Other Apple Intelligence features get all the attention but in iOS 26 one of my favorite tools does its thing quietly in the background. On iPhone models that are capable of running Apple's AI tech, the Adaptive Power setting is at work behind the scenes to extend battery power, even on many older iPhones.
Currently, the iPhone uses as much power as it needs to perform its tasks. You can extend battery life by taking a few simple steps, such as reducing screen brightness and disabling the always-on display. Or, if your battery is running low, you can turn on Low Power Mode, which limits background activity, like fetching mail and downloading data, and dims the screen to help extend battery life. Low Power Mode also kicks in automatically when the battery level reaches 20%.
If Low Power Mode is the hammer that knocks down power consumption, Adaptive Power is the scalpel that intelligently trims energy savings here and there as needed. Based on Apple's description that accompanies the control, the savings will be felt mostly in power-hungry situations such as recording videos, editing photos or even playing games.
Apple says Adaptive Power takes about a week to analyze your use behavior before it begins actively working. And it works in the background without needing any management on your part.
Here's how Apple describes it in the iPhone user guide: "It uses on-device intelligence to predict when you'll need extra battery power based on your recent usage patterns, then makes performance adjustments to help your battery last longer."
Watch this: The iPhone 17 Pro Max Has Incredible Battery Life 12:10
Which iPhone models can use Adaptive Power?
The feature uses AI to monitor and choose when its power-saving measures should be activated, which means only phones compatible with Apple Intelligence get the feature. These are the models that have the option:
• iPhone 17
• iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max
... continue reading