17 ProMax Battery Not Draining after Charge unless Restarted

[tonypalmtree]

I recently got a brand new IPhone 17 Pro Max and am currently updated to the latest version of IOS 26.
I have the issue every morning when I wake up my and take my phone off the charger it stays at 100% even with heavy use the battery won’t go down unless I restart it. The phone is fairly new (5 days) but this seems like it shouldn’t be happening. Anyone got any advice?

 

[MacCheetah3]

How long are you using/waiting before restarting? 10 minutes? An hour?

Put very simply, iPhones, iPads, etc., will show 100% for longer than most percentages. After it breaks away, the percentage should decrease ‘normally’. The simplified reason: your iPhone doesn’t show the exact/actual charge level of the battery. There are behind-the-scenes things that the user doesn’t need to know, including that 100% shown in the status bar isn’t exactly 100%, nor is the battery fully drained when a device shuts down after 1%.

By the way, if you run your iPhone down to automatic shut down due to low battery, it will seem like the device hangs onto the last 1% forever.

Additionally, new devices need to settle in, among the items is the device calibrating battery reporting. Every battery is a little different, including many being above target spec.

You can/should do a recalibration every few/several months:

Battery Calibration

All newly-installed smart batteries should be calibrated as soon as possible. This helps your phone or laptop get an accurate reading on the battery’s state of charge.

www.ifixit.com

 

[tonypalmtree]

How long are you using/waiting before restarting? 10 minutes? An hour?

Put very simply, iPhones, iPads, etc., will show 100% for longer than most percentages. After it breaks away, the percentage should decrease ‘normally’. The simplified reason: your iPhone doesn’t show the exact/actual charge level of the battery. There are behind-the-scenes things that the user doesn’t need to know, including that 100% shown in the status bar isn’t exactly 100%, nor is the battery fully drained when a device shuts down after 1%.

By the way, if you run your iPhone down to automatic shut down due to low battery, it will seem like the device hangs onto the last 1% forever.

Additionally, new devices need to settle in, among the items is the device calibrating battery reporting. Every battery is a little different, including many being above target spec.

You can/should do a recalibration every few/several months:

Battery Calibration

All newly-installed smart batteries should be calibrated as soon as possible. This helps your phone or laptop get an accurate reading on the battery’s state of charge.

www.ifixit.com

I’m waiting at least an hour before restarting, I am using apps like YouTube and instagram which normally drain a lot of battery but they don’t at all until I restart it. How long should this last and should I return the phone or just wait it out? Also when I restart it, then it quickly drops from 100 to 96 or 95 in a few minutes.

 

[MacCheetah3]

Also when I restart it, then it quickly drops from 100 to 96 or 95 in a few minutes.

Ah. Okay. That 95% - 100% range is key. Basically, don’t worry about it. But if you want more detail:

When connected to a charger, iPhones (and other Apple devices) charge to 100%, then it stops charging. When the charge level drops (back) down to ~95%, charging restarts/resumes. This cycle continues until the device is disconnected from external power. It’s primarily to prevent overcharging but also keeps the battery cells at least a little exercised. You won’t see this shown on the device. The UI will constantly show 100% despite the battery going through this partial cycle. Why? A user doesn’t need to know. When you restart the iPhone (while disconnected from external power), it checks the current, actual battery charge and will show the more accurate value the next time the percentage display updates. For example, if after you restart the iPhone, the battery charge level is at 98%, you’ll possibly see the percentage go from 100% to 97%, which is really going from 98% to 97%.

So, again, basically, don’t worry about it, this is normal.

P.S. In fact, you should be the opposite of concerned the iPhone is using only up to ~5% of battery with an hour or so of social media use.

 

[tonypalmtree]

Ah. Okay. That 95% - 100% range is key. Basically, don’t worry about it. But if you want more detail:

When connected to a charger, iPhones (and other Apple devices) charge to 100%, then it stops charging. When the charge level drops (back) down to ~95%, charging restarts/resumes. This cycle continues until the device is disconnected from external power. It’s primarily to prevent overcharging but also keeps the battery cells at least a little exercised. You won’t see this shown on the device. The UI will constantly show 100% despite the battery going through this partial cycle. Why? A user doesn’t need to know. When you restart the iPhone (while disconnected from external power), it checks the current, actual battery charge and will show the more accurate value the next time the percentage display updates. For example, if after you restart the iPhone, the battery charge level is at 98%, you’ll possibly see the percentage go from 100% to 97%, which is really going from 98% to 97%.

So, again, basically, don’t worry about it, this is normal.

P.S. In fact, you should be the opposite of concerned the iPhone is using only up to ~5% of battery with an hour or so of social media use.

Ah. Okay. That 95% - 100% range is key. Basically, don’t worry about it. But if you want more detail:

When connected to a charger, iPhones (and other Apple devices) charge to 100%, then it stops charging. When the charge level drops (back) down to ~95%, charging restarts/resumes. This cycle continues until the device is disconnected from external power. It’s primarily to prevent overcharging but also keeps the battery cells at least a little exercised. You won’t see this shown on the device. The UI will constantly show 100% despite the battery going through this partial cycle. Why? A user doesn’t need to know. When you restart the iPhone (while disconnected from external power), it checks the current, actual battery charge and will show the more accurate value the next time the percentage display updates. For example, if after you restart the iPhone, the battery charge level is at 98%, you’ll possibly see the percentage go from 100% to 97%, which is really going from 98% to 97%.

So, again, basically, don’t worry about it, this is normal.

P.S. In fact, you should be the opposite of concerned the iPhone is using only up to ~5% of battery with an hour or so of social media use.

Okay, should I restart the phone every morning to get the accurate battery percentage or just wait it out to let it correct it self?

 

[MacCheetah3]

Okay, should I restart the phone every morning to get the accurate battery percentage or just wait it out to let it correct it self?

Let it do its thing.

You’ll only notice, if you pay attention, after disconnecting from a charger.

Just enjoy your new iPhone.

 

[tonypalmtree]

Let it do its thing.

You’ll only notice, if you pay attention, after disconnecting from a charger.

Just enjoy your new iPhone.

Okay, thanks for the help.

 

[tonypalmtree]

Let it do its thing.

You’ll only notice, if you pay attention, after disconnecting from a charger.

Just enjoy your new iPhone.

So I am continuing to have the same issue where the phone will not drop battery after an overnight charge unless it is restarted. I’ve tried to just let it go down by itself but it won’t at all. Should I just take my phone back and try to replace it or just restart my phone every morning.

 

[aakshey]

17 Pro Max on iOS 26 will easily last 1-1.5+ hours SOT from 100 to 99% with light usage like YouTube. Once it drops to 99%, every subsequent percent should be 10-15+ mins of SOT. The first 1% is like 6% of overall usage.

 

[aakshey]

17 Pro Max on iOS 26 will easily last 1-1.5+ hours SOT from 100 to 99% with light usage like YouTube. Once it drops to 99%, every subsequent percent should be 10-15+ mins of SOT. The first 1% is like 6% of overall usage.

Same with overnight drain, maybe you have great signal so it doesn’t drop at all, especially if it’s 100%. Play YouTube non stop for 2-3 hours, I’m sure it will drop. Thereafter measure every percent to minute drop ratio after it has dropped at least a percent. So it’s not right out of the charger.

 

[MacCheetah3]

I’ve tried to just let it go down by itself but it won’t at all.

⬇️

Play YouTube non stop for 2-3 hours, I’m sure it will drop.

 

[tonypalmtree]

Same with overnight drain, maybe you have great signal so it doesn’t drop at all, especially if it’s 100%. Play YouTube non stop for 2-3 hours, I’m sure it will drop. Thereafter measure every percent to minute drop ratio after it has dropped at least a percent. So it’s not right out of the charger.

Okay, I’ll try this tomorrow morning. It just seems very odd to me. I’ve never had this issue with any other iPhone and it’s annoying to have to deal with this after dropping over a grand on a new phone.

 

[BigMcGuire]

Okay, I’ll try this tomorrow morning. It just seems very odd to me. I’ve never had this issue with any other iPhone and it’s annoying to have to deal with this after dropping over a grand on a new phone.

You’re annoyed that your iPhone 17 Pro Max is lasting a long time ? Really ?

I’ve used cellphones since the days of the Samsung Q105. I’ve used iPhones since the iPhone 4s. Every iPhone has always done this… Every phone manufacturer does this… As a self declared battery hobbyist, you can hook your iPhone up to a Mac and see the “actual” charge vs what the OS says the Charge % is. All laptop manufacturers do the same thing.

Yes… the 17 Pro Max has an insane battery. This is normal. All tech does this. And iPhone has done this since the days I’ve owned my 4s.

Batteries can also come over provisioned from the factory (my wife’s 17 Pro battery is 103.9% capacity). Her phone will sit at 100% for a LONG time - 5+ hours. My 15 Pro Max was similarly over provisioned (after 2 years I still had 100% battery health) and it would sit for many many hours at 100% before dropping to 99%.

Enjoy your most likely over provisioned (use coconut battery to find out if you have a Mac (or you can dig through the debug logs to find it)) long lasting battery.

The way you want to see this… your car (using this as an analogy) has a slightly larger gas tank than factory design - and thus will stay at a FULL gas needle longer than usual.

 

[tonypalmtree]

You’re annoyed that your iPhone 17 Pro Max is lasting a long time ? Really ?

I’ve used cellphones since the days of the Samsung Q105. I’ve used iPhones since the iPhone 4s. Every iPhone has always done this… Every phone manufacturer does this… As a self declared battery hobbyist, you can hook your iPhone up to a Mac and see the “actual” charge vs what the OS says the Charge % is. All laptop manufacturers do the same thing.

Yes… the 17 Pro Max has an insane battery. This is normal. All tech does this. And iPhone has done this since the days I’ve owned my 4s.

Batteries can also come over provisioned from the factory (my wife’s 17 Pro battery is 103.9% capacity). Her phone will sit at 100% for a LONG time - 5+ hours. My 15 Pro Max was similarly over provisioned (after 2 years I still had 100% battery health) and it would sit for many many hours at 100% before dropping to 99%.

Enjoy your most likely over provisioned (use coconut battery to find out if you have a Mac (or you can dig through the debug logs to find it)) long lasting battery.

Yeah I kinda sound ridiculous when you put it like that. I just hate dealing with tech issues and I’ve never had it happen to me before with any other iPhone so I’m just super anxious that my phone is defective in someway. I’ll just let it do its thing and try not to obsess over it. Thanks

 

[BigMcGuire]

Yeah I kinda sound ridiculous when you put it like that. I just hate dealing with tech issues and I’ve never had it happen to me before with any other iPhone so I’m just super anxious that my phone is defective in someway. I’ll just let it do its thing and try not to obsess over it. Thanks

You are totally cool - and this stuff is not apparent at all. These phones are crazy expensive so the worry is totally understandable. Sorry if I came off harsh.

In my experience (my 17 Pro Max is 101% provisioned) - it’ll stay at 100% for maybe 3-4 hours before dropping to 99%. My 15 Pro Max, (because I am a very light user), could spend 5-8 hours at 100%. Perks of working a desk job. lol.

IMO there is no such thing as a stupid question. And I wish Apple would display more battery stats (they log it in the debug logs (how coconutBattery gets its data)).

The 17 Pro Max is CRAZY (I have one) - lasts forever. It also cost me an arm and a leg. So hoping it will … give me many years of service. Lol because these things are more expensive than a MacBook!

 

[chown33]

New phones often have batteries whose max state-of-charge exceeds the nominal max. It's not unusual or odd; it's the norm. That is, they can effectively be charged to 103% or 106% or some unpredictable value in excess of the nominal 100%. When the state-of-charge (battery level) exceeds 100%, iOS (and iPadOS) will show it as 100%.

The net effect is that the displayed charge level won't drop to 99% until the excess amount has discharged. For example, if the battery charges to 106%, then you have to consume 7% before the phone will display 99%.

Rebooting a phone will make the CPU run at pretty close to full speed until it completes the entire boot process. That could consume several percentage points of battery charge level. So it seems to me that one reason why you see 99% (or whatever) after a reboot is simply because you've consumed enough battery charge to run it down. To me, that seems like an unproductive use of battery charge, only to see 99% (or whatever).

 

[tonypalmtree]

You are totally cool - and this stuff is not apparent at all. These phones are crazy expensive so the worry is totally understandable. Sorry if I came off harsh.

In my experience (my 17 Pro Max is 101% provisioned) - it’ll stay at 100% for maybe 3-4 hours before dropping to 99%. My 15 Pro Max, (because I am a very light user), could spend 5-8 hours at 100%. Perks of working a desk job. lol.

IMO there is no such thing as a stupid question. And I wish Apple would display more battery stats (they log it in the debug logs (how coconutBattery gets its data)).

The 17 Pro Max is CRAZY (I have one) - lasts forever. It also cost me an arm and a leg. So hoping it will … give me many years of service. Lol because these things are more expensive than a MacBook!

You’re all good. I wish apple would be more transparent about the true battery percentage and overall battery health, all the info they give is so vague it’s really pointless. The price is really the reason I worry so much. I try to delay getting a new IPhone until I absolutely have to and when I drop over a grand and it seems off I just get paranoid. I really appreciate your help!

 

[aakshey]

Okay, I’ll try this tomorrow morning. It just seems very odd to me. I’ve never had this issue with any other iPhone and it’s annoying to have to deal with this after dropping over a grand on a new phone.

It is no an issue. The battery life of the 17 Pro Max is that good. Just try what I said.

 

[tonypalmtree]

Just wanted to make a follow up post to say that my battery did start draining after a full charge without a restart. Thanks to everyone for the help. You’re all way more helpful than a trillion dollar company.