In short
Open Settings, tap Battery, then Battery Health. Maximum Capacity shows how much charge the battery holds compared with when it was new. On our iPhone 17e the page describes Maximum Capacity as a measure of battery capacity relative to when it was new.
When your iPhone starts begging for a charger before lunch, it is natural to wonder whether the battery is simply getting old. The iPhone shows how much charge its battery holds compared with when it was new, and checking takes a few seconds. Screenshots: iPhone 17e, iOS 27.0.1, dark mode.
3 of 3 steps show a real screenshot from our iPhone 17e.
What changed: added Apple's design figures for battery capacity by charge cycles: 80% at 500 cycles for iPhone 14 and earlier, 80% at 1,000 for iPhone 15 models.
Steps
- 1
Open Settings and tap Battery
Battery has a green icon in the main list. On our iPhone 17e with iOS 27 it was the last row of the first group, below Personal Hotspot.
- 2
Tap Battery Health
Apple says that on iPhone 14 and earlier the row is called Battery Health & Charging. On iOS 27 it is further down the Battery page, below the usage chart. On our iPhone 17e with iOS 27.0.1 it came just below App and System Activity and View All Battery Usage, and read Normal, above Charging, Power Mode (Adaptive) and Battery Percentage.
- 3
Read Maximum Capacity and Cycle Count
Maximum Capacity compares the battery with when it was new. The note under it on our iPhone 17e reads: This is a measure of battery capacity relative to when it was new. Lower capacity may result in fewer hours of usage between charges. Apple says iPhone 15 models and later also show the cycle count, manufacture date and first use date. On our iPhone 17e with iOS 27, Battery Health said Normal and Maximum Capacity 100 %, with Cycle Count 1, Manufacture Date May 2026 and First Use June 2026.
If you do not see this option
- No Battery Health row Apple says that on iPhone 14 or earlier you tap Battery Health & Charging instead. On our iPhone 17e the row was Battery Health, below App and System Activity and View All Battery Usage. Source: Understand your iPhone battery usage and health
- No Cycle Count, Manufacture Date or First Use Apple says these details are shown on iPhone 15 models or later. On our iPhone 17e they were under Maximum Capacity: Cycle Count 1, Manufacture Date May 2026, First Use June 2026. Source: Understand your iPhone battery usage and health
If this does not work
- Battery life is short although the battery says Normal Then the battery itself may be fine, and the culprit could be an app with a big appetite. Apple says battery life and charge cycles vary with use and settings. Look at App and System Activity on the Battery page, or tap View All Battery Usage, to see what used the battery. On our iPhone 17e, View All Battery Usage was the last row of App and System Activity, just above Battery Health.
- Battery Health does not say Normal On our iPhone 17e it said Normal, with the note This iPhone battery is performing as expected and an About Battery & Warranty link under it. If yours shows another message, tap that link. Apple's iOS 27 guide also offers Step-by-Step Help for troubleshooting battery health, and says the battery should be serviced by Apple or an Apple Authorised Service Provider.
Good to know
Is your figure normal for its cycle count? Apple says batteries of iPhone 14 models and earlier are designed to keep 80% of their original capacity at 500 complete charge cycles, and batteries of iPhone 15 models 80% at 1,000 cycles, under ideal conditions. Compare your Cycle Count with those numbers: reaching about 80% well before 500 cycles (or 1,000 on an iPhone 15 or later) means the battery is wearing faster than that design. Apple adds that real results depend on how the iPhone is used and charged. Honestly, no figure on this page can promise how long your next day will last, so treat it as a guide rather than a verdict.
Apple says the iPhone battery should be serviced or recycled by Apple or an Apple Authorised Service Provider, so this is not a job for the screwdriver in your kitchen drawer.
If you are the type who plugs in at bedtime and unplugs at breakfast, this one is for you. To reduce the time the battery stays fully charged, Apple describes Optimised Battery Charging: it pauses charging at 80%, then finishes closer to when you usually unplug the iPhone. On iPhone 15 or later it is under Battery, Charging. On iPhone 14 or earlier it is under Battery, Battery Health & Charging.
If capacity is fine but the battery still drains quickly, see why your phone battery drains fast.
iOS 27 compared with iOS 26: On our iPhone 14 Pro, Battery Health & Charging is in the same place on iOS 26.7.1 and iOS 27.0.1: on the Battery page, below the usage chart.
Version history: the iOS 26 version of this guide, with its own screenshots.
What our device showed
- Device
- iPhone 17e
- Software
- iOS 27.0.1
- Battery Health
- Normal
- Maximum Capacity
- 100 %
- Cycle Count
- 1
- Manufacture Date
- May 2026
- First Use
- June 2026
- Date checked
- October 2026
Read from our own screenshots of this device. Your phone will show its own figures.
About this guide
- Device
- iPhone
- Shown on
- iOS 27.0.1 (iPhone 17e)
- App
- Settings
- Path
- Settings › Battery
- Real screenshots
- 3 of 3 steps
- Checked
- October 2026
- Sources
- 4 official, linked below
Sources
Links checked October 2026. Menus and features can change with updates.What to do next
Make your iPhone battery last Step 1 of 4
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