Battery problems after upgrading to iOS 14.5? Here’s how to fix it

May 17, 2021

By Kim Komando

Updated May 17, 2021: Apple is working on a fix for the problems detailed in the following article. The patch will be out in iOS 14.6, which is currently in Beta testing.

Your smartphone could be a device you use for simple communication or your lifeline to the world at large. With more people working and learning remotely, having readily available access to the internet and our peers is important.

No matter how you use your phone, a dead battery renders it useless. Wouldn’t it be great to have a battery that lasts forever? We’re not there yet, but 28,000 years between charges should be enough for most people. Tap or click here for details.

Apple’s iPhone may be a marvelous bit of tech, but it’s not without its problems. The latest iOS update is causing battery-draining trouble for some users. Read on for details and some tips on extending your battery life.

Here we go again

It seems that most iOS updates cause concern regarding battery life. Some people even choose not to update their phones for this very reason. This is not a good thing, as these updates can add important security measures and fix major bugs. This extends to your browser, PC, laptop, tablet or any other such device.

RELATED: Major security flaw addressed by macOS Big Sur update

If you downloaded iOS 14.5 and are experiencing battery issues, here are some ways to mitigate them:

• The waiting game – Your phone needs time to adjust to updates so give it some time.
• Check out your storage space – The update could have pushed it close to its limit, and your phone will run processes to make use of what space you have. This could cause a drain on your battery.
• Try some charging cycles – Top your battery off, then let it go down to about 10%. Charge it back up and repeat the process a couple of times. This should not be what you normally do, but it could help after an update.
• Don’t overcharge your battery or let it drain too far – This will lower your battery’s lifespan. Tap or click here for some battery charging tips.
• Keep an eye on your battery – Check your battery health by going to Settings > Battery > Battery Health and check out the Maximum Capacity. If it’s over 80%, you’re all right. If you see a message about battery recalibration, give your phone some time to update the information.
• Free up space – Clearing out apps will free up storage space, lower how many processes may be running without your knowledge and get rid of programs that could be invading your privacy. Tap or click here for six apps you should delete now.

iOS 14.5 brings along App Tracking Transparency

The new iOS update introduced Apple’s App Tracking Transparency (ATT), which allows you to choose which apps can track you online. This is helpful if you use apps from Google and Facebook, which track your location, clicks and other activity to target you with ads.

Companies have to comply with ATT or risk having their apps removed from the App Store. Tap or click here for more information on how ATT can help protect your privacy.

Several users have reported that they are not able to use ATT even after updating to iOS 14.5. Apple just released iOS 14.5.1 (along with iPadOS 14.5.1 and watchOS 7.4.1) to address this issue. Go to Settings > General > Software Update to get the latest fix.

One you’re up to date, go to Settings > Privacy > Tracking and switch off Allow Apps to Request to Track to activate ATT.

Facebook isn’t happy

If you use Facebook and updated to iOS 14.5, you may have received a notification from Facebook (and/or Instagram) telling you that the option to turn off tracking may hinder the social network from showing you personalized ads and keeping its app free.

In a blog post, Facebook said that not allowing tracking won’t keep you from seeing ads, but the ones you get will be less relevant. Facebook wants to convince you that targeted ads are good for you and small businesses that benefit from your attention.

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