Let’s be real. Your Apple Watch is awesome, but when the battery runs out too fast, it’s just annoying. You glance at your wrist, and boom. Low battery again. Not fun, right?
If you’ve been wondering why your Apple Watch battery doesn’t last all day, don’t worry. You’re not alone. The good news is, most of the time, it’s not a hardware problem. Just a few small changes can make a big difference.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through simple tips you can follow right now to make your Apple Watch last longer. These are easy, even if you’re not super techy. And they actually work.
Why does your Apple Watch battery drain so fast?
Before we fix it, let’s quickly talk about why it happens. The Apple Watch does a lot. It tracks your heart rate, shows notifications, runs apps, and even lights up when you raise your wrist. All that takes power.
But here’s the thing. A few of those features run all the time even when you don’t need them. That’s where we can step in and make smart changes.
What can you do to make the battery last longer?
Alright. Let’s jump into the actual tips. These are practical, and you don’t need to be a tech expert. Just follow along, and I’ll guide you like a big brother would.
#1 Turn off features you don’t use often
Some features drain your battery quietly in the background. If you’re not using them all the time, it’s better to turn them off.
- Background App Refresh: This lets apps update when you’re not using them. But do you really need your weather app updating every 5 minutes?
- Always-On Display: Cool feature, yes. But it uses a lot of battery. Try turning it off if you want more hours in your day.
Here’s how you can turn off Background App Refresh:
- Open the Watch app on your iPhone.
- Tap General.
- Tap Background App Refresh and turn it off for apps you don’t need.
For Always-On Display:
- Open the Settings app on your Apple Watch.
- Go to Display & Brightness.
- Tap Always On and switch it off.
#2 Adjust your screen brightness and wake time
Your screen is one of the biggest battery suckers. But you don’t need it at full brightness all the time. And it doesn’t need to stay on for 70 seconds if you’re done checking the time in 3.
Here’s how you can adjust those:
- On your watch, open Settings.
- Tap Display & Brightness.
- Lower the brightness.
- Then go to Wake Duration and choose 15 seconds.
That simple tweak can seriously add hours to your battery.
#3 Use Power Saving Mode during workouts
Tracking your workout is great, but it can drain battery fast. Especially if you’re using heart rate monitoring and other sensors.
Now, you don’t have to stop tracking. Just use Power Saving Mode while working out.
Here’s how:
- Open the Watch app on your iPhone.
- Tap Workout.
- Turn on Power Saving Mode.
This will turn off the heart rate sensor during walking and running workouts. You still get accurate distance and timing, just less battery drain.
#4 Stop apps from waking the screen
Every time a notification wakes your screen, it uses battery. If you get a lot of alerts, that adds up fast.
You can fix this by reducing which apps can wake the screen.
- Open the Watch app on your iPhone.
- Tap Notifications.
- Pick only the important apps to allow alerts. Turn off ones you don’t care about.
This not only saves battery. It also makes your watch less distracting.
And while you’re already deep in battery-saving mode, these steps also help improve Apple Watch charging naturally. Less battery drain means less time spent recharging, and that’s always a win.
#5 Turn on Low Power Mode when needed
Low Power Mode is your best friend when you’re running low. It keeps your watch going by turning off power-hungry features like background apps, always-on display, and heart rate readings.
Here’s how to turn it on:
- Swipe up on the watch face to open Control Center.
- Tap the Battery percentage.
- Toggle on Low Power Mode.
You’ll still get the basics like time and notifications. It just skips the extras until you can charge again.
Bonus tip: Keep your Apple Watch software updated
Apple updates often include bug fixes that improve battery life. So, keeping your watch updated can quietly boost performance and battery life.
Here’s how to check for updates:
- Open the Watch app on your iPhone.
- Tap General.
- Tap Software Update.
If there’s an update, install it while your watch is charging. And make sure your iPhone is connected to Wi-Fi.
What not to do if you’re trying to save battery
Let’s clear up a few things. Some people think closing all apps or restarting multiple times a day helps. It doesn’t. In fact, it can make things worse.
- Don’t force quit all apps all the time. The watch handles memory well. Closing apps too much can drain more battery when you reopen them.
- Don’t reset your watch just to save battery. Only do that if nothing else works.
When to get your battery checked
If you’ve tried everything and your watch still dies quickly, it might be a battery health issue. Over time, all rechargeable batteries wear out. If your watch is a few years old, this could be the reason.
You can check the battery health here:
- Go to Settings on your watch.
- Tap Battery.
- Then tap Battery Health.
If it shows “Service,” your battery may need replacing. Visit an Apple Store or contact Apple Support if needed.
The takeaway
Your Apple Watch is packed with features, but that also means it needs power to keep up. When it stops lasting the whole day, it’s frustrating. But most of the time, the fix is small and simple.
Start by lowering screen brightness, turning off background refresh, and using Low Power Mode. These alone can make a big difference. Don’t forget to update your software and keep an eye on your notifications too.
One common myth is that you need to reset your watch often to save battery. That’s not true. Smart settings do a better job.
At the end of the day, it’s all about using features when you need them and turning off the rest. Do that, and your Apple Watch will keep up with you all day long.
Now it’s your turn. Try these tips and let me know what worked for you in the comments below.
