Why Wi-Fi Calling Could Be Killing Your Phone’s Battery Life

When you live in an area with limited or no cell service, Wi-Fi calling can be a lifesaver. It keeps you connected for calls and texts when your phone would be useless. However, some iPhone users have noticed that this feature seems to drain the battery faster than usual. Laura B wrote to us asking:

“Living in a rural area with no cell service, naturally my iPhone is only used with Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi calling. It seems to me that it uses more battery this way than when connected to cellular data.

Laura’s question is a common one and the short answer is yes, Wi-Fi calling can sometimes use more battery than a strong cellular connection. The reasons haven’t changed much in iOS 26, but Apple has added some tools that make it easier to understand and manage your battery usage. And if you’re on Android, don’t worry; We’ll cover the steps for your phone too, later.

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Why Wi-Fi Calling Can Use More Power

Although Wi-Fi calling is designed to keep you connected, there are some hidden reasons why it can drain your iPhone battery faster than expected.

1) Your phone still searches for a cell signal

Even when you don’t have service, your iPhone may periodically scan for towers. This pursuit drains energy unless you take steps to stop it.

2) Wi-Fi antenna + call processes remain active

Wi-Fi calling requires your Wi-Fi radio to remain on constantly while it runs extra processes in the background to stabilize calls. This workload can consume more power than simply maintaining a strong LTE signal.

3) Weak or unstable Wi-Fi makes things worse

If your Wi-Fi signal drops or fluctuates, your iPhone will work harder to maintain the connection. This extra effort can heat up the phone and drain the battery.

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How to Make Wi-Fi Calling More Battery Saving in iOS 26

These settings are tried and true and work just as well in iOS 26:

1) Prevent your iPhone from searching for towers

• Go to Settings
• Play Airplane Mode
• Turn ON
• Then go back to WiFi in Settings and turn Wi-Fi ON manually

This prevents your iPhone from wasting energy searching for nonexistent cell service.

2) Keep Wi-Fi calling turned on

• Open Settings.
• Scroll down and tap Applications.
• Click Telephone.
• Play Wi-Fi Calling.
• Make sure”Wi-Fi Calling on this iPhone” it’s changed ON.

3) Reduce background activity

• Background app update: Settings → In general → Background app update → set as Wi-Fi only or transform it off for apps you don’t need.
• Mail search: Settings → Applications →Correspondence → Accounts → Fetch new data → switch to Manually or set a longer interval like Every 30 minutes or Every 15 minutes.

4) Cutting the screen and draining the system

• Shine: Settings → Screen and brightness → lower brightness or use auto brightness clicking on Automatic.
• Location Services: Settings → Privacy and security → Location Services → turn off for apps it doesn’t need it.

5) Keep the Wi-Fi connection strong

• Put your phone closer to the router
• Consider upgrading to a mesh Wi-Fi system if your signal drops around the house

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What iOS 26 Adds to the Mix

Apple hasn’t changed how Wi-Fi calling works in iOS 26, but it has improved how you can monitor and manage your battery usage:

• Adaptive Power (on supported iPhones): This feature adjusts things like screen brightness, refresh rates, and background tasks automatically when the battery starts to drain faster than normal.
• New Battery Analysis: iOS 26 shows a single weekly average view with clearer breakdowns of which apps and processes are consuming power. To check this: Open Settings → scroll down and tap Battery→ the Weekly view Average battery usage appears by default → Tap a bar to see app and process usage for a specific day → Scroll down and tap Show all battery usage see Active screen versus inactive screen time and billing history along with updated weekly statistics

These tools don’t eliminate Wi-Fi calling overhead, but they do offer better visibility and, in some cases, automatic adjustments to help increase your load.

How Wi-Fi Calling Affects Android Battery

Android users face many of the same challenges as iPhone owners when it comes to Wi-Fi calling and battery drain. The basic reasons overlap; extra processes, Wi-Fi radios remaining active, and unstable signals. But Android also has some quirks and settings worth tweaking.

SSettings may vary depending on your Android phone manufacturer

Your phone still searches cell towers

Even when Wi-Fi calling is turned on, your Android device may continue to scan for mobile networks in the background. This constant scanning consumes power unless you turn it off.

To repair: Turn on Airplane Mode and turn Wi-Fi back on manually. To do this open Settingstouch Network and Internetand call Airplane Mode. Once active, go back to WiFiturn it on manually and reconnect to the network so Wi-Fi calling still works without the phone constantly searching for cell towers.

Carrier settings are different

Not all carriers handle Wi-Fi calling the same way on Android. Some calls route differently, which may consume more power depending on the network.

To repair: Check your carrier’s Wi-Fi calling preferences at Settings → Network and Internet → Mobile network → Advanced → Wi-Fi Calling.

Background apps can accumulate

Unlike iOS, many Android devices allow dozens of apps to continue running in the background. When Wi-Fi calling is active, that extra charge can drain more quickly.

To repair: Go to Settings → Battery → Battery usage and identify the applications that consume the most energy, then Restrict background activity.

Adaptive battery and power saving modes

Most Android phones (Pixel, Samsung Galaxy, OnePlus, etc.) include Adaptive Battery or similar power-saving tools. These features limit battery-intensive apps when Wi-Fi calling is active.

To repair: Enable Adaptive Battery in Settings → Battery → Adaptive Preferencesor use Power saving mode if you notice faster consumption during calls.

Strengthen your Wi-Fi signal

As with iPhones, weak Wi-Fi is the big culprit. Dropped or unstable Wi-Fi forces your Android phone to work overtime to maintain a stable call.

To repair: Stay close to your router or consider upgrading to a mesh Wi-Fi system.

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Kurt’s Key Takeaways

Wi-Fi calling is a lifesaver when you’re off the grid, but it has drawbacks. It can consume more power than a strong cellular connection, especially if your Wi-Fi signal is not stable. The good news is that iOS 26 offers better battery insights and smarter tools to help manage power. With a few simple tweaks like turning on Airplane Mode when there’s no service, limiting background apps, and keeping your Wi-Fi strong, you can reduce unnecessary consumption.

What has been your biggest challenge with your phone’s battery life and how do you manage it? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy. with.

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