iPhone 15 Models Finally Show Battery's Cycle Count

iPhone 15 users will be able to check their battery's cycle count for the first time, according to information shared on X (formerly Twitter).

iPhone 15 General Feature Black
Previous methods to check an iPhone's battery cycle count were unofficial (via third-party apps) or complicated, such as copying and pasting analytics into Notes and searching for "last_value_CycleCount." According to a screenshot shared by @Tech_Reve, battery cycle information is visible on ‌iPhone 15‌ models by navigating through Settings, General, and About. A new "Battery" section is present toward the bottom of the page. In addition to the number of battery cycles, it also lists production date and the date of its first use.

While battery health has been visible on the ‌iPhone‌ for several years in the form of "Maximum Capacity," the ability to see its specific number of cycles is a valuable additional metric to determine its condition. A charge cycle is registered every time you deplete all of the battery's capacity. Battery cycle information can easily be accessed on MacBooks by navigating to System Information. From Apple's battery information webpage:

Apple lithium-ion batteries work in charge cycles. You complete one charge cycle when you've used (discharged) an amount that equals 100% of your battery's capacity — but not necessarily all from one charge. For instance, you might use 75% of your battery's capacity one day, then recharge it fully overnight. If you use 25% the next day, you will have discharged a total of 100%, and the two days will add up to one charge cycle. It could take several days to complete a cycle. The capacity of any type of battery will diminish after a certain amount of recharging. With lithium-ion batteries, the capacity diminishes slightly with each complete charge cycle.

Yesterday, it emerged that all of the ‌iPhone 15‌ and iPhone 15 Pro models feature a new battery health setting that prevents the devices from charging beyond 80% at all times when enabled. Apple says all of the ‌iPhone 15‌ models have the same battery life as their iPhone 14 predecessors. The devices launch this Friday.

Related Roundups: iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Pro
Related Forum: iPhone

Top Rated Comments

segfaultdotorg Avatar
8 months ago
There's no reason they can't make this part of iPhoneOS 17 and roll this out to older models. Sad!
Score: 57 Votes (Like | Disagree)
addamas Avatar
8 months ago
Of course only for iPhone 15… Because?
Score: 53 Votes (Like | Disagree)
applepotato666 Avatar
8 months ago

The only explainations I can think of for it not coming to older models is because Apple has no way to calculate the cycles for older devices that have been used for months/years but with iPhone 15 it's a brand new device that comes with iOS 17 out the box so as soon as you start using it then it will keep track of cycles.

most likely reason is they want you to buy an iPhone 15 lol. If they can bring it to older devices they might do it in the future if enough people pressure them.
Every iPhone since the first has counted the cycles, it's definitely just a software restriction. But you can see the cycle count of any iPhone through a third party Mac/Windows app. It's just data that already exists being read and presented in the UI. The cycle count is already in the system logs and that's what apps like coconut battery read.
Score: 41 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nfl46 Avatar
8 months ago
Why is this iPhone 15 series only? Lol.
Score: 35 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ApplesAreSweet&Sour Avatar
8 months ago
Being that apps like Coconut Battery and iMazing have been able to reveal cycle count, manufacturing date, and more for iPhone and iPad batteries for close to ten years, I will not entertain the notion that this extended Battery Health and new charge limit features are not possible for all devices running iOS 17.

New levels of b.s. if this doesn’t land on all iOS 17 devices.
Score: 30 Votes (Like | Disagree)
5H3PH3RD Avatar
8 months ago
There must be an impending lawsuit of some description. This is very unlike Apple.
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)