.

I’m using a new iPhone 13 that was bought from someone who had barely used it. My battery capacity is at 92% at 228 cycles. On iOS 18.7.1 it was running fine. After the update it started draining per minute. See the screenshot - Home Screen not taking up much battery

My battery capacity officially is still at a 100% but when I do the analytics then it’s more like 92% with 228 (now 229) charge cycles. I hardly use it the whole day. Just to send text, never call, and I don’t close out the app as I was told that opening and closing them all the time drained battery as the apps have to reboot. But I haven’t been scrolling on Instagram at all. I charged my phone to a 100% 2 hrs ago, it’s been idle since then I’ve only texted twice and now posting this and it’s already down to now 75%. It literally goes down a percentage for every min it’s on (and then also drains while idle). Here’s the screenshot - please tell me what’s going on. I really think the new update is to push users to iOS26 hence they’ve deliberately introduced a bug yo drain battery. Thank you!

I have an iPhone 15 pro with 91% battery health. Until ios 18.6.2 battery was fine. With ios 18.7.1 became really bad and now with ios 18.7.2 is even worse. Apple please stop playing with us. We cannot buy a new iphone every 2 years. Respect your customers. When we text apple support they tell you ‘update to ios 26’ Are you serious? Why Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp work so much in the background? I have disabled app background refresh, I am always in low power mode so I do not enjoy 120hz. I paid for a pro model and I cannot enjoy it. It is enough. Give us a stable ios 18 version

Hi everyone. Ios 18.7.2 just broke my iphone 14 Pro Max battery. On ios 18.7 it was available for full day, but on ios 18.7.2 its drain so fast, i've never seen. I lost 3% percentage for battery only for rebooting of phone. Apple should FIX IT IMMEDIATELY. Dont recommend to UPDATE ❌❌

Mac Jim, why I had no problems with ios 18.6.2? Meta apps were working fine with ios 18.6.2. apple can do anything and they cannot control meta apps? Meta apps are the most important for most people. What is the point of having a smartphone if we have to delete basic apps? Apple is ridiculous.

Dear Mac Jim, I do not know why you support so much Apple. I had ios 17 until september because I know what is going on with ios updates. So in September i went to ios 18.6.2 and it was fine without updating meta apps. I make the mistake to go to ios 18.7.1. And it was a disatser without updating meta apps. I had the same meta versions as I had with ios 18.6.2. Then after having issued with my battery with ios 18.7.1 I started updating meta apps with no improvement. The situation is even worse with ios 18.7.2. I had many iphones before. Iphone 5, Iphone 7, 12 mini and 15 pro now. Always the same problem. With ios updates devices become useless. I hope I will find an alternative on another brand. Shame on Apple. Nobody is hearing our concerns? Give us a one day battery phone. It is enough with that torture!