Last week your phone was working well and didn’t need charging until the evening, however now your phone requires charging before the evening. The hardest part about this is you cannot determine whether one specific application is causing this issue, whether the network is consuming all of your battery life, or whether the actual battery has gotten old. Using a trial and error to diagnose the problem of an Android or iPhone that is rapidly draining battery life is not the best use of time since both Android and iPhone store information about the percentage of the battery that has been utilized.
This article gives instructions for how to view the stored information on a Google Pixel, Samsung Galaxy, and iPhone. It also explains how to appropriately restrict the use of a given application if it is the cause of the excessive battery usage. There are additionally some steps to take to help differentiate between application usage and issues with battery drain from weak cellular signal or old battery. The menu paths will be compared to the Apple, Google and Samsung support sites on 29 September 2026 and will indicate which version the specific paths apply to. If your screen does not look exactly like the screens used below, view the labels rather than the layout.
What Your Battery Usage Screen Actually Measures
On the Battery Usage screen, you won’t know how much absolute power any given app is actually consuming. This section shows how the remaining battery power is divided among apps and system operations. Each number is a proportion of what was used. Google points out that the total may be less than 100% because of rounding. Therefore, if an app shows a usage of 30%, it does not necessarily mean that it has malfunctioned; it could just indicate that you spent a lot of time using that specific app.
Screen-on versus background use
The Battery Usage screen will provide you with the most valuable information about how you utilized your device. When you look at your usage for a single app on your phone, you will see an amount that you used while the app was in the foreground versus what you used while it was working in the background. You will also see how much energy that app consumed. Apple’s iPhone User Guide lists four labels you may see under an app:
- On screen means the app was open and visible. A long on-screen time explains higher usage.
- Background covers work done while you weren’t looking at the app. Apple’s examples are directions, playing music, syncing photos and fetching mail.
- Cellular coverage means the app was used while the signal was weak, which costs more battery.
- Notifications means the app woke your phone to check for new information.
The Battery Troubleshooting article on Apple’s website roughly presents these same concepts, but Apple calls them something a little different (“Background Activity”, “No Cellular Coverage and Low Signal”, “Notification”, and “Connected To A Charger”). The last term means that the app consumed no battery power because it was operating exclusively when the phone was charging. If your iPhone refers to a term differently than this article does, both refer to the same thing.
On the Samsung Galaxy, the Battery Usage screen displays the divide between Screen on and Screen off times. On the Pixel 2, you can select the view type you wish to use. You can view the battery use for all phone functions versus just the battery use for all apps, using View by apps and View by systems.
“Background” does not mean “Background App Refresh”
On iPhone, this is where most of the confusion comes from. One iPhone 15 Plus owner on Apple Community described WhatsApp showing 6 hours 30 minutes of background activity even after they had turned off Background App Refresh. Apple’s own definitions explain how that can happen. Background use includes location tracking, audio and mail fetching, and Background App Refresh only controls whether suspended apps check for new content. Turning that one switch off leaves the other kinds of background work running. An Android Central forum post shows the same confusion on Samsung: TikTok still reported over an hour of background use even though, as the poster put it, all background activity was disabled.
The biggest number is not always the problem
Newer phones flag unusual drain themselves, and that flag matters more than rank. From iOS 26, the iPhone’s Daily Usage chart shows a day in orange when you’ve used more battery than usual, and it highlights the top three apps or activities that may explain it. 9to5Mac gave a clear example: the writer’s Weather app was flagged at 4% because it had barely been used, while Instagram at 6% wasn’t flagged because that much use explained it. On a Pixel, Google says you’ll get a notification if an app causes abnormal battery drain.
Check your top item(s) with a focus on identifying answers to three questions. 1) Is the application used primarily on screen or in the background? 2) Has the application been flagged by your phone? 3) Is it a system item (like “signal”) or an app? If your app is on the top item (with a very high amount of usage), and you have used that app for hours on screen, this is to be expected. However, if the app you have only opened once or twice and it has high background usage, you will likely want to take action based on this information.
What the screen can’t tell you
The Usage screen shows the percentage of your battery consumed by each application; however, it does not report the amount of available battery capacity. Google notes that the capacity of the battery is determined separately by its fuel gauge and declines as the battery experiences wear and tear. A relatively new battery can still fail prematurely regardless of the healthy usage patterns of the application; refer to the Overnight Drain section below for more information.
How to See What Is Using Your Battery on Android
Any Android device stores battery usage information in the setting’s section under the battery tab, however the labels used for each manufacturer’s device differs.
On a Google Pixel (Android 14 and later)
Google’s Pixel help page gives this path. It is written for Android 14 and up, so check the labels if you’re on Android 17.
- Open the Settings app and tap Battery.
- Tap Battery usage. The chart shows your battery level since the last full charge.
- Tap View by apps to see which apps used the most, or View by systems to see phone functions.
- Tap any app to review how it’s allowed to use battery. Google recommends keeping battery optimisation on for all apps.
Additionally, Google’s battery drain guide for the Pixel 6 or newer models indicates that the battery diagnostic tool is located under Settings > Battery > Battery diagnostics > Battery draining too quickly. For the Pixel 10 and newer devices, the battery usage page at the top will provide an AI-generated summary of the users AI and tracking usage compared to the user’s average.
On a Samsung Galaxy (One UI 7 and later)
The battery guide provided by Samsung includes how to navigate to the battery diagnostic screens. Because each carrier, software version, and device model has its own unique layout, users are encouraged to reference the guide for One UI version 8 and 8.5.
- Open Settings and tap Battery.
- Tap View details.
- Check Screen on time and Screen off time, then scroll down to the per-app list.
If your battery usage report shows that the screen off time is significantly longer than expected, after you put the phone on the table to be charged, it typically indicates either background activity or a weak signal as the source for the battery drain.
On Tecno, Infinix, Xiaomi and other brands
There is no way to compare the battery usage pages from the manufacturers to those listed in this article since each device’s battery section will differ from the manufacturers. However, navigate to your device’s settings and find the Battery (or Battery & performance) section. In this section you should find a list of all apps with their battery usage listed separately between foreground and background. Don’t expect to see the same label as Google or Samsung use.
Before you touch anything, note this down
Enter the name of each app next to the first two or three rows. Indicate if the majority of time spent on the app was done on the device’s display and whether or not the device flagged it. Check the device for any battery drain that occurred within the last 24 to 72 hours. Google says a little extra drain after a software update is normal while the phone finishes optimising. After completing the setup process for your new phone and/or going through the factory reset process, the device is learning about its’ battery usage and this may take a few days to weeks to establish the device’s full capabilities. Wait a few days before making changes to any settings.
How to Check Battery Usage by App on iPhone
As part of iOS 26, Apple redesigned the battery screen for the iPhone. Apple states that you need iOS 26 or later to see the Daily Usage chart, whereas if you’re using an earlier version, the layout will be different but the per-application functionality remains the same.
Reading the Daily Usage chart (iOS 26 and iOS 27)
The following steps are taken directly from Apple’s iPhone User Guide.
- Open the Settings app and tap Battery. The chart compares today with the last seven days. A blue bar means similar or lower usage, and an orange bar means higher than usual.
- Tap View All Battery Usage. Apple says this view covers the last eight days.
- Tap the day you want to check, especially an orange one or the morning after a bad night.
- Scroll down to App and System Activity and tap an app to see its usage for each day, along with its On screen, Background, Cellular coverage or Notifications detail.
Check for Insights first
Before you start blaming an application, first check the area above the Daily Usage chart. Beginning with iOS 18, Apple’s added Insights, for example, if an Ongoing iOS Update has been running in the background or you are Ongoing Device Setup. According to Apple, your battery should return to normal once either of these has stopped, and they recommend waiting for a couple of days after you’ve finished updating your device to check back again after a major iOS update (like when iOS 27 is released). The wait time could prevent you from making unnecessary changes to settings.
Which label points where
Each Insight will take you to a specific solution. The Large On Screen number is just your own usage, with the resolution being Apple’s suggestions for display settings on that same screen, such as auto-brightness, auto-lock, etc. Background/Notification refers to App settings, which we’ll cover in the next section. Cellular Coverage (or No Cellular Coverage and Low Signal) will typically take you to your Device’s Network, which will be covered in the Overnight section.
How to Stop Apps From Draining Battery in the Background
After determining which application is causing the issue and how you use it, you can disable that specific functionality instead of turning off all functionality for the entire device. However, you must first eliminate the ineffective usage that caused the issue.
Swiping apps closed doesn’t save battery
Apple says you should close an app only if it’s unresponsive. It explains that closing all your apps does not affect overall performance, because recently used apps only use power while they’re active or doing specific background tasks. Apple also notes that suspended apps aren’t taking up system resources. And if you quit an app from the app switcher, it may not be able to check for new content until you open it again. Closing WhatsApp to save battery can simply mean your messages arrive late.
Match the label to the setting
The following table will show you the controls associated with the battery screen. The links to the source pages for Apple, Google, and Samsung are located within the subsequent sections.
| What the battery screen shows | Setting to change | What you may lose |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone: Background, from an app that refreshes feeds | Settings > General > Background App Refresh | Content is fresher only after you open the app |
| iPhone: Background, from an app tracking you | Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services > app | Location features when the app is closed |
| iPhone: Background from Mail | Settings > Apps > Mail > Mail Accounts > Fetch New Data | New mail checked less often |
| iPhone: Notifications | Settings > Notifications > app | Fewer alerts from that app |
| Pixel: high background use | Battery usage > View by apps > app > background usage | Delayed updates or alerts from that app |
| Samsung: long screen-off time from one app | Settings > Battery > Background usage limits | The app may not run until you open it |
For every row in the following table, you will be able to identify which application is causing the problem. Do not generalise. Also note that Messaging and Email Applications require some background activity in order to deliver messages in a timely fashion.
iPhone controls
Background App Refresh. You can find the Background App Refresh function in the Settings > General. Apple’s steps let you turn this function on/off completely, or restrict it to only Wi-Fi or Wi-Fi & Cellular. Additionally, you are able to limit this feature for each application on the list below. If you determine which application is the culprit, limiting that application’s use of background activity would be the best option.
Location: The steps to enable Location Services on iOS devices involve selecting the Settings app, tapping on Privacy and Security, tapping on the Location Services menu item, and then selecting the specific application from the list of applications available for location tracking. There are two primary settings on iOS devices: “Always” grants full access to the app’s locations regardless of whether the app is running in the foreground or background, and “While using the app” restricts the app from tracking the user’s location only when users see that app on their device. Apple defines “Always” as allowing location access even when the app is in the background. If you change a non-navigation app from “Always” to “While using the app”, it may reduce one of the reasons that it is using resources in the background.
Mail: To change how frequently the Mail app’s inbox (including the Inbox folder) downloads new email, you would go to the Settings app, tap on Apps, tap on Mail, tap on Mail Accounts, and finally select Fetch New Data. Apple explains that the default “Automatically” option will fetch new messages only when the phone is connected to a charger and is on Wi-Fi. Also, if you had previously selected a schedule for your Fetch New Data option, you may need to check it here.
Notifications: If you see the Notifications label on an application, Apple suggests adjusting that application’s notifications so that it wakes your device less often. To access these settings, go to the Settings app, tap on Notifications, and tap on that application’s name.
Pixel controls
From Settings > Battery > Battery usage > View by apps, tap the app to change its background battery usage. Google recommends keeping battery optimisation on for every app. It also warns that turning optimisation off lets an app run more while you aren’t using it, which can use more battery than needed. For an app that keeps syncing data, one Android Police writer described restricting background data under Settings > Apps > the app > Mobile data & Wi-Fi.
If restricting an app doesn’t work, you can follow Google’s order to force stop and then uninstall the app. However, be careful when you’re looking for force-stopping apps; some apps or services are so essential that if you force stop them, your phone may not function correctly until you restart it. Google Play Services is an app that cannot be forced to stop or uninstalled for this reason.
Samsung controls
To find the apps using the most battery in the background, check out your settings (Settings > Battery > Background Usage Limits). Samsung’s options are:
- Sleeping apps don’t run in the background, but they may run again once you start using them.
- Deep sleeping apps never run in the background and only work when you open them.
- Never auto sleeping apps are excluded from sleep. Use this for apps you must always receive from.
When adding apps to the Deep Sleeping list, consider how those apps are used and what your expectations are for those apps. This list should contain apps that you use very infrequently, not apps like WhatsApp, your banking app, and your alarm app, which should all remain active at all times!
Why Your Battery Drains Overnight (When It Isn’t an App)
The battery on your phone can drain during sleep, even if the list of apps installed on your device by the manufacturer is showing as ‘fully charged’. If this is the case, it is likely that there are more factors involved that are not reflected in the app list itself, such as the cellular network being used, recent phone software updates, a malfunction in the phone, or failure of the battery.
Weak signal makes the phone work harder
According to the developer documentation from Google, when searching for a cell signal, this is one of the most power-hungry processes that a device can perform. Similarly, when a cell signal is fully active, it has the highest draw of power and when the device is resting in standby, the amount of power drawn is greatly reduced. Apple gives the matching advice: Wi-Fi draws far less battery than mobile networks do and both Wi-Fi and mobile network systems will work better when there are good strong signals. When you know that you will not have any service for an extended period of time, switching on Airplane Mode is recommended as an option to save battery power.
As documented in various parts of Nigeria, a June 2026 NCC report released by the NCC using Ookla data between June 2025 and May 2026 identified 5.9% of the country’s National Tracking Grid as “High Battery Drain Zones”. An additional 0.8% of the affected regions were also classified as hotspots where phones overheat while also draining their battery at an accelerated rate. This overconsumption of battery life was attributed to the fact that many mobile devices are almost permanently in a state of maximum amplification in order to stay connected to a distant mobile network tower or they make repeated attempts to reconnect when they get disconnected (NCC 2026). If you have your iPhone set up with Cellular coverage at the top of your display, or if your mobile device has one bar of signal in your home, it may actually be your mobile provider, not any specific application, causing excessive battery drain. For phones running on the iPhone 12 and newer versions, Apple has developed a feature called 5G Auto (Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data Options > Voice & Data) that is designed to switch to LTE when 5G could not provide a worthy benefit, thus preserving battery power.
Updates and software bugs
As stated above, both platforms will experience an additional drain during the days after receiving an update. An operating system fault cannot be fixed using any settings within the app itself. In 2026, some Pixel owners experienced this exact issue. According to Gadget Hacks, Google confirmed the presence of an idle-drain bug on April 14th, 2026. Even when the phone was in airplane mode, users continued to see battery drain. In July, XDA later reported that Google labelled the bug as resolved, and a patch had been issued for the Pixel 10 and Pixel 9 devices. Users of the Pixel 8a and Pixel 9a devices were told to expect their imminent fix with the quarterly release in September. However, numerous users continued to report battery drainage issues. This trend extends past just the Google Pixel line of smartphones. If the battery continues to drain while the phone is in airplane mode and you have a clean set of installed apps, but it’s still experiencing excessive drain, update your phone and check for guidance from the device’s manufacturer before performing any further troubleshooting.
An ageing battery
If none of the above applies, check the battery health status. Apple says that an iPhone 14 or older’s battery should retain about 80% of its original capacity after just 500 full charge cycles if maintained in the best possible conditions; iPhone model 15 should still maintain this level after 1000 full charge cycles, again under ideal conditions. According to Apple, a cold environment combined with a low charge, can create a condition that is more likely to result in a shutdown of your iPhone. You can find the battery health percentage of your iPhone (models 15 and later) under Settings > Battery > Battery Health or for iPhone models 14 and earlier, in Battery Health and Charging. For Google Pixel (models 8a and later), Google’s path is Settings > Battery > Battery health; if it states “Reduced”, you no longer have 80% capacity available. As for Samsung devices, Samsung points you to the Samsung Members application and follow the path of Support > Get Started > Battery status. Replacing the battery is considered an authorised repair, and should not be done at home.
Putting the checks in order
The following order of checks is recommended for quickly ruling out the least expensive possibilities. The list of options is presented in an order that reflects the recommended path to be followed based on the above manufacturer’s recommendations. This is not an official document created by one specific manufacturer.
- Check the calendar. If the drain began within a few days of a software update, wait a few more days and check again.
- Read the battery screen. Classify the top row as on-screen use, background use or a system/signal item, and note whether the phone flagged it.
- Restrict one app. Apply the matching control from the table, then compare the same screen after a day or two.
- Compare a few nights. Leave the phone unplugged one night as normal, and another night with mobile data off and Wi-Fi on. WhatsApp and other apps will then only receive over Wi-Fi. If the loss shrinks a lot without mobile data, signal is the likely cause.
- Try Airplane Mode once, for diagnosis. You won’t receive calls or messages that night. If the drain continues even then, suspect a software fault and check for updates.
- Check battery health. If everything above is clean, the battery’s capacity is the next thing to look at.
What to Check First
Begin by checking your battery usage screen. This will allow you to more accurately identify the difference between the usage of your app and background activity as well as any additional battery drain that might be caused by a weak signal, rather than relying on guesswork to determine what is causing your battery to drain. If a certain app appears to be using a lot of battery for background use but has not earned it, simply restrict that app and do not waste time closing out all applications in your list. If all of the applications in your battery usage screen are operating normally, but you are still experiencing battery drain overnight, try testing your signal first, followed by locating any software faults, then check your battery’s health.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does closing apps from the recent apps screen help?
No. Apple says closing all your apps doesn’t affect overall performance, and it recommends closing an app only when it stops responding. Closed apps may also be unable to check for new content until you reopen them.
Should I switch on Airplane Mode every night?
If you have a weak signal and want to conserve battery life, trying this technique for one night can help you determine if it is the cause of your battery drain. Apple suggests it when you will be without coverage for at least one night, but if you are doing this regularly, any phone calls or text messages sent to you will not arrive until you turn off this option. If it does appear that your battery is being drained due to a weak signal, keeping Wi-Fi enabled can provide you with a more forgiving compromise than turning off the phone completely.
Can I put WhatsApp in Deep sleeping or Restricted mode?
Yes, you may use this for a messaging application, but it is a risky move. Samsung states that deep sleeping apps cannot operate when the user first opens the app. Google recommends keeping optimisation on, suggests leaving optimisation enabled instead of removing any limitations from that feature, as battery learning may slow down notifications for application updates. If your equal amount of battery is being drained heavily from What’s App, first look at the location and notification settings.
Why did my battery get worse right after an update?
It is normal for both Apple and Google to experience slight battery drain after an update due to background processes finishing. Both companies recommend waiting a couple of days before considering ways to resolve the battery drain that you are experiencing.
How much should my battery drop overnight?
Neither Apple or Google specifies what would be considered the standard overnight number, as each person has different applications installed on their device, signal strength, and battery age. The best way to determine what your nightly usage is would be to compare several nights side by side using the steps above. However, you will be able to observe from your iPhone Daily Usage chart or your Pixel’s abnormal drain-alert; both should indicate if one of the nights is abnormal.
