Power Reserve has been replaced by Low Power Mode on current Apple Watches. To turn it on, press the side button to open Control Center, tap the battery percentage, turn on Low Power Mode, and choose Turn On or Turn On For 1, 2, or 3 days. You can also turn it on in Settings > Battery.
These steps come from Apple’s Use Low Power Mode on your Apple Watch support article and its Extend the battery life guide. Low Power Mode is the successor to Power Reserve, and it arrived with watchOS 9 for Apple Watch Series 4 and later.
How to Turn On Low Power Mode on Apple Watch
- Press the side button to open Control Center.
- Tap the battery percentage button.
- Turn on Low Power Mode.
- On the information screen, scroll to the bottom and tap Turn On, or Turn On For and choose 1, 2, or 3 days.
Result: Apple says a yellow circle icon appears at the top of the screen, and the battery button in Control Center, the charging animation, and the Nightstand time all turn yellow.
Settings method: Open the Settings app, scroll down, tap Battery, and turn on Low Power Mode. Apple also says your watch asks whether to turn it on when the battery drops to 10%, and it turns off automatically at 80% unless you chose a number of days.
What Low Power Mode Turns Off
Apple lists these features as turned off in Low Power Mode:
- Always On display
- Background heart rate and blood oxygen measurements, including during sleep
- Heart rate notifications for irregular rhythm, high heart rate, and low heart rate
- Gestures such as double tap and wrist flick
- Start workout reminders and Time in Daylight
When your iPhone isn’t nearby, Apple says Wi-Fi and cellular connections and incoming calls and notifications are also turned off; missed calls and notifications are retrieved once an hour. Background app refresh, complications, and Live Activities update less often, and Siri may take longer.
Use Low Power Mode for Workouts
Apple says heart rate and pace are still measured during workouts in Low Power Mode. To turn it on automatically whenever you start a workout, open Settings > Workout and tap Low Power Mode. On supported models, you can also turn on Fewer GPS and Heart Rate Readings in the same menu for long outdoor walks, runs, and hikes.
How to Turn Off Low Power Mode
Press the side button, tap the battery percentage, and turn off Low Power Mode. Or turn it off in Settings > Battery.
Save More Battery With Background App Refresh
- Open Settings on your Apple Watch.
- Tap General > Background App Refresh.
- Turn it off for all apps, or scroll down and turn it off for individual apps.
Apple notes that apps with complications on your current watch face can still refresh.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened to Power Reserve?
Low Power Mode is Power Reserve’s successor. Apple’s current battery guides cover Low Power Mode, which still measures heart rate and pace during workouts.
Does Low Power Mode stop notifications?
Only when your iPhone isn’t nearby. Apple says that in that case, incoming calls and notifications are turned off and missed ones are retrieved once an hour.
Related Guides
- How to turn off an Apple Watch
- How to make the Apple Watch screen brighter
- What the icons on Apple Watch mean
- How to turn off heart rate tracking on Apple Watch
- How to find your Apple Watch serial number
Matthew Burleigh is the founder, head writer, and editor of Solve Your Tech, which he launched in 2012. He has written technology tutorials since 2008 and worked in IT since 2003, including small-business support, IT management, and consulting. He holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science from Arizona State University.
Matthew writes practical guides for Windows, iPhone and iPad, Microsoft Office, Outlook, Google apps, and Android. Solve Your Tech’s guides are tested on current devices or checked against official product documentation, with clear steps, sources, and update dates.
Read more about Matthew and how Solve Your Tech writes and updates its guides, or report a correction.