In watchOS 9, Apple has added a new Low Power Mode for Apple Watch Series 4 and later that is designed to extend the battery life of your device beyond the usual "up to 18 hours" of life on a single charge in normal use that Apple advertises. Keep reading to learn how the function works and how to enable it.

Apple Watch Low Power Mode watchOS 9
For some years now, many Apple Watch fans have been clamoring for a new model that offers significantly more battery life than "up to 18 hours," which is the life that Apple has advertised ever since the first Apple Watch model was launched.

In 2022, Apple finally answered those calls with Apple Watch Ultra, which offers up to 36 hours of battery life on a single charge in normal use.

Truthfully though, the ‌Apple Watch Ultra‌ is a fairly niche device with many more features (and a significantly higher price tag) than the average user is going to need, but the good news is that with ‌watchOS 9‌, Apple also introduced a new Low Power Mode for Apple Watch Series 4 and later models that can eke out more life from these more commonly used devices.

The new Low Power Mode is separate from the Apple Watch's existing Power Reserve mode that only displays the clock when enabled. It's also important to know that the new Low Power Mode works by disabling or affecting a number of specific features on Apple Watch that we've detailed below. Make sure you carefully read the list so that you know what is not functional when the mode is turned on. The steps for enabling Low Power Mode in general use and for workouts can be found below.

Features Turned Off by Low Power Mode

  • Always On display
  • Heart rate notifications for irregular rhythm, high heart rate, and low heart rate
  • Background heart rate measurements
  • Background blood oxygen measurements
  • Start workout reminder

Features Turned Off When iPhone Isn't Nearby

  • Wi-Fi and cellular connections
  • Incoming phone calls and notifications

Features Affected by Low Power Mode

  • Making a phone call can take longer
  • Background app refresh happens less frequently
  • Complications update less frequently
  • Siri can take longer to process a request
  • Some animations and scrolling might appear less smooth

Note that Fall Detection continues to work in Low Power Mode.

How to Enable Low Power Mode on Apple Watch

When your Apple Watch's battery percentage drops to 10%, a Low Power Mode alert will ask if you want to turn on the feature. Note that Low Power Mode turns off automatically when an Apple Watch is charged to 80%, unless users manually turn it on for a set number of days. Bear in mind that you can have Low Power Mode turn on automatically when you begin a workout, with metrics such as heart rate and pace still measured.

Here's how to turn the feature on manually on an Apple Watch Series 4 or later running ‌watchOS 9‌ or later.

  1. Swipe up on the watch face of your Apple Watch to bring up Control Center.
  2. Tap the battery percentage button.
    watch

  3. Tap the switch next to Low Power Mode.
  4. After reading the on-screen prompt, scroll to the bottom and select from the following: Turn On, Turn On For..., and Dismiss.
    watch

  5. If you tapped Turn On For..., select On for 1 Day, On for 2 Days, or On for 3 Days on the second screen.

When your Apple Watch is in Low Power Mode, a yellow circle icon appears at the top of the screen. Also, the battery percentage button in Control Center, the charging animation, and the time in Nightstand mode all turn yellow.

How to Enable Low Power Mode for Workouts

You can also set your Apple Watch to automatically enter Low Power Mode whenever you start a workout, which is particularly useful if you plan to work out for a long time without it draining battery. Note that when you use the Workout app in Low Power Mode, metrics such as heart rate and pace are still measured.

  1. Launch the Settings app on your Apple Watch.
  2. Scroll down, then tap Workout.
  3. Tap the switch next to Low Power Mode to enable the automation.

settings

Note that when Low Power Mode is enabled without your iPhone nearby, and you open an app that requires a data connection, Wi-Fi or cellular connectivity will resume so that the app can function properly, which can cause "significant battery consumption," according to Apple. Also, bear in mind that missed phone calls and notifications are retrieved periodically whenever your Apple Watch is in Low Power Mode.

Related Forum: Apple Watch

Popular Stories

iOS 16

iOS 16.4 for iPhone Nearing Launch With These 5 New Features

Monday March 20, 2023 11:50 am PDT by
Apple says iOS 16.4 is coming in the spring, which began this week. In his Sunday newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said the update should be released "in the next three weeks or so," meaning a public release is likely in late March or early April. iOS 16.4 remains in beta testing and introduces a handful of new features and changes for the iPhone. Below, we have recapped five new features ...
apple park at night 1

Apple 'Tracking Employee Attendance' in Crackdown on Remote Working

Thursday March 23, 2023 3:41 am PDT by
Apple is tracking the attendance of its employees at offices using badge records in order to ensure they are coming in at least three times a week, according to Platformer's Zoë Schiffer. Since April 2022, Apple employees have been operating on a hybrid home/office work policy as part of a gradual return strategy following the pandemic, with staff required to work from the office at least...
iphone 14 pro max deep purple feature purple

iPhone 15 Pro Rumor Recap: 10 New Features and Changes to Expect

Thursday March 23, 2023 6:42 am PDT by
While the iPhone 15 series is still around six months away from launching, there have already been plenty of rumors about the devices. Many new features and changes have been rumored for the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max in particular. Below, we have recapped 10 changes rumored for iPhone 15 Pro models that are not expected to be available on the standard iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus:A1...
dynamic island

iPhone 15 Dynamic Island to Include New Integrated Proximity Sensor

Friday March 24, 2023 12:27 am PDT by
This year, all iPhone 15 models will include Apple's Dynamic Island that unifies the pill and hole cutouts at the top of the display, but there will also be a material change to the feature that wasn't included in the iPhone 14 Pro models. According to a new tweet by Apple industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the proximity sensor on the iPhone 15 series will be integrated inside the Dynamic Island ...
maxresdefault

Nothing Launches $149 Ear (2) Wireless Earbuds to Compete With AirPods Pro 2

Wednesday March 22, 2023 9:48 am PDT by
Nothing today announced the launch of its second-generation wireless earbuds, the Nothing Ear (2), which offer many of the same features as Apple's AirPods Pro 2 at a lower price point. We went hands-on with the Ear (2) earbuds to see whether they're a viable alternative to the AirPods Pro 2 for those who want to save some cash. The Ear (2) earbuds are the successor to the Nothing Ear (1),...
voice isolation

iOS 16.4 Adds Voice Isolation for Cellular Phone Calls

Tuesday March 21, 2023 11:01 am PDT by
The iOS 16.4 update that is set to be released to the public in the near future includes voice isolation for cellular calls, according to notes that Apple shared today. Apple says that Voice Isolation will prioritize your voice and block out the ambient noise around you, making for clearer phone calls where you can better hear the person you're chatting with and vice versa. Voice...
TMobile Sprint

Apple Stops Allowing Sprint iPhone Activations, Removes Sprint References From Online Store

Thursday March 23, 2023 12:06 pm PDT by
Apple is no longer allowing customers who purchase an iPhone, cellular iPad, or Apple Watch to activate a device with now-defunct mobile carrier Sprint. Apple has also removed remaining references to Sprint from its online store. When checking out with a new purchase, Sprint is no longer an option for connectivity, a change that Apple appears to have implemented today. Prior to now, Sprint...
airpodsd 3 purple 4

iOS 16.4 Seemingly References New AirPods and AirPods Case

Tuesday March 21, 2023 11:43 am PDT by
The iOS 16.4 release candidate version that was provided to developers today appears to hint at a new set of AirPods that could be coming in the near future. According to @aaronp613, the beta features references to AirPods that have a model number of A3048 and an AirPods case with a model number of A2968. There have been no rumors that new AirPods are on the horizon, and it is early for...