Maximizing your iPad’s battery life is essential, especially when you’re on the go and can’t always recharge. With a few adjustments to your settings and usage habits, you can significantly extend the time between charges.
We’ll explore seven proven tips that can help you get the most out of your iPad’s battery, ensuring it lasts throughout your busy day. Whether you’re watching videos, working, or browsing the web, these strategies will keep your device powered up longer.
How to save battery life on your iPad: 7 tips
Discover our 7 verified tips to keep your iPad alive and ready to accompany you on all your digital adventures. Let’s go for a limitless iPad experience!
Adjust screen brightness
One of the quickest ways to save battery life on your iPad is by lowering the screen brightness. The display is one of the biggest power consumers on any device, and reducing its brightness can make a noticeable difference in battery life. You can manually adjust the brightness by swiping down from the top-right corner of the screen to access the Control Center and dragging the brightness slider down. Alternatively, enabling Auto-Brightness in the Settings under Display & Brightness allows your iPad to automatically adjust the brightness based on ambient light, optimizing power usage.
Use low power mode
Activating Low Power Mode is an effective way to extend your iPad’s battery life when you’re running low. This feature reduces background activity, such as mail fetching and app refresh, to conserve energy. To enable Low Power Mode, go to Settings > Battery and toggle the Low Power Mode switch. You can also add Low Power Mode to the Control Center for quicker access. This mode automatically turns off when your iPad reaches 80% charge, but you can re-enable it at any time.
Manage background app refresh
Background App Refresh allows apps to update content even when you’re not using them, which can drain your battery. To manage or disable this feature, go to Settings > General > Background App Refresh. You can either turn it off completely or choose to allow it only when connected to Wi-Fi. For apps you don’t need to update frequently, turning off Background App Refresh can significantly reduce battery usage, ensuring your iPad stays powered longer.
Disable location services
Location Services can consume a lot of power, especially if multiple apps are using GPS in the background. To conserve battery, consider disabling Location Services for apps that don’t need your location. Go to Settings > Privacy > Location Services and toggle off Location Services entirely or adjust settings for individual apps. You can select “While Using the App” or “Never” for apps that don’t require constant location tracking. This small change can add hours to your iPad’s battery life.
Limit push notifications
Push notifications keep you updated in real-time, but they can also drain your battery as your iPad wakes up and processes each alert. To save battery, limit notifications to only the most essential apps. Go to Settings > Notifications and review each app’s settings. You can disable notifications for apps that aren’t critical, or customize them to reduce the frequency and type of alerts (e.g., turning off sound or badges). By reducing unnecessary notifications, your iPad won’t need to power up as often, helping extend battery life.
Disable AirDrop and Handoff if you don’t use them frequently
AirDrop and Handoff are convenient features, but they can drain your iPad’s battery if left on continuously, especially if you rarely use them. AirDrop allows you to share files wirelessly with nearby Apple devices, while Handoff lets you continue tasks from one Apple device to another. To conserve battery, disable these features when they’re not needed.
- To disable AirDrop, swipe down from the top-right corner of the screen to open the Control Center, press and hold the network settings card (with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth icons), and then tap AirDrop to select Receiving Off.
- To disable Handoff, go to Settings > General > AirPlay & Handoff and toggle off Handoff.
By turning off these features, your iPad won’t constantly search for nearby devices, helping to save battery life.
Turn off unused wireless connections
Wireless connections such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and cellular data can drain your battery even when you’re not actively using them. When these features are not needed, turning them off can conserve power. To quickly disable these connections, swipe down from the top-right corner of the screen to access the Control Center. From there, you can toggle off Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and cellular data (if your iPad has it). You can also enable Airplane Mode to turn off all wireless connections at once, which is especially useful when you’re in areas with no signal or while traveling.