Changing these 6 settings on my iPad improved the battery life by hours

As an avid iPad consumer, I am all too accustomed to the interior struggles that course via me when the battery is about to die. I really like utilizing both the iPad 11 or iPad Air to jot down and work, however I additionally use it to stream content material, play video games, and browse the web after work. 

This makes me recognize the iPad’s lengthy battery life, but my nervousness grows once I begin getting ‘low battery’ alerts and not using a charger close by.

Additionally: How you’re charging your tablet is slowly killing it – 3 methods to avoid (and the right way)

There are various issues you are able to do to extend your iPad’s battery life that transcend the standard recommendation. You can begin with the standard: decreasing your display screen brightness and setting the auto-lock to a shorter time, which I am going to cowl right here. I am going to additionally cowl different methods to increase your battery life which have, altogether, given me just a few extra hours of use from my iPad.

1. Decrease display screen brightness

This is among the first suggestions you may hear from anybody providing tips about conserving your iPad’s battery life — and it actually works. Relying in your utilization, decreasing your display screen’s brightness settings may give you over an hour of additional use on every cost. 

Additionally: 5 Apple products you definitely shouldn’t buy this month (and 7 to get instead)

Doing so additionally makes it simpler in your eyes, lowering the attention pressure concerned with gazing brilliant screens for too lengthy. That is the principle motive I favor conserving my brightness low, however the perk of an extended battery life makes it much more worthwhile. Your iPad’s display screen brightness may be adjusted from the Management Heart by swiping down on the highest proper facet of your display screen.

2. Flip off location companies

Location companies can maintain your iPad working further, particularly you probably have them enabled for a number of apps. It is a good suggestion to show off location companies for any apps that you do not use typically, particularly people who you will not be utilizing within the subsequent day or two. Whereas turning off your iPad’s location companies will not double your battery life, it may add half hour or extra of use. 

To test and switch off your location companies, comply with these steps

1. Go to your iPad Settings
2. Choose Privateness & Safety
3. Go to Location Companies

Additionally: 8 reasons why I replaced my Kindle with an iPad Mini for reading ebooks

You’ll be able to test which purposes have entry to your iPad’s location and resolve which of them to revoke. Alternatively, you’ll be able to flip off all Location Companies altogether, particularly should you’ll be utilizing your pill for work, streaming, or taking part in.

3. Flip off wi-fi when idle

Turning off your iPad’s Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and AirDrop is a good way to increase the usage of your battery, particularly when your iPad is idle. When you do not depend on your iPad for notifications, you’ll be able to flip off all of the wi-fi settings earlier than you lock it and put it away, so it conserves extra battery than in any other case. This observe takes seconds, however may prolong your battery life by as much as an hour. 

Additionally: This wall-mounted smart calendar has been a game changer in my home (and it’s $50 off)

Even should you do not need to flip off the Wi-Fi, turning off Bluetooth and AirDrop helps. To change these off simply, swipe down from the highest proper of your iPad’s show, discover your wi-fi choices, and toggle off whichever ones you do not want.

4. Restrict your notifications

Many iPad customers, myself included, do not actually need iPad notifications. Any notifications I get on my iPad additionally arrive on my iPhone.I made a decision to restrict my notifications within the pill’s Settings to keep away from pointless distractions and profit from just a few extra minutes of additional battery use. 

Limiting notifications could not sound like it might make a giant distinction in extending your battery life, however every time an alert arrives, it lights up your iPad display screen and pings your battery. I additionally silence my iPad notifications, that are simply accessible in your iPad’s Management Heart by swiping down from the highest proper of your display screen and tapping on the bell icon.

Additionally: This midrange Lenovo tablet has no business being this good (especially for traveling)

To show off or restrict your notifications, you’ll be able to go to your iPad Settings and choose Notifications. From there, you’ll be able to flip off notifications for the apps you do not use or ones for which you merely do not want real-time alerts.

5. Disable background app refresh

Many apps replace within the background once they’re not in energetic use. Whereas a few of them are helpful, like messaging apps, others needn’t replace within the background to be helpful, as is the case with streaming apps or video games.

Many apps needn’t refresh consistently and simply drain your battery, so you’ll be able to undergo the checklist and switch them off by following these steps:

1. Go to your iPad Settings
2. Choose Basic
3. Faucet on Background App Refresh
4. You’ll be able to both maintain it on for Wi-Fi solely or manually flip it on or off for every app, relying on how time-sensitive their content material is to you. 

6. Auto-lock your display screen sooner

Relying on the auto-lock time you employ, an iPad can save lots of battery. The iPad show is among the pill’s largest battery attracts, so it is best to maintain the auto-lock timer to the shortest attainable time. Relying in your use case, you’ll be able to in all probability get away with a minimal two-minute auto-lock. 

Additionally: How to install the iPadOS 26 public beta (and which iPad models support it)

Merely dropping the display screen auto-lock time from 5 to 2 minutes can enhance your battery life by over half an hour per cost. This is the best way to set your auto-lock timer:

1. Entry your iPad Settings
2. Go to Show & Brightness
3. Choose Auto-Lock
4. Select the shortest time that fits your wants

I used to have an outdated iPad on which I learn knitting patterns and recipes, so I purposely set its display screen to by no means auto-lock. This clearly drained the battery fairly rapidly, however it’s a frequent use case for an iPad. I solely advocate that you just change the auto-lock from By no means to one of many lowest numbers while you’re accomplished.