[DigitalToday reporter Yoonseo Lee] iPhone users can check battery performance status and the number of charge cycles in the Settings menu to gauge, to some extent, device condition or when a battery replacement may be needed.

On Aug. 18, IT outlet Engadget reported that Apple provides a built-in feature on iPhones to check the degree of battery ageing, allowing users to assess current battery status without a separate app.

The iPhone’s rechargeable battery is a consumable part, so performance naturally declines as the period of use lengthens. As chemical ageing progresses, the amount of power the battery can store decreases. As a result, the time the phone can be used on a single charge gradually shortens.

The extent of battery ageing can be gauged through maximum capacity and the number of charge cycles. Maximum capacity shows how much power the current battery can store compared with when it was new. A charge cycle is counted as 1 when a cumulative 100 percent of the battery’s capacity has been used, and it is used as a standard for judging how much the battery has been used.

The steps to check are also simple. Open the Settings app on the iPhone, enter the Battery menu, and select Battery Health. There, users can review the current maximum battery capacity compared with when the product was purchased, along with performance-related information.

However, menu names and the information provided differ by model. On some older models such as the iPhone 13, the menu is displayed as Battery Health & Charging. While the name differs, users can still check whether battery capacity has declined and the overall performance status.

This information is useful not only for deciding when to replace a battery, but also when buying a used iPhone. Looking at maximum capacity and the number of charge cycles together helps users understand how much the battery has been used, allowing them to gauge in advance the likelihood of incurring replacement costs after purchase. In particular, if use time after a full charge has noticeably shortened or charging has become much more frequent, it is necessary to check battery status.

If users plan to use the same iPhone for a long period, regularly checking battery status can also help. Tracking changes in maximum capacity and charge cycles together helps users understand the trend in performance decline, which can be used to review whether replacement is needed before inconvenience suddenly increases.