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3 Sneaky Apps That Are Draining Your iPhone Battery In The Background

November 22, 2025 by Abigail Connolly

 
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One of the most frustrating moments as an iPhone owner is often when your battery begins to drain, and you panic, needing to find a charger.

There are so many things that can contribute to your iPhone’s battery draining quickly, from the amount of time you use it to specific display settings you have on. However, some people might not realize that the apps on their phone can make a significant impact on their device’s battery life. To help you save and optimize your battery life, we’re sharing three apps that you might not notice are quietly draining your iPhone battery. Read more about them below.

1. Streaming Apps

Apps like Netflix, Hulu, and Peacock are super popular these days, as they're some of today's top streaming platforms. They allow you to watch your favorite content wherever you want, which can be great for traveling.

However, these apps are notorious for draining battery life. Not only does actively streaming videos cause your battery life to go down, but they can also quietly drain it in the background by updating, holding onto media files, taking up storage, etc. If you're not frequently using some of these apps but they're still on your phone, consider deleting them.

2. Snapchat

Snapchat has long been a fun platform for sharing quick photos and videos with friends and family, and it's come a super long way. Now, instead of just exchanging disappearing photos, users can post stories, use the Snap Map, download pictures, store their 'memories,' and more.

Therefore, the app has turned into a battery drainer, mainly because of everything it does in the background, including updating for messages, refreshing stories, tracking your location, and more. All of that activity takes a toll on your phone's battery life and even its speed.

3. Podcasts

If you listen to music, audiobooks, or other media on your iPhone, you are probably using popular streaming apps like Spotify or Apple Music. Because of that, you likely do not need the Podcasts app unless you regularly listen to podcasts there.

If you played a podcast or two in the app before, the auto download setting might be on. This can quickly fill up your storage and use more battery. It is better to manage your podcasts on your main streaming app and delete the preinstalled one.

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