Why Is My iPhone 12 Pro Max Battery Degrading So Fast?

Is your iPhone 12 Pro Max’s battery capacity degrading at an accelerated speed? Well, you’re not the only one experiencing this issue. Many users have been complaining about similar issues. It seems that the root source of the problem is a batch of defective batteries that fail to perform as expected. If you’re considering buying an iPhone 12 Pro Max, do yourself a favor and read this post until the end.

Shading Some Light on iPhone 12 Pro Max’s Battery Health Issues

Many users complained the maximum battery capacity of their iPhone 12 Pro Max devices dropped below 98 percent after two months of usage. In other words, battery health is degrading by 1 or 2 percent every month.

Rest assured, these numbers are not out of line. Your iPhone’s battery capacity usually drops by 1 percent after 25 charging cycles. If your battery’s capacity drops by 5 percent after 5 or 6 months of usage, that’s completely normal. As Apple explains, reaching 80 percent after 500 cycles is to be expected. For the average user, that’s 1.5 to 2 years.

How Do You Define Abnormal Battery Behavior?

If your battery loses more than 1 percent of its capacity after 25 charges, it may indeed be defective. A 1 percent drop per month is fairly normal. However, a 1 percent drop per week is not. Dropping to 90 percent in 4 months with a 100 battery cycle count is not normal. That makes you eligible for a battery replacement under warranty.

Maybe This Is Just a Bug in the Reporting System

Many users also suggested the battery capacity drop may actually be nothing more than a bug in the reporting system. As a quick reminder, Apple already acknowledged a similar problem is affecting all iPhone 11 models. If the battery capacity continues to drop but you don’t notice any negative changes in your iPhone’s performance, then you have nothing to worry about. This could well be a simple reporting bug.

What to Do if Your iPhone 12 Pro Max Battery Is Degrading Rapidly

Get the Latest Updates

The good news is that OS 14.5 and later includes a special update to recalibrate the battery health reporting system and “address inaccurate estimates of battery health reporting for some users“. The catch is the update is targeting iPhone 11 models.

Notice Apple doesn’t say anything about iPhone 12 models. Nevertheless, do update your iPhone 12 Pro Max to the latest iOS version. Keep your fingers crossed. Hopefully, the latest battery improvements and fixes work on iPhone 12 models as well.

Keep in mind that the recalibration process might take a few weeks. During all this time, the displayed maximum capacity percentage will remain the same. It will only be updated when recalibration is complete.

Ignore the Maximum Capacity Percentage

If users are right and the problem is indeed caused by a bug in the reporting system, you’ve got nothing to worry about. As long as your battery isn’t dying quickly, don’t worry about the battery percentage. Have a little patience and check if iOS 14.5 and later solves the problem.

Report the Problem

If the latest iOS version doesn’t solve the issue in two or three weeks, use the Report a Problem page and let Apple know your iPhone’s battery health is degrading fast. Hopefully, Apple will soon roll out a specific hotfix for iPhone 12 models if need be.

Contact an Apple Authorized Service Provider

If you’re experiencing severe battery issues, contact an authorized service provider. If your battery is defective, you’ll get a new one. By the way, if your battery falls to or below 80 percent within one year, you can use your warranty to replace the faulty battery for free.

Quick Decision Tree

Case 1: Battery Capacity Drops by 0.5-1 Percent per Month

• That’s normal behavior, you’ve got nothing to worry about.
• Scroll down to the “How to Extend Your iPhone’s Battery Lifespan” section.
• Put those suggestions into practice and check if the issue persists.

Case 2: Battery Capacity Drops Rapidly

• If you don’t notice any performance issues, this could only be a bug in the reporting system.
• Keep your device up-to-date and report the problem to Apple.

Case 3: Battery Capacity Drops by 2 Percent per Month

• Are you playing graphically demanding games daily? Are you using your device in environments where the temperature is constantly above 95° F (35° C)?
• If the answer is “Yes“, that could explain why your battery is degrading fast.
• Scroll down to the “How to Extend Your iPhone’s Battery Lifespan” section.
• Follow those suggestions and check the results.

Case 4: Battery Capacity Drops by 2 Percent or More per Month

• If you’re using your iPhone under normal conditions, and you’re not running resource and battery-demanding apps, your battery might be faulty.
• Report the problem to Apple.
• Go to an authorized service provider and have your battery checked.
• If battery capacity falls to or below 80 percent within one year, you can get a new one for free.

Quick Reminder: Your iPhone’s Battery Is a Consumable Part

As Apple explains, the maximum battery capacity indicator measures your iPhone’s battery capacity relative to when it was brand-new. As the battery ages, it will have a lower capacity. That translates into fewer hours of usage between charges. Simply put, you need to charge your battery more frequently.

When battery capacity has reached a critically low level, a degraded battery message will pop up on the screen inviting you to get a new battery.

Your battery’s maximum capacity slowly decreases over time. That’s a process that you can’t stop. What you can influence is the rate at which that happens. There are many different factors that influence the battery degradation process, including the number of charging cycles and how you take care of your device.

⇒ Note: Don’t compare what old iPhone models reported for battery health with your new iPhone 12 device.

How to Extend Your iPhone’s Battery Lifespan

• Keep your iPhone half-charged when you’re storing it for a long period of time.
• Remove the case during charging to avoid excessive heat and other issues.
• Enable Airplane mode when charging.
• Avoid extreme temperatures for extended periods of time. Your iPhone’s comfort zone ranges between 32° to 95° F (or 0° to 35° C).
• Install the latest iOS updates as soon as they’re available.
• Disable background apps. Don’t let unnecessary apps run in the background.
• Enable location services, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi only when you actually need these features.
• Use fast charging only when necessary. Keep in mind that all batteries degrade way faster when fast-charged. Slow charge your iPhone if you’re not in a hurry and don’t need your device charged that fast.

Conclusion

Many iPhone 12 Pro Max users complained about battery health degrading way faster than expected. Keep in mind that a 1 percent drop per month is normal. Batteries are consumable components. However, if you’re facing a 1-2 percent health drop each week, this means your battery is faulty. Use the one-year warranty to replace your battery for free.

Did you notice any battery improvements after upgrading your iPhone 12 to the latest iOS version? If you already had your battery replaced, hit the comments below and let us know if you’re still experiencing the same problem.

Madalina Dinita

Madalina has been a Windows fan ever since she got her hands on her first Windows XP computer. She is interested in all things technology, especially emerging technologies — AI and DNA computing in particular.