To turn on Low Power Mode on iPhone 15 or later, open Settings, tap Battery, tap Power Mode, and turn on Low Power Mode. On iPhone 14 or earlier, including the iPhone 13, tap Battery and then Low Power Mode. The battery icon turns yellow while it’s on, and it turns off by itself once you charge to 80% or higher.
These steps cover iOS 27 and iPadOS 27 and also match iOS 26, iOS 18, and iOS 17 on most iPhone models. They follow Apple’s support articles on using Low Power Mode and Adaptive Power. Low Power Mode is Apple’s name for a battery saver mode: it pauses or limits background work so your battery lasts longer.
How to Turn On Low Power Mode in Settings
- Open the Settings app.
- Tap Battery.
- If you see Power Mode (iPhone 15 and later), tap it. If the Low Power Mode switch is already on the Battery screen, as on an iPhone 13 or 14, skip this step.
- Turn on Low Power Mode. The switch turns green.
The battery icon in the status bar turns yellow right away. There is no confirmation message. Some tasks can run more slowly while it’s on.
You can also type “Low Power” in the search field in Settings and tap the result to jump to the switch.
How to Turn Off Low Power Mode
Repeat the steps above and turn off the Low Power Mode switch so it turns gray, or tap the battery control in Control Center. The battery icon goes back to white or black, and email fetch, background refresh, and automatic downloads resume.
If you do nothing, Low Power Mode turns off on its own when your iPhone charges to 80% or higher.
Other Ways to Turn On Low Power Mode
- Control Center: Swipe down from the top-right corner and tap the battery icon. If you don’t see it, add the control first (steps below).
- Siri: Say “Siri, turn on Low Power Mode” or “Siri, turn off Low Power Mode.”
- Low battery alert: When the battery runs low, your iPhone can show an alert with an option to turn on Low Power Mode. Tapping it turns the mode on.
- Adaptive Power: On supported models with Adaptive Power on, Low Power Mode turns on automatically when the battery reaches 20%.
Add Low Power Mode to Control Center
- Open Control Center. On an iPhone with Face ID, swipe down from the top-right corner. On an iPhone with a Home button, swipe up from the bottom edge.
- Tap the + button to start editing.
- Tap Add a Control.
- Find and tap Low Power Mode in the gallery.
- Exit editing mode.
The battery control now appears in Control Center. Tap it to switch the mode on or off. To remove it later, start editing again and tap the minus button on the control. Apple’s Control Center guide shows the current gallery, and you can also use Control Center on iPhone, even from the Lock Screen.
Why Is My iPhone Battery Yellow?
A yellow battery icon means Low Power Mode is on. It turns off automatically when your iPhone charges to 80% or higher, or you can turn it off yourself with the steps above. If no charger is nearby, see whether you can charge an iPhone from another iPhone.
Turn Low Power Mode On or Off on iPad
On an iPad, open Settings > Battery and turn Low Power Mode on or off. iPad doesn’t have the Power Mode submenu, and the mode turns off once the iPad charges to 80%. See Apple’s iPad Low Power Mode guide.
Because Low Power Mode shortens the screen timer, turn it off first if you want to make your iPad wait longer before it locks.
Your Apple Watch has its own version too, with separate steps for Low Power Mode on Apple Watch.
What Low Power Mode Changes
These things change while Low Power Mode is on:
- Sets Auto-Lock to 30 seconds
- Reduces display brightness
- Turns off some visual effects
- Pauses iCloud Photos temporarily
- Turns off automatic downloads
- Turns off email fetch
- Turns off Background App Refresh
- On iPhone 12 and 13 models, keeps 5G on only for streaming and large downloads
On iPhone models with ProMotion, Low Power Mode also limits the display refresh rate to 60 frames per second, so scrolling can look less smooth. Essential tasks like calls, email, messages, and internet access keep working. Some apps have their own power option that works separately from this, such as the Battery Saver setting in Pokémon GO.
If you only want calmer animations without the other Low Power Mode limits, you can turn on Reduce Motion on your iPhone instead.
After you turn Low Power Mode off, you can choose a longer Auto-Lock time again.
When to Use It and When to Turn It Off
Turn it on when you’re away from a charger for a long day, traveling, or waiting on a low battery. Turn it off when you need new email to arrive on its own, want photos to upload to iCloud, or are playing a game and want the smoothest frame rate.
What Is Adaptive Power?
Adaptive Power uses on-device intelligence to predict when you’ll need extra battery, based on your recent usage. It can make small performance adjustments, lower screen brightness slightly, limit background activity, and turn on Low Power Mode at 20%. It doesn’t step in during tasks that need full performance, such as the camera or games with Game Mode on, and it needs about 7 days to learn your charging habits first.
| Model | Adaptive Power default |
|---|---|
| iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, iPhone Air | On |
| iPhone 16 models, iPhone 16e, iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max | Off |
To change it, go to Settings > Battery > Power Mode and turn Adaptive Power on or off. Adaptive Power Notifications in the same menu only controls the alerts, not the feature itself.
Low Power Mode vs. Low Data Mode
They’re separate settings. Low Power Mode saves battery. Low Data Mode saves network data: it restricts background network use, turns off Background App Refresh, lowers streaming quality, and pauses automatic downloads, backups, and iCloud Photos updates. Turn it on in Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data Options (on 5G plans, under Data Mode), or for a Wi-Fi network by tapping the Info button next to it in Settings > Wi-Fi. Both options are covered on Apple’s Low Data Mode page.
How to Show the Battery Percentage
- Go to Settings > Battery.
- Turn on Battery Percentage.
On an iPhone with Face ID, the percentage appears inside the battery symbol in the status bar. You can also swipe down from the top-right corner to see it in Control Center. For more ways to check, read about the battery percentage on an iPhone.
Troubleshooting Low Power Mode
- It keeps turning on by itself: Check Settings > Battery > Power Mode for Adaptive Power. Also open the Shortcuts app and look at your automations; Apple’s Shortcuts app offers Battery Level and Low Power Mode automation triggers that can switch the mode for you.
- No Power Mode menu: Your iPhone is an iPhone 14 or earlier, or an iPad. The Low Power Mode switch sits directly on the Battery screen.
- Auto-Lock is grayed out: Low Power Mode locks Auto-Lock at 30 seconds. Turn the mode off to pick a longer time.
- The icon stays yellow: Turn the switch off in Settings. If the icon still doesn’t change, restart your iPhone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it bad to leave Low Power Mode on all the time?
It’s meant to extend battery life when the battery gets low, and it switches off at 80%. You can turn it back on whenever you want, but expect paused email fetch, Background App Refresh, and iCloud Photos while it’s on.
To make Mail check less often all the time, not only in Low Power Mode, turn off push email and set a fetch schedule.
Why does Low Power Mode turn on by itself?
If your iPhone supports Adaptive Power and it’s on, Low Power Mode can turn on automatically at 20% battery. A Shortcuts automation or tapping the low battery alert can also turn it on.
Does the iPhone 13 have a Power Mode menu?
No. On iPhone 13, go to Settings > Battery and turn on Low Power Mode. The Power Mode menu is for iPhone 15 and later.
Does Low Power Mode slow down my iPhone?
Some tasks can take longer and visual effects are reduced, but calls, messages, email, and browsing keep working.
More iPhone Guides
Want more control than Low Power Mode? You can also turn off Background App Refresh for individual apps, or turn off 5G on your iPhone.
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 checked step by step against the device or app maker’s own documentation and tested on his own devices whenever he has the hardware or software, with clear steps, sources, and update dates.
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