How to check battery health on an iPhone
2 min read · 4 steps · Updated 2 October 2026
Open Settings, tap Battery, then Battery Health. Maximum Capacity shows how much charge the battery holds compared with when it was new. Around 80% or below, the battery is worn and worth replacing.
Every rechargeable battery holds a little less each year. The iPhone measures this for you. Checking takes ten seconds and tells you whether short battery life is caused by the battery or by how the phone is used.
Menu names are from iOS 26. The pictures are simplified diagrams of the screen, not screenshots.
Step by step
Open Settings and tap Battery
Battery has a green icon in the main list.
Tap Battery Health
On iPhone 14 and earlier the row is called Battery Health & Charging.
Read Maximum Capacity
100% is a new battery. Most batteries are designed to keep 80% after a few years of normal use. Below that, a full charge clearly lasts less long.
Look at Cycle Count
iPhone 15 and later also show how many full charge cycles the battery has been through, plus the date it was made and first used.
Good to know
If the page says Service, the battery is significantly worn and Apple recommends replacing it. A new battery is far cheaper than a new phone.
To slow down wear, open Charging on the Battery page and set a charge limit of 80% or 90%, or leave Optimised Battery Charging on.
Heat ages batteries fastest. Do not leave the phone in a hot car or charge it under a pillow.
If capacity is fine but the battery still drains quickly, see why your phone battery drains fast.
In short: Settings, Battery, Battery Health. Maximum Capacity near 80% means it is time for a new battery.
- Apple Support: iPhone battery and performance
Rules and prices change. Check the official source before you act.