How to Turn On Low Power Mode When Your iPhone Battery Is Running Low

When You Need Your Phone to Last a Little Longer

You're out running errands, you glance at your phone, and the battery number has slipped down to 18%. You still need to call your daughter on the way home and maybe pull up your grocery list at the store. The charger, of course, is sitting on the kitchen counter.

Your iPhone has a helpful setting for exactly this moment. It's called Low Power Mode, and think of it a bit like coasting your car down a hill to save gas. The phone quietly slows down a few things behind the scenes so the battery you have left stretches further.

What Low Power Mode Actually Does

When you switch it on, your iPhone does a few small things to save energy. The screen dims a little. Emails stop checking themselves in the background. Some visual effects get toned down. You can still make calls, send texts, look at photos, and use your apps — everything important keeps working.

You'll know it's on because the battery symbol in the top-right corner of your screen turns yellow instead of the usual green or white. That yellow color is your reminder: "I'm saving power right now."

When you plug your phone in and it charges back up to 80%, Low Power Mode turns itself off automatically. You don't have to remember to switch it back.

How to Turn It On in Three Taps

Here's the quickest way, right from your home screen:

Open the Settings app. It's the gray icon with little gears on it.
Scroll down and tap Battery.
You'll see Low Power Mode near the top. Tap the switch on the right so it turns green.

That's it. Look up at the top-right corner of your screen and you should see the battery icon has turned yellow. Your phone is now sipping power instead of gulping it.

To turn it back off, just follow the same three steps and tap the green switch so it goes back to gray.

A Faster Way, If You'd Like One

If you find yourself using this often, there's an even quicker shortcut called the Control Center — a little panel of buttons you can pull down from the top of the screen.

Swipe down from the very top-right corner of your screen (where the battery icon lives). A panel will slide into view with several icons. If you see a yellow battery button, tap it once to turn Low Power Mode on. Tap it again to turn it off.

If you don't see the battery button in your Control Center, don't worry about it — the Settings method works just as well.

One Small Thing to Try Today

The next time you're at home with your phone plugged in and charging, take a minute to practice. Open Settings, tap Battery, and flip Low Power Mode on. Watch the battery icon in the corner turn yellow. Then flip it back off.

Doing it once now, while nothing's urgent, means you'll remember exactly where to find it the day you really need it — stuck in a waiting room with 12% left on the battery and no outlet in sight.

Need a hand with your technology? We're here to help. Give PorchSwing a call or book an appointment, and we'll walk you through it at your own pace — no rush, no jargon.