WatchOS 9.1 included a new Low Power Mode for the Apple Watch Ultra, which is said to increase the smartwatch’s battery life to 60 hours under specific conditions. The question is, how long does the battery actually survive when using the special mode, and how usable is the wristwatch even after switching to it?
Over the course of a few days, I learned the answer, and in the process, I realized Apple is underselling the function; it’s far more competent than the company says. Indeed, Low Power Mode may end up altering your future Apple Watch Ultra usage and charging habits.
Low Power Mode, Engaged!
Activating Low Power Mode is a breeze. To activate Low Power Mode on your Apple Watch, swipe up from the main screen and press the battery % symbol. You may learn more by tapping it and activating the function afterward. Although I’ve been using it constantly, turning it on and off during the day is a simple way to save battery life. When the watch is in Low Power Mode, a yellow circle will show at the very top of the display.
To what extent does activating this mode alter the Apple Watch Ultra’s capabilities? The always-on display is disabled, cellular connectivity is limited to once an hour, sensors (including the heart rate sensor, which no longer runs in the background and checks for irregular heart rate less frequently), workouts are no longer automatically detected, and blood oxygen measurements are not taken. This watch functions normally other than that.
During exercises, you may switch to a special Low Power Mode that limits how often your heart rate is monitored and how often it checks for GPS updates. In addition, the Apple Watch has a Low Power Mode that is designed for walking, jogging, and trekking that can limit the amount of GPS and heart rate measurements obtained during these activities. This setting can be found under the Workouts menu.
While all Apple Watches running watchOS 9.1 have access to Low Power Mode, the amount of time the battery lasts may vary based on the model; this article focuses on the Apple Watch Ultra.
In Low Power Mode, according to Apple, you can do the distance of a full triathlon, which includes a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile cycle ride, and a 26-mile run. But I didn’t want to put that theory to the test, since I didn’t want to die. Instead, I intended to activate Low Power Mode, continue using the Apple Watch as I always have, and see how close I could come to the 60-hour goal.
On Thursday early evening, I worked out for almost an hour — strength training and indoor cycling — and tracked it with the Apple Watch Ultra. While the display on the watch didn’t update my heart rate constantly, it still recorded everything, and the records showed up as usual in the Fitness app on my iPhone. In some of the workout modes, not all the usual data will be collected. Afterward, I spent 30 minutes or so using the smartwatch in general, including checking emails.
At 9 p.m. Thursday, when the 60-hour period was up, the Apple Watch Ultra still had 56% battery remaining. Used minimally in Low Power Mode like this, it’s realistic the Apple Watch Ultra could continue on and reach 120 hours of use on a single charge, even with another hour’s worth of workouts. That’s five days. It’s worth noting I didn’t have the reduced GPS/heart rate workout feature enabled, as I didn’t track any hiking or running workouts, but the test shows how effective it will be if you use it.
Can the Battery Last for 60 Hours?
At 9 a.m. on Tuesday, with a full battery, I put on my Apple Watch Ultra and instantly switched to Low Power Mode. If the battery can last that long, it will need to be charged on Thursday night at 9 o’clock. What I didn’t know at the time was that the Apple Watch Ultra would not be ready for a charge for quite some time, and that it would ultimately far outperform my wildest dreams.
The first day got off to a great start, with the Watch Ultra’s battery percentage dropping to 99% by 4 p.m. Yes, the Watch Ultra’s battery remained nearly full after seven hours of use. The battery was still at around 70% by the end of the second day, and it was at 68% by 10 a.m. on Thursday morning. The Apple Watch Ultra was already looking like it would easily surpass the 60-hour goal, so I decided to push it to its limits.
Up until this point, I had been using the app in the standard manner, checking and responding to messages, adjusting the volume on my iPhone, and reviewing my daily activity log. However, the automated hand-washing timer was turned off, so I was reminded to “move” but unable to actually wash my hands. The wristwatch was on my wrist all day and I even kept it on during the night, although I didn’t use it for its sleep tracking feature. The Watch Ultra is too cumbersome to wear to bed because of its size.
Conclusion
The purpose of this study was not to determine whether or not you can survive with your Apple Watch Ultra permanently set to Low Power Mode; doing so would be a waste of money given the watch’s impressive capabilities and high price tag. Instead, it was to find out how long the battery will last with judicious use, in case you just need your Apple Watch Ultra to be fully functioning during specific periods of the day while you’re out and about, and whether or not really active folks needed to worry about charging.
It is crystal clear that Low Power Mode eliminates the need to bring a charger or worry about finding a way to charge the watch while away for the weekend, even if you intend to keep track of your activity. In addition to being easily activated and deactivated as needed, it is also surprisingly adaptable based on your monitoring requirements, allowing you to fine-tune its power usage and usefulness to your specific requirements. Keep in mind that after the first day of use, the battery was just one percent down after seven hours in Low Power Mode.
Observe if Low Power Mode is on. Yes. As with the Apple Watch SE 2, the always-on screen may be disabled, but wrist gestures are extremely responsive: simply raising a hand is enough to activate the display. Since the Watch UItra constantly reminded me of things and sent me alerts, it was never a burden. Power-hungry functions, such as making a phone call, may also perform more slowly than normal. While I wouldn’t leave my wristwatch permanently set to Low Power Mode, I can see how doing so when it’s not necessary may save battery life.
While I haven’t done a triathlon, I see no reason why the Apple Watch Ultra, in Low Power Mode, couldn’t keep track of one for that length of time. Those of you who aren’t training for a triathlon may want to consider switching your wristwatch to Low Power Mode more frequently so that you may go longer between charges. It works far better than Apple advertises.
