Apple's iOS 15.4 update prompts slew of battery drain complaints

Every time there’s a major iOS update, reports of battery drain issues usually follow. iOS 15.4 appears to be no exception, as users who’ve recently updated have been quick to make their case on social media.

Anecdotes suggest the update may be affecting various models of iPhone with varying degrees of severity. A Reddit thread on the issue contains reports from people noting significant battery drain after updating, while others are actually seeing battery life improvements. There’s also a number of similar complaints from Twitter, calling the issue “absolutely ridiculous” or claiming rapid battery drain in a couple of hours.

We should be clear: Battery drain issues, while anecdotally significant on social media, are hard to fully quantify. Apple’s new iOS may just need to recalibrate your phone usage to optimize the battery, and battery life is often subject to lots of different factors. We’ve reached out to Apple on the matter and will update accordingly.

New features — Battery drain issues aside, Apple’s iOS 15.4 update offers several important improvements, notably to Face ID and AirTags. We can finally unlock our iPhones with Face ID while wearing a mask, where we could previously only do this if it was paired with an Apple Watch. Rather than force everyone to buy Apple Watches, Apple instead updated the software that makes keeping a mask on a lot more convenient.

The latest iOS update also includes a major safety change, where pairing AirTags now prompts an alert against using them for stalking. If you’ve updated to iOS 15.4 and tried pairing AirTags, you’ll now see an anti-stalking alert that says using them to track people without consent is a crime and they’re only to be used for items that belong to you.

Battery life tips — If you’re one of the unlucky people who’s been experiencing battery drain issues, you could try the list of tips and tricks that Apple has been responding to various Tweets with. Apple hasn’t released anything official addressing the issue, but their support Twitter has been flooded with Tweets complaining about the new update (most of them about the battery drain issue). If you’re still fuming at Apple, you could also read our 12 suggestions to make your iPhone battery last longer.