16e phone battery drains quickly

Video (Netflix) is probably the culprit. Check the iPhone battery health and usage. Go to this support page:

Understand your iPhone battery usage and health - Apple Support

Read the section: View your battery usage information

On your device go to Settings  > Battery and see how much usage your various apps have demanded.

Also check your battery health. My wife has a 16e and its battery health is fine but if you are a heavy user of high-demand apps such as games and video then it is conceivable your battery maybe prematurely ageing.

Read this support article about iPhone battery and performance to learn about the battery health feature and what is considered normal performance --> iPhone battery and performance - Apple Support

To see the feature go to: Settings > Battery > Battery Health

If health is below 80% go to this web site for information about how to request battery service for your iPhone: Apple Service and Repair for iPhone Battery - Apple Support

For cost and availability, enter your model information in the "Get an estimate" box at the bottom. (It is best that you do this since sometimes contributors here forget this is an international forum and not everybody asking questions lives in the contributor’s country.)

For instructions on how to get your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch ready for service click here --> Prepare your iPhone or iPad for a service appointment - Apple Support

Dropping 23% in 2 hours (from 80% down to 57%) during continuous use of Instagram, Reddit, and Netflixis actually quite common for an iPhone 16e. While the phone has a solid battery capacity, the specific apps you are using are among the heaviest power consumers. [1,2,3]

• The App Culprits: Instagram and Reddit are notoriously heavy because they constantly pre-load high-definition videos, images, and feeds in the background so they play instantly as you scroll. Netflixkeeps the screen active at a high brightness level, continuously streams data, and forces the phone's processors to decode high-definition video files simultaneously. [1]
• The 80% Factor: Batteries drain slightly faster during the top half of their charge capacity cycle than they do when they get closer to the bottom.

To help reduce this aggressive drain without giving up your favorite apps, try these adjustments:

• Turn Off Background App Refresh: Go to Settings > General > Background App Refresh and turn it off specifically for Instagram and Reddit. This prevents them from constantly syncing data and loading posts when the apps are closed. [1]
• Adjust In-App Data Saver Settings: Open Instagram Settings > Media Quality and turn on Use Less Cellular Data. On Reddit, change the video settings to never autoplay videos. This dramatically cuts down how much content the apps pre-download while you scroll. [1]
• Lower Netflix Streaming Quality: Inside the Netflix App Settings, change the video playback quality from Highest to Standard. It still looks great on a phone-sized screen but uses far less processor power and network bandwidth.
• Turn On Low Power Mode: If you know you are going to be scrolling or streaming for a prolonged session, toggle on Low Power Mode from your Control Center. It automatically throttles background tasks and optimizes app performance to save battery.

To see if there is an isolated system glitch or a broader software issue, let me know:

• Did you recently update your iPhone to a new software version in the last 48 hours?
• What does your Maximum Capacity percentage look like under Settings > Battery > Battery Health & Charging?

I can tell you if your battery behavior is normal or requires a deeper software reset.

[Edited by Moderator]

Hi ciburg,

Experiencing a 23% battery drop over 2 hours of active screen time on an iPhone 16e (especially with apps like Netflix, Reddit, and Instagram) can be completely normal depending on display brightness, background refresh, and media streaming settings.

Here are a few quick practical steps to help optimize your battery life:

1. Check Background App Refresh: Social media apps like Instagram and Reddit often fetch data continuously in the background. Go to Settings > General > Background App Refresh and consider toggling it off for these apps.
2. Optimize Streaming Settings: Video streaming apps like Netflix require high screen brightness and active Wi-Fi/Cellular data, which consumes significant power. Lowering the playback quality slightly or reducing brightness can help save energy.
3. Review Location Services: Apps like Instagram occasionally access location services unnecessarily. Check Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services and set them to "While Using the App."

If you'd like a step-by-step walkthrough on optimizing your battery settings and troubleshooting fast battery drain on iOS, feel free to check out this comprehensive guide:***

Hope this helps!

[Edited by Moderator]

Here’s the screen shot of my usage.

[Edited by Moderator]

Any app that uses the camera will use a lot of energy, on any device.

But when i look at the other days for example it says reddit used %13 in just 50 minutes.

I think that instagram uses most of it. I don’t know why.