As smartphones become essential for daily life, extending battery life is more critical than ever. With increasing demands—from streaming to AI applications—your iPhone needs smarter power management. The latest iOS 26 introduces Adaptive Power, a cutting-edge feature designed to maximize battery longevity effortlessly.

Adaptive Power leverages on-device intelligence to learn your usage habits and adjust performance accordingly. This automatic system conserves energy during routine tasks by subtly reducing background activity, dimming the screen, or activating Low Power Mode when your battery hits 20%. Experts highlight that such adaptive features can add hours of usage without noticeable performance drops.

Apple emphasizes that Adaptive Power remains inactive during intensive tasks like gaming or filming, ensuring smooth operation when needed. This makes it a seamless, invisible assistant—balancing power and performance throughout your day.

To benefit from this feature, your iPhone must run iOS 26. Supported models, including iPhone 17 and iPhone Air, have Adaptive Power enabled by default, while others require manual activation. After updating, a simple restart will activate the system automatically.

While Adaptive Power enhances battery efficiency, experts recommend complementing it with trusted antivirus software to protect against evolving security threats. Combining smart power management with robust security measures ensures your device remains fast, secure, and reliable.

David Nield

Dave is a freelance tech journalist with over 20 years covering gadgets, apps, and the web. From Stockport, England, he covers news, features, and reviews for TechRadar, focusing on phones, tablets, and wearables. He ensures top weekend breaking news and has bylines at Gizmodo, T3, PopSci, and others. He edited PC Explorer and The Hardware Handbook for years. Read me on x.com or linkedin.