Last Updated on March 11, 2023 by Ernests Embutnieks
The situation when your device’s battery begins to drain much faster than it used to is never pleasing. Your iPad should last for 8+ hours of screen time. If you use it for 2 hours daily, your iPad should last for days before you need to charge it.
If the battery drains faster while you’re not using it or while it’s not being used: you have a problem. No worries, it might be fixable. Let’s try to find a cause and fix it.
There are multiple problems that might cause your iPad battery to drain faster:
- Software Problem
- Poor Battery Health
- Display Set To Never Lock Automatically
- Apps Refreshing in Background
- iPad Exposed To Hot Temperature
- Apps Accessing Location
- Bluetooth
- Brightness Set To Maximum
- etc.
It’s natural that your iPad gets slower with time. The apps you are using daily are being updated and over time they require more processing power and other resources from the iPad, which makes your iPad’s battery drain faster.
Let’s go into detail on how we can try and fix the most common problems and how we can optimize our iPad battery for longer screen time and not drain it so quickly.
Fix iPad Battery Draining Fast (15 Possible Solutions)
Now that we know the possible reasons why our iPad battery drains so fast. It is time to walk you through the fixes that can put an end to your misery. Without further ado, let’s resolve the situation!
1. Reset the iPad
The most obvious thing you can try: turn it off and on again.
- At the same time, press and hold the Home and On/Off buttons.
- Continue to hold them down for a few seconds, and the screen will switch off.
- The Apple logo appears on the screen. At that moment, you’re free to leave.
If you have a recent iPad and it lacks a Home button, you must hold the Top and one of the Volume buttons simultaneously. Hold them in place until the display turns off. After you see the Apple logo, you can let go of the buttons.
After rebooting your iPad, you can check to see if the fast battery drain issue continues to bother you.
2. Update Your iPad
Software flaws might be to blame for your iPad’s battery’s unusual draining. You may not have updated iOS in a long time. You’re probably aware if you’re using an older iOS version. You’ve probably been getting update notifications lately.
There are two ways to get the most recent firmware. One of the fixes is simpler.
Method One:
- Go to Settings
- Select General, then tap Software Update.
- If there are any firmware files available, tap Install.
After installing the most recent firmware, your iPad will restart.
3. Software Glitch
If you’re a beta-tester for Apple, the new version might be the problem why your battery is draining faster. If you’re a beta-tester and noticed a sudden battery drain after the update the only fix is to reset your iPad completely. Which is annoying, I know.
4. Reduce The Screen Brightness
Turning down the brightness on your iPad display is another way to save battery life and prevent it from draining too fast.
Follow these steps to adjust the brightness of your screen. Keep in mind that the brighter your screen, the more battery power it consumes.
- On your screen, swipe up.
- Hold down the brightness icon and adjust it to your preference.
It’s definitely not the cause why your battery is draining so fast, but by decreasing screen brightness you won’t waste unnecessary resources.
I also highly recommend setting up True Tone, Auto-brightness, and night shifts. This will automatically adjust your screen’s brightness and save your battery, it will also reduce exposure to blue light before bedtime, which will lead to better sleep quality and better battery life for your iPad. Win, win.
5. Turn Off Or Restrict The Amount Of Time An App Is Refreshed In The Background
This is a very useful feature in which all applications automatically download the data required to keep them updated at all times. Unfortunately, the convenience comes at the expense of battery draining. So, the best thing to do in this case is to limit background refreshes to only the most important apps.
The steps to take are as follows:
- Go to Settings>General>Background App Refresh.
- Disable app refresh for each App that you think you can do without.
6. Limit Apps Accessing Location Services
Location service is a fantastic utility that keeps track of where you are at any desired time. The many apps that use location data will offer a brilliant functionality that operates in accordance with the location. Unfortunately, the function is also a battery hog and may quickly drain the battery if not utilized properly.
So, again, the best choice will be to allow location service permissions to only the apps that you need. The steps to take are as follows:
- Go to Settings>Privacy>Location Services.
- Manually choose which apps should have access to your location data.
- Alternatively, you can simply enable Airplane Mode, which disables Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, and cellular features all at once.
7. Stop Sharing Analytics
When you originally set up your iPad, you had the choice of sharing use statistics with Apple or app developers in order to help them improve their products. This data transfer is completely anonymous and occurs in the background.
However, if your iPad battery continues dying unexpectedly, it may be time to stop sharing that data in order to save power. The steps to take are as follows:
- Go to Settings > Privacy
- Then Analytics & Improvements towards the bottom.
- Disable the Share iPad Analytics option.
8. Limit App Notifications
Notifications are an unavoidable evil. While it is a great feature for staying up to date on current events or being informed of the newest developments, companies frequently send out alerts to ensure they remain relevant to you. Again, limiting notifications to only the most important apps is often the best solution. The steps to take are as follows:
- Go to Settings>Notifications.
- Choose an app for which you want to disable notifications.
- To stop getting notifications from that App, toggle the Allow Notifications option.
9. Check Your Usage Stats
The iPad has a function called Battery Usage, which is sometimes known as Battery Shaming. In essence, it identifies which services and apps are consuming the most power on your device. The steps to take are as follows:
- Go to Settings.
- Tap Battery, then wait a few seconds for the Battery Usage to appear.
- Select the Show Detailed Usage option. This will provide you with a detailed analysis of background and foreground power usage.
- By selecting Last 7 Days, you’ll be able to see exactly what’s draining your device the fastest.
10. Auto-Lock Timing
You may have set your iPad lock to wait 15 minutes before going to sleep, rather than the usual 2 minutes. This would increase battery consumption.
Here’s how you can fix it:
- Go to Settings
- Then tap Display & Brightness.
- Select Auto-lock.
- Select 2 min.
This is automatically enabled if you enable low power mode on your iPad.
11. Turn Wi-Fi & Bluetooth Off
Keeping Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on all the time will drain your iPad’s battery. When they’re not in use, turn them off:
- Swipe down to access the Control Center.
- Then turn Wi-Fi and Bluetooth off.
12. Limit Your Exposure To Extreme Heat Or Cold
Apple advises using your iPad in temperatures ranging from 0° C to 35° C. Anything above that can have an impact on the iPad’s overall performance, including the device’s battery life.
13. Delete Unnecessary Widgets
Widgets are fast and easy ways to access information about certain topics without having to launch an app. However, because a widget must continually refresh its data, it can drain your iPad battery just as quickly. To fix this, you must delete all or any of the widgets, especially if you are aware that you do not need them.
14. DFU Restore Your iPad
After you’ve tested all of the solutions above, wait a week to see whether your iPad battery problems have been fixed. If not, there might be a more serious software problem that has to be addressed.
If your iPad battery continues to drain quickly after you’ve tried our solutions, put it into DFU mode and restore it from an iCloud backup.
15. Contact Apple Support
Your iPad’s battery may be getting old. For a battery replacement, go to your nearest Apple shop. Alternatively, you may have dropped your tab and severely damaged it, or you may be suffering from water damage.
If you have adequate coverage, your local Apple Store should be able to solve whatever problem you’re having for free.
Final Thoughts
Technology ages. iPads do too. Companies keep updating their apps, you keep downloading new ones and all these new apps require more and more processing power sometimes we just call it what it is – your iPad is too old and your battery might not be at fault, but it’s just time to upgrade.
A great solution to fast draining iPad is a fast charger, if it charges to 100% in under 2 hours, the fast-draining battery is not as annoying, but it’s a solution if you don’t want to update and none of the solutions worked.
We hope you can put these solutions into practice and improve the battery life of your iPad.
FAQ
How Long Does an iPad Battery Last?
iPad’s battery may last up to 10 hours. However, as any gadget owner narrates, that number isn’t always correct. Indeed, the answer majorly depends on how you use your iPad.
If you leave your iPad on (without using it), the battery life easily exceeds 10 hours. However, if you frequently play games or watch movies while also leaving YouTube and Facebook open in the background, your iPad’s battery might be drained in 6 hours, perhaps even less. My iPad Pro, on average, lasts 8 hours.
Is it time To Change Your Battery?
For many users, low battery life indicates that it is time to update to the most recent iPad. However, if your iPad meets your needs, a battery replacement may be beneficial. If you don’t take it to a shop, Apple costs $99 to replace a battery on an out-of-warranty iPad, plus a delivery fee. There are also choices for battery replacement, such as taking it to an Apple-authorized third-party dealer.
Is It Worthwhile To Get A New Battery?
The entry-level iPad is now $329 and powerful enough for most consumers. The latest iPad Pro models begin at $799, while the iPad Mini costs $499. If the entry-level iPad is expected to last three to four years and the Pro versions even longer, $99 represents around a year to a year and a half of iPad use. If you don’t need or want to update for a few years, battery replacement is the way to go.
Is There A Low Power Mode On The iPad?
Yes, since the iOS 15 iPad update, iPads have low power mode. You can turn it on and off manually. Which helps your battery last a bit longer.
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I love tech and all about it. I'm interested in finding ways how they can make my life more productive, and I share my knowledge with my blog readers. I'm an iPad Pro, iPhone, MacBook, and Apple Watch user, so I know a thing or two about these devices and try to write helpful content around these topics.
