Apple Watch Battery Drain after updating to 10.5

Apple needs to fix this update process. I didn't want to update but now that my iphone is on iOS 17 it required the update for the watch to function with their app. It's been over 24 hours since the update and I've reset the phone, unpaired, forced the reboot etc. Prior to the update I would have 20% remaining after 16-17 hours normal usage. Now the battery is dead after 5 hours. If it is the indexing, Apple should at least be throttling that process so that the watches don't die after a few hours use. Apple needs a class action suit filed against them for this. So much for "it just works"!

Do a forced restart of your Apple Watch. If you’re unfamiliar with how to do a forced restart please review the Apple Support article I linked below. After the forced restart the battery usage should return to former levels in 24 to 72 hours. After an update the Watch performs indexing and syncing of apps and data in the background and this can consume a lot of battery power.

If high battery usage persists after 72 hours please unpair your Apple Watch and iPhone, restart both devices and then pair them again.

If your Apple Watch is stuck on the Apple logo - Apple Support

Unpair and erase your Apple Watch - Apple Support

What is required is a forced restart of your Apple Watch. A forced restart is more than just turning your Watch off and on. Observe the battery usage for the next 24 to 72 hours. If there is no improvement you’ll need to unpair the Watch from your iPhone, force restart the Watch and the iPhone and lastly pair the two devices. Battery usage will return to normal in 24 to 72 hours.

Force restart Apple Watch - Apple Support

Force restart iPhone - Apple Support

Unpair and erase your Apple Watch - Apple Support

The odds are a 3rd party app or complication is stuck syncing or having issues supporting the update. Try the above well known fix and you should be good in a few days.

Did both restart and pair unpair. No luck. This is terrible and clearly due to update. Never had a problem with either watch or phone before and now both have poor battery health. Grrrrrrr

AW9 updated to 10.5 and then extreme battery drain. On March 28th, I followed Jeff Donald's excellent advice (reset, unpair/pair), and the battery drain issue was resolved. (Thank you again, Jeff!)

Since then I've noticed two changes:

1) the battery drains more quickly than before 10.5 (but nothing crazy), so I'm going to keep checking that;

2) FIND MY has become erratic on the AW. Now when I leave my workplace (where I leave an MBAir), Find My "Notice" (often audio on Airpods Pro2) sometimes (not always) tells me I've left two items behind in my workplace. Nope, only the MBA, but it seems to include my AW, which is on my wrist. My AW and iPhone have both been in use for at least a few minutes before this, so I wonder if the Find My functions were altered with the 10.5 update.

I don't know what Apple is going to do, but lots of Apple Watch owners are experiencing problems because of (not just after...) the 10.5 update, so Apple needs to respond and make this right ASAP.

Please follow this path,

iPhone > Watch app > App Store > Automatic Downloads > switch off App Downloads, App Updates and In-App Content.

When a third party releases a poor update and the Watch automatically installs it at night, performance including battery consumption can change dramatically and seemingly overnight.

Let’s give that a try for a week or two and see if consumption improves etc.

I’ve tried everything followed all advice with resetting,unpairing, turned off every thinkable updates, removed apps from the watch, disabled WiFi turned off auto updates, turned off app refresh. My watch is useless within 2 hours. Prior to 10.5 update it would be fine from 6am till about midnight battery typically between 30-50%

I have an apple watch 7 series 45mm

iPhone 15 Pro Max iOS 17.5.1

praying next update addresses this, hope it’s soon!

I’m quite fed up!

Unfortunately, lithium batteries do not age like most other batteries, including lead-acid batteries (car batteries) which gradually lose capacity over time. Lithium ion batteries lose very little of their capacity until the end, then it’s like falling off a cliff. In just a few months the batteries lose a significant portion of their capacity that they cannot power sophisticated electronics.

Here’s the life cycle of 5 different lithium ion batteries and they all have the characteristic of significant loss of capacity at the end of their lifetime.

Apple offers remote diagnostics, but I’m not sure Apple Watches can be diagnosed over the phone or internet. Apple Retail Stores can properly diagnose Apple Watches. If you’re in the US please call 1-800-MY-APPLE or outside the US, consult the support article below.

Contact Apple for support and service - Apple Support

What is required is a forced restart of your Apple Watch. A forced restart is more than just turning your Watch off and on. Observe the battery usage for the next 24 to 72 hours. If there is no improvement you’ll need to unpair the Watch from your iPhone, force restart the Watch and the iPhone and lastly pair the two devices. Battery usage will return to normal in 24 to 72 hours.

Force restart Apple Watch - Apple Support

Force restart iPhone - Apple Support

Unpair and erase your Apple Watch - Apple Support

I had Automatic Downloads disabled, I turned off Automatic Updates . See screen shot below for inquiring minds :-)

Hope this helps either way now I know where to find this !

Fingers crossed!

You’re welcome! I hope you have a great day.

Did you wait 72 hours for the forced restart to work? If it failed, did you unpair your Apple Watch from your iPhone? Please reread my post and follow the instructions I posted.

Have you replaced the battery in your Series 5 yet? I noticed when maximum capacity got to around 75% the watch really struggled lasting a full day unless I turned many useful features off.

sudden fine again for about 1.5 weeks then suddenly draining again ! VERY FRUSTRATING! Apple please fix this ASAP!

Experiencing the same here unbelievable that my watch poops out at 8PM! wTf? Address and fix this disaster! 💩