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I changed 6 settings on my iPad to instantly improve the battery life (by hours)

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Adam Breeden/ZDNET

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As an avid iPad user, I'm all too familiar with the internal struggles that course through me when the battery is about to die. I love using either the iPad 11 or iPad Air to write and work, but I also use it to stream content, play games, and browse the internet after work.

This makes me appreciate the iPad's long battery life, yet my anxiety grows when I start getting 'low battery' alerts without a charger nearby.

Also: We battery-tested the 9 best tablets on the market - and there was a clear winner

There are many ways to improve your iPad's battery life beyond the usual advice. You can start with the usual: lowering your screen brightness and setting the auto-lock to a shorter time. I'll cover this here. I'll also cover other ways to extend your battery life that have, altogether, given me a few more hours of use from my iPad.

1. Lower screen brightness

This is one of the first recommendations you'll hear from anyone offering tips on conserving your iPad's battery life -- and it truly works. Depending on your usage, lowering your screen's brightness could give you over an hour of extra use per charge.

Also: I tested every iPad model that Apple currently sells - here's my advice for Pro users in 2026

Doing so also makes it easier on your eyes, reducing the eye strain that comes from staring at bright screens for too long. That's the main reason I prefer keeping my brightness low, but the perk of a longer battery life makes it even more worthwhile. You can adjust your iPad's screen brightness in the Control Center by swiping down from the top right of your screen.

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