Apple Watch Ultra battery terrible after Watch OS 11 upgrade

I have an Apple Watch Ultra and it is excellent.

Before updating to OS 11, I only charged it every 36 hours at least.

Now the battery is terrible, and after the update it loses more than 50% in less than 6 hours.

I did not modify the settings or add any other applications and the same daily use.

… my Ultra has been going from 100% to 12% in under 10 hours

I have same issue with ultra. After update battery was terrible, battery app was broken and I saw last charge before upgrade… I reset my watch and paired again, buttery app resolved, but instead of 2-3 days life on one charge, I have 1-2 days…

A software update should not require a customer delete and re-pair an Apple watch. As someone in the IT business, it speaks to poor software design. I have and am still having the same issues as others in this thread.

After an OS update, it's common to experience an increased battery drain as certain tasks related to the update continue in the background including indexing, you should only experience this increased battery drain for a few days before it goes back to normal.

If after a couple days, your battery is not back to normal, I would recommend unpair and repairing your Apple Watch with your iPhone ⇢ Unpair and erase your Apple Watch - Apple Support

Well folks, hers is the latest on my Ultra. One week later and counting. After last charge to 100%, battery usage is 11% for 12 hours. .917 per hour, or 22% for 24 hours. Here’s the kicker. Screen is set to always on and medium, on the brightness scale.

As mentioned in some of my previous posts here, when set to always off, I can only get 4 seconds of on time for my screen before it goes dark again.

I’m sure at this point there are some reading my posts probably thinking this guy doesn’t have a clue. 4 seconds screen on, yah right. Well, yesterday, I spent 1 hour 19 minutes on the phone with Apple support. I gave them remote access to both my iPhone and my watch. Together we went through all the settings we could think of as well as remote testing on both and looked through all the analytics data.

By the way, Apple was awesome. What we found is, my watch WILL NOT, adhere to the screen on time settings. It in fact, will and does only stay on for the 4 to 5 seconds as mentioned.

The next part is very impressive from Apple, they have invited me to take my watch in to a certified Apple repair to have it further tested. They have booked all that for me. I asked them who is paying as my watch is 18 months old and out of warranty. They answered, we are paying, we want your watch to be running optimally. At this point I have an open ticket for my watch. I have used my watch from day 1 with the screen set to always on. I would top up the charge every 36 to 48 hours. I believe now, my battery life has always been awesome because of my non functional screen on settings. So, with my screen set to always on medium and only 4 seconds of on time, my screen fades out to the low brightness setting. So, I’m always able to see the screen.

At this point, there is a really good chance I won’t be going to the Apple repair, because, for some reason my screen on time is a setting that is not an option. I don’t want to loose it.

Did you try to disable the Live Activities on your Apple Watch in the settings for Smart Stack?

My battery usage per hour went up from 1.2% to 3% during a 30min Cycling Outdoors workout, after I enabled the Live Activities again on the watch.

The brightness of my display is set to minimum in the settings on the watch, Always On Display is disabled, Wake on Wrist Raise is enabled, so the display will switch off when the wrist is lowered again.

15sec. for switching the display off automatically, in case I decide to look at the display longer.

Today, without Live Activities enabled during the day and 30min workout Cycling Outdoors, the usage is back to normal, 21 hours usage after a full charge, 75% battery left, 1.16percent/hour.

Battery Health on my Ultra 2 is 99%

Hi Dash-Veed,

Thanks for your reply and I’m glad your watch works as it should. In saying that, there are other Ultra users with my problem. At the moment, I have my watch set at always off. The 15 second view time only last for 4 seconds.

Apple doesn’t need to fix anything?? The OS 11 may be a great update for the Apple Watch 10, but it’s not so great for my watch.

Sincerely, my choices are, leave the screen always on, or get a 4 second view and keep twitching my wrist.

Just for your info, I have been using Apple products for just under 30 years. No, I don’t have a lot of points on this forum because in those 30 years I’ve never really had a reason to be on the discussion thread.

Ummmmm, very, very disappointed Apple. I updated my Ultra 1 week ago. As others have mentioned, 24 hours would run me approximately 30%.

Now, 24 hours is running me over 50%. Over 2% per hour compared to 1.25% before OS 11 update. This is not Okay. The main reason I purchased this model was for the longer battery life.

Yes, I am on low power mode. Numerous restarts and 3 hard resets.

I’ll be darned if I’m going to unpair and start from new. For a purchase price of over $1,200.00 and 18 months ownership I expect more.

Does anyone have any other solutions besides an unpair and start from new?

Hi Ingo2711,

I’m really appreciating your sharing and that is incredible battery life. That’s how mine used to be and I want that back. The one Caveat here is, mine used to do that without the always on turned off. When mine is turned off, and the wrist raise time is set for 15 seconds, mine will only stay on for 4 seconds before I have to Jiggle my wrist.

To me, not okay and definitely not acceptable. Currently, I am at 14 hours at 19% which will give me 32% for 24hours. That is with several hours now of playing with the settings and some restarts. The reason for the restarts is my banking access card will not reactivate to the watch. Spent a good hour on the phone with TD senior tech. Conclusion , definitely an Apple problem.

I guess at the end of the day, I’m wanting only 30 to 40% battery draw for 24hrs, the way it used to be without turning off always on. I know that, that worked before.

Hi Folks, one more update here. I guess overall I needed to vent somewhere about my experience with the last OS 11 update for my 18 month old Ultra. Truly, I would like to thank everyone for their suggestions, time and input.

Where I’m at right now with my watch. I believe I will hit my target of 30 to 40% for 24hrs. Currently 24% for 18 hours. I currently have my display turned to always on and low brightness for face up. Why, because that’s what I want and that’s how I’ve always used my watch. Also, when switched off, my watch will NOT stay on face up for the 15 or 70 seconds. 5 seconds max.

I believe one of the biggest helps in resolving my battery issues were from Ingo2711 and suggesting to turn off the Smart Stack setting and turning off Live Activities. Thanks so much.

I’m going to recharge to 100% at 6pm pacific time and test again.

I can share some feedback then.

Once again, thank you everyone.

If the battery in your iPhone drains too quickly - Apple Support

M1 Mac mini, macOS 15;  Watch, series 7 GPS/cellular, watchOS 11; iPhone 12 Pro, iOS 18; TV 4th Gen, tvOS 18; HomePods, audioOS 18 and Airport Express w/ Airplay 2

Ok, but Apple is not here. Apple engineers don't peruse these forums.

This is strictly a user-to-user tech forum.

If you want Apple to know about your issues;

Feedback -

Feedback - Watch - Apple

M1 Mac mini, macOS 15;  Watch, series 7 GPS/cellular, watchOS 11; iPhone 12 Pro, iOS 18; TV 4th Gen, tvOS 18; HomePods, audioOS 18 and Airport Express w/ Airplay 2