When Apple released iOS 26 this week, many users weren’t just noticing new features; they were noticing their phones acting like marathon runners who just sprinted. Reports immediately flooded in of faster battery drain, screen lag, app freezing, and overheating. Apple responded, saying that these issues are “normal” after a major software update. The big question: what’s really going on, and should you worry?
Why Your iPhone Feels Sluggish and Hungry
Apple says the problems stem from several expected, intense background tasks that kick in right after upgrading. Things like file indexing, data reorganization, and app updates all work behind the scenes. On top of that, iOS 26 introduces new features, more eye candy, more computational demand, and more system services running constantly. All of this temporarily strains both battery and performance.
According to tech-reporting outlets summarizing Apple’s statement, these effects usually smooth out “within a few days.”
But many users say that for their phones, things haven’t improved. Battery life is still poor; lags and freezes persist. Some believe the issue may be more than just a temporary overwork; it may hint at deeper incompatibilities or resource leaks. One longtime iPhone user told me, “I’ve updated plenty of times before, but this one made my phone hot just charging in my pocket, and that crazy battery drop from 100 to 70 percent in two hours is something I don’t usually see.”
Another voice from the developer/early-adopter crowd said: “My iPhone 15 Pro feels like I’m using it through molasses—animations stutter, apps take a beat longer. It’s annoying that the OS is supposed to be better, but I’m doubting my decision to update already.”
iOS updates historically trigger these behavior blips. When iOS rolls out new search / Spotlight indexing, or when features that depend on machine learning are added, the phone does more work. Apple’s support documents going back years warn about temporary battery and thermal performance issues post update.
What’s perhaps more unusual this round is how many users claim the issues are lasting beyond the expected settling period. That is fueling distrust; people feel like they were sold an upgrade, not more work.
What You Can Do—and What’s Coming
If you’ve updated to iOS 26 and are grinding through shorter battery life or lag:
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Give it time. Let the background processes finish (indexing, optimizing, etc.). Usually 24-72 hours.
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Check your battery health. If it’s degraded significantly, new OS demands hit harder.
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Reduce resource-heavy settings: animations, transparency, and background-app refresh. Use tools like Adaptive Power mode (if available) or Low Power Mode.
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Limit new feature use until things settle (for example, features that require constant background processing like Live Translation, Apple Intelligence, etc.).
Apple seems to be listening. Many are advising users to skip iOS 26 for now and wait for iOS 26.1, which will likely include patches to smooth out performance, address persistent battery issues, and tweak features that are too resource-hungry.
iOS 26 is big: visually, functionally, technically. New features, new demands. What many users are seeing is battery drain, lag, and temporary instability, which is not necessarily a sign of catastrophe, but it is annoying and, in some cases, more persistent than Apple’s usual “these things settle in” line suggests. If you rely on consistent performance, patience (or waiting for the 26.1 update) may be your best strategy.
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