Battery life is still a weak point when we talk about iPhones. Although it has improved on a huge level, we often have to put it to charge every night and, like all batteries, it degrades over time.
Apple has shared that the iPhone 14 and previous models maintain around 80% of its capacity after 500 completed cycles, while the iPhone 15 or newer versions do it up to 1.000 cycles in ideal conditions.
But, do you know what a “cycle” is? And how to see it directly from you iPhone without downloading any apps? If you don’t, no problem. I will explain it.
What’s a charging “cycle”?
According to the tech experts from Xatakamovil, any battery has a charging cycle, and this equals to fully use it and recharging the battery to a 100%—from 100% battery to 0%—or in many steps, adding up to that 100%: for example, going dow to 75%, recharge, and then consuming the 25% left. This number of cycles is what tells us the battery’s “age.”
According to Apple, when that limit is reached (approximately in two years of typical use), the normal capacity stays around 80%.
How to see it step by step on the iPhone
1. Direct method (recent models):
If you have an iPhone 15 Pro / Pro Max or any there model after those ones, you can just go to settings and see it in a few seconds:
Go to “Settings” > “Battery” > “Battery Health” and check “Cycle Count.” There, you would be able to see the cumulated cycles you have initiated on your phone.
2. Diagnostic method (iPhone 15 / 15 Plus and older):
- Open “Settings” > “Privacy & Security” > “Analytics & Improvements.”
- Go to “Analytics Data” and make sure that you have activated “Share (iPhone & Watch),” because without that option, the data won’t be storage.
- Look for the files “log-aggregated” and open the most recent (they are organized alphabetically and have a lot of information). If you want to find it quickly, go to the app “Notes,” and select all the text from the log, copy it, and then paste it in a new note. Then touch “Find in Note” (on the three little points) and write batterycyclecount. The word sill show up highlighted, and between the integer values, you will see the cycles of your battery cycles showing in number—for example: 280.
3. Check your battery’s health
The number of cycles is not the only thing to look at, you also have to check the actual state of the capacity, for this:
- Go to “Settings” > “Battery” > “Battery Health & Charging” and look at “Maximum Capacity.” If it shows above 80%, is all good! However, if the number is lower than 80%, it might be a good time to think about replacing that battery.
Check you battery state
Checking how your phone is going from time to time, is always good and even necessary. It can help you understand the real autonomy time and plan a visit to the phone doctor—apple store, or technician—for a battery change.
Not many people know that this is even an option, some even consider the phone is just “too old” so it runs out of battery too quick, and would rather change it completely instead of just changing the battery. Xatakamovil suggest to repeat the check from time to time, especially if you notice less battery life or fast drops in percentage. This way, you will make data-based decisions and extend the useful life of your iPhone without complications.
I have tried the steps, and I can tell you two things: one, they are very easy, and two: mine is at 85% so I still have a bit of time—and I’m relieved.
Are you ready to check your battery cycles?