If your iPhone 14 battery is draining faster than it used to, the first thing I'd check is the battery health. Head to Settings > Battery > Battery Health & Charging. Look at the "Maximum Capacity" percentage. Apple says a battery is worn when it's under 80%, but I've seen noticeable performance dips start around 85% on these models.
Right below that, tap "Battery Usage By App." This is your best clue. It shows exactly which apps have been using power over the last 24 hours or 10 days. If you see a social media or game app at the top with a high percentage, that's likely your culprit.
Update Your Software
This is a simple but critical step. Software bugs can cause background processes to run wild and drain the battery. There was a known issue with battery drain after the iOS 18 update for some users, which was fixed in a later patch.
Go to Settings > General > Software Update. If an update is available, install it. Make sure your phone is plugged in and connected to Wi-Fi first. A full update can take about 20 minutes.
Manage Location Services
Apps constantly checking your location in the background are a major drain. You don't need to turn it off completely, just rein it in. Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services.
Scroll through the list and tap on apps that don't genuinely need to know where you are. For many, you can change the setting from "Always" to "While Using the App" or even "Never." Pay special attention to social media and weather apps here.
Control Background App Refresh
This feature lets apps update their content in the background. Turning it off for non-essential apps can save a significant amount of power. Navigate to Settings > General > Background App Refresh.
You can turn it off entirely, set it to "Wi-Fi" only, or go through the list and toggle it off for apps you don't need updating constantly, like games or shopping apps. Your messages and email will still come through.
Adjust Display and Motion Settings
Your screen is the biggest battery user. A few tweaks here add up. First, lower the brightness manually or ensure Auto-Brightness is on in Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size.
Next, reduce the Auto-Lock time. Go to Settings > Display & Brightness > Auto-Lock and set it to 30 seconds or 1 minute. Also, consider enabling Dark Mode from the Control Center or in Settings, as it saves power on the iPhone 14's OLED screen.
Finally, you can reduce some animations. Go to Settings > Accessibility > Motion and turn on "Reduce Motion." This turns off the parallax effect on icons.
Review and Remove Problematic Apps
Go back to that Battery Usage By App list. If you see an app with unusually high background activity, try force-closing it. Swipe up from the bottom and hold, then swipe the app's preview up.
If the problem continues, check the App Store for an update for that app. Developers sometimes release fixes for battery bugs. As a last resort, delete the app and reinstall it, or find an alternative.
Check Your Connectivity Settings
When you're in an area with poor cellular signal, your iPhone 14 works harder to find a connection, which drains the battery fast. If you have Wi-Fi available, use it. You can also temporarily turn on Airplane Mode in very low-signal areas.
For Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, you don't need to turn them off in Settings anymore. Just swipe into the Control Center and tap the icons to disconnect them when not in use. This prevents constant searching.
Inspect Your Charging Hardware
This might seem unrelated, but a poor charge can lead to a battery that doesn't last. The iPhone 14 still uses a Lightning port, which is famous for collecting pocket lint. Gently clean the port with a non-conductive wooden toothpick.
Also, make sure you're using a capable charger. For the fastest wired charging, you need a 20W or higher USB-C power adapter and an Apple-certified Lightning to USB-C cable. For MagSafe, a 15W charger is ideal. Avoid cheap, uncertified chargers and cables.
Reset All Settings
If you've tried everything and the drain started suddenly, a misconfigured setting might be to blame. This reset won't delete your photos or apps, but it will erase all your preferences for Wi-Fi, wallpaper, and notifications.
Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset. Then, tap "Reset All Settings." Your phone will restart. You'll need to reconnect to Wi-Fi and redo some preferences, but it often clears up weird software glitches causing battery drain.
Perform a Force Restart
This is different from a normal restart and can clear temporary software hangs. Quickly press and release the Volume Up button, then quickly press and release the Volume Down button. Finally, press and hold the Side button until you see the Apple logo appear, then let go.
Consider Your Battery's Age
The iPhone 14 launched in 2022. If you've used it heavily since then, the battery's chemical age might simply be catching up. Batteries are consumable parts. If your Maximum Capacity is below 80% and the phone is struggling to last half a day, it might be time for a replacement.
You can get this service from Apple or an authorized provider. It's usually a fairly quick process and can make an older iPhone 14 feel like new again in terms of battery life.
