Apple’s new iPhone launch is just weeks away, which should be followed by the official rollout of the company’s new iOS 26 operating system. While Liquid Glass stole the spotlight during Apple’s WWDC address earlier this year, there are other nifty features in the UI that could be real head-turners as well.
One of the lesser-known features in iOS 26 is a setting called Adaptive Power, which uses AI to extend iPhone battery life during high usage.
iPhone users already have the option to lower brightness, turn off Always-On Display, or, in worst-case scenarios, switch to Low Power Mode to cut background activity and conserve power.
But the new Adaptive Power feature works more intelligently. It only kicks in during high power-consuming tasks such as recording videos, editing photos, or playing games.
When triggered, Adaptive Power makes small performance adjustments to stretch battery life.
Apple’s descripton for Adaptive Power reads:
“When your battery usage is higher than usual, iPhone can make small performance adjustments to extend your battery life, including slightly lowering the display brightness or allowing some activities to take a little longer. Low Power Mode may turn on at 20%.”
How to turn on Adaptive Power in iOS 26
The Adaptive Power setting isn’t enabled by default. Here’s how you can switch it on:
Make sure you are currently running the iOS 26 Developer or Public Beta
Go to Settings > Battery > Power Mode
A new option for Adaptive Power should appear above Low Power Mode
Turn it on to activate intelligent battery savings
Which devices support Adaptive Power?
While Apple hasn’t officially labeled Adaptive Power as part of Apple Intelligence, users on social media report that the feature only shows up on devices that support Apple Intelligence. Older iPhones don’t get the option in battery settings.
That means Adaptive Power is limited to newer devices starting with the iPhone 15 Pro lineup:
