Whether your iPhone or iPad is long overdue a battery replacement, or you just want to get more juice out of a single charge, here's a way to keep your device's Low Power Mode on all the time.

ios 16 battery low power mode beta 6
Most ‌iPhone‌ and iPad users will be familiar with the way their device throws up a prompt to turn on Low Power Mode when the battery falls to 20 percent. The special mode conserves what remaining battery life the device has left by limiting some features, but by default the mode automatically turns off when a charging iPhone or iPad reaches 80 percent. If that irks you, don't worry – there is a solution.

Perhaps you're running the latest version of iOS or iPadOS on an older device and you've found that the battery life is inadequate to get you through the day. Or maybe you just want to reduce the amount of times you have to charge your iPhone or iPad. Either way, you can keep Low Power Mode enabled regardless of the battery level with the help of an automation.

iPhone/iPad Features Disabled by Low Power Mode

Before you follow the steps in this article to create the automation, it's worth highlighting which of the features it disables to reduce your device's power consumption. According to Apple, Low Power Mode turns off the following:

  • 5G (except for video streaming) on iPhone 12 models
  • Auto-Lock (defaults to 30 seconds)
  • Display brightness
  • Display refresh rate (limited up to 60 Hz) on iPhone and iPad models with ProMotion display
  • Some visual effects
  • iCloud Photos (temporarily paused)
  • Automatic downloads
  • Email fetch
  • Background app refresh

If you're happy to live without the above features for as long as Low Power Mode is on, follow the steps below to create your automation.

Creating an Always-On Low Power Mode Automation

  1. Launch the Shortcuts app on your iPhone, then tap the Automation tab at the bottom.
  2. Tap the + button in the top right, then select Create Personal Automation.
    shortcuts

  3. Scroll down and choose Low Power Mode.
  4. Deselect the Is Turned On option and select the Is Turned Off option instead, then tap Next.
    shortcuts

  5. Tap Add Action.
  6. Tap inside the search field and search for the Set Low Power Mode script, then select it below.
    shortcuts

  7. Make sure the Turn and On options in blue are selected, then tap Next.
  8. Toggle off the switch next to Ask Before Running, then tap Don't Ask in the prompt to confirm.
    shortcuts

  9. Tap Done to finish.

Low Power Mode can be turned on and off manually at any time by going to Settings -> Battery and toggling on the switch next to Low Power Mode. Just bear in mind that if you want to turn it off, you'll have to disable your automation. You can do this in Shortcuts by selecting the automation and toggling off the switch next to Enable This Automation.

Top Rated Comments

George Dawes Avatar
28 months ago
This should definitely be an option in the actual os without all this farting about
Score: 27 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
28 months ago
Excellent tips! Thank you!!

Question: Is there a way to set Automation feature for the iPhone not to charge pass 80% of the battery life? ??
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Corefile Avatar
28 months ago

Genuine question: given that low power mode restricts a lot of the background functions, what good does this do a majority of users that are frequently pulling out their phone to refresh social media?

How much extra time are you really saving?

Note: I'm an outlier, since I never use Low Power Mode, and my 13 mini goes from 100 to 80 typically throughout a work day before I dock it for the night.
I'm an outlier too in that I keep low power mode on all the time and don't use socialist media.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Corefile Avatar
28 months ago
This might be the greatest tip for iPhones today. Permanent low power mode should be the default.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BrownyQ Avatar
28 months ago
Genuine question: given that low power mode restricts a lot of the background functions, what good does this do a majority of users that are frequently pulling out their phone to refresh social media?

How much extra time are you really saving?

Note: I'm an outlier, since I never use Low Power Mode, and my 13 mini goes from 100 to 80 typically throughout a work day before I dock it for the night.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sw1tcher Avatar
28 months ago

Excellent tips! Thank you!!

Question: Is there a way to set Automation feature for the iPhone not to charge pass 80% of the battery life? ??
Just tell Siri to set it up for you :D
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

ios 26 liquid glass lock screen beta 6

Apple Changes Liquid Glass Again in iOS 26 Beta 6

Monday August 11, 2025 12:09 pm PDT by
Apple is continuing to tweak the way that the Liquid Glass design looks ahead of the iOS 26 launch, and the latest beta makes a change to the Lock Screen. The Lock Screen clock has been updated with additional transparency, allowing more of the background to peek through. Beta 6 on left, beta 5 on right The clock also has more of a 3D, floating look, which is in line with the rest of the ...
iPhone 17 Pro Dark Blue and Orange

iPhone 17 Pro to Start at $1,049 With Doubled Base Storage

Wednesday August 13, 2025 1:45 am PDT by
Apple's upcoming iPhone 17 Pro will have a starting price that is $50 more than the iPhone 16 Pro but it will come with a minimum 256GB of storage, doubling the base capacity compared to last year's model. The information comes from Chinese leaker Instant Digital, posting on Weibo. The account, which has 1.5 million followers, has now made the claim three separate times in recent weeks....
Low Cost MacBook Feature A18 Pro

New 12.9-Inch MacBook Could Launch This Year Starting at $599

Monday August 11, 2025 1:38 am PDT by
Apple's rumored new more affordable MacBook could have a starting price as low as $599 and launch as soon as this year, according to a new report out of Asia. We first learned of Apple's low-cost MacBook plans in late June, when analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said the company was developing a "more affordable" 13-inch laptop that would compete with Chromebooks and drive MacBook purchases, though he...
airpods pro 2 pinnk

iOS 26: 7 New AirPods Features

Friday August 8, 2025 12:31 pm PDT by
With iOS 26, Apple is bringing several new features to the AirPods, making them more useful than before. The added functionality will be available this fall when Apple releases iOS 26 and updated AirPods firmware, but you can test everything new right now. Camera Remote The AirPods can be used as a camera remote for the Camera app or third-party iOS camera apps. You'll need to enable the...
iPhone 17 Pro Feature Dual

When Will Apple Announce the iPhone 17 Event?

Tuesday August 12, 2025 12:46 pm PDT by
It is now mid-August, meaning that Apple's annual iPhone event is just around the corner. This year, Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 17, the all-new iPhone 17 Air, the iPhone 17 Pro, and the iPhone 17 Pro Max. Here are some of the key rumors for those devices:iPhone 17: Same design as iPhone 16, but with an A19 chip, a larger 6.3-inch display, an upgraded 24-megapixel front camera, ...
maxresdefault

Top 5 Features Coming to the Apple Watch Ultra 3

Tuesday August 12, 2025 11:48 am PDT by
We're just about a month away from Apple's annual September event, and we're going to get a new version of the Apple Watch Ultra for the first time since 2023. There are some useful new features rumored for the Apple Watch Ultra 3, which we've summarized below. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Satellite Connectivity - The Apple Watch Ultra 3 will be the first...
Golden Apple Logo

Every Apple Secret That Leaked Yesterday

Thursday August 14, 2025 4:13 am PDT by
Apple made a major slip Wednesday when it accidentally included hardware identifiers in software code linking to numerous unannounced products. The leaked information provided MacRumors with concrete evidence of Apple's hardware development across multiple product categories. Here's everything that was confirmed through the code discoveries: New HomePod mini with updated chip – New...
Apple TV 2025 Thumb 2

New Apple TV Coming Later This Year With A17 Pro Chip

Wednesday August 13, 2025 5:29 pm PDT by
Rumors suggest that Apple is working on an updated version of the Apple TV that's slated for launch later this year. Information about the upcoming device that was found in Apple code indicates that it will be equipped with the A17 Pro chip. There have been multiple rumors about a new Apple TV coming in 2025 with a new A-series processor, but it hasn't been clear which chip Apple would use...