Apple iOS 26 is here, and it’s the biggest and most important interface change that has happened in the last decade.
This is a major operating system upgrade, and as it sometimes happens in these cases, after the upgrade, battery runs out faster and the phone gets warmer. But this doesn’t mean something’s wrong, it’s a temporary effect while the system finishes the update after turning up the phone again.
the Cupertino based company explained it like this: “Immediately after completing a major update, you may notice an impact on battery life and thermal performance. This is normal, as your device needs time to complete all adjustments and the background update process, including downloading new resources and updating apps.”
So, even after updating to the new version and your phone shows the home screen, it’s going to still be working for a little. Older models that are compatible with iOS 26, like the iPhone 11 can feel a bigger impact than newer models.
What happens when you update your iPhone?
With this new version, a lot of things happen. With versions that have decimals on them, like the 18.1 or 18.2 version, it fixes some errors and adds minor adjustments, but iOS 26 renews more system layers and activates additional internal processes. After being installed, the phone indexes data again, aligns apps with the new system basis, and downloads resources that this new interface needs.
All of this consumes battery and generates heat temporarily. That’s why you see your phone’s battery shooting down faster or feel it getting hot in your hand. But no, it’s not going to be like that from now on. It’s what it takes for the whole system to go “normal” again after this huge vitamin shoot. It just needs time to complete all the settings updates.
This is also why older iPhones will experience this a bit more intensely, because some of these new functions might ask the hardware more than the previous versions.
How to prepare for the new Apple iOS 26?
Xatakamovil, the technology blog, has two tricks you can do to prepare before the big moment arrives:
- Back up your iPhone: making a security copy can always save your data in case something goes wrong.
- Free up some storage space: the installing and setting adjustments need some to operate without any problems. It will help the system complete the task faster.
And after the iOS 26 is installed, put it to charge, and let the phone breathe for a while, give it a break so it can finish the process smoother.
Since this is an internal system upgrade, there shouldn’t be any consequences like losing data, pictures, or files.. but better safe than sorry! Taking this prevention will give you peace of mind and will actually help the phone go through the process easier.
No reason to panic, it’s temporary
It’s not odd that comments around are scaring people, big changes equal big news. But the changes in the battery autonomy and the temperature rise on the device are temporary and expected in a major upgrade like this one. Once the process is finished, the phone goes back to normal.
So, the more efficient solution to go through it is to just let the phone do its thing: download resources, adjust and refresh apps, correct setting errors, etc.
If time starts to feel too long and it feels like the phone is stuck, then check the storage. Not enough free space maybe? Free some space and let it continue.
That’s the difference between a bug and a problem. And, if you note that something is really off with your phone, you can always go to the nearest Apple certified store and ask about it.