Apple Adds AI-Powered 'Adaptive Power Mode' to iOS 26 Beta
In the developer beta version of Apple’s upcoming operating system, iOS 26, a new AI-powered battery-saving feature named "Adaptive Power Mode" has been introduced. The feature is designed to extend iPhone battery life by leveraging artificial intelligence, but it will be available exclusively to users of the iPhone 15 Pro series and the upcoming iPhone 16 series.
When enabled, Adaptive Power Mode works by autonomously reducing screen brightness and slowing down specific tasks to conserve battery life. It differs from the traditional Low Power Mode, which only activates when the battery level drops to 20% and typically limits background activities.
Although iOS 26 supports models as far back as iPhone 11, the Adaptive Power Mode requires Apple Intelligence — a suite of features supported only on devices with M-series chips or the A17 Pro processor and beyond.
The new feature can be found in Settings > Battery > Power Mode, appearing alongside the existing Low Power Mode. In the developer beta, Adaptive Power Mode is enabled by default.
Apple analyst Mark Gurman had previously hinted that the company was working on app-specific power optimization features based on battery usage and behavior analysis. The Adaptive Power Mode appears to be the first tangible outcome of that effort.
