Apple released iOS 26.5 on May 11, and the update brings End-to-end encrypted RCS messaging to your iPhoneas well as dozens of bug fixes. After downloading the update, it may seem like your iPhone battery is draining faster than usual, but don’t worry. Apple wrote online that this was normal and, above all, temporary.
Apple released a statement in September 2025, saying that if your iPhone battery drains quickly after downloading an update, there’s nothing to worry about.
“This is normal because your device needs time to complete the background setup process, including indexing data and files for search, downloading new items, and updating apps,” Apple wrote in a support page. “Immediately after completing an update, especially a major release, you may notice a temporary impact on battery life and thermal performance.”
But your personal iPhone usage could also be contributing to battery drain. Apple said some features might require more resources to work. So, depending on how you use your iPhone, you might “notice a slight impact on performance and/or battery life.”
So while your device may experience some extra battery drain at first, this should be a temporary issue after downloading iOS 26.2. If you find that you’re using your iPhone more after downloading iOS 26.2, that could also be contributing to your battery drain.
For more iOS news, here’s what you need to know iOS 26.5 And iOS 26.4. You can also view our iOS 26 Cheat Sheet for other tips and tricks.
Watch this: Here’s Why Your Phone Battery Sucks and What to Do About It