Does UWB drain your phone’s battery?

For the average person, their smartphone might as well be a black box. Sure, they probably have a basic understanding of iOS or Android, as well as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and 5G, but nothing more than they need to know. When new tech comes along, there may be a window of confusion.

UWB — ultra-wideband — still feels like a new technology in that regard, even though it’s actually several years old. You’ll want to read our main guide to find out what it’s for and what supports it. Here, we’ll answer one of the most practical questions — do you have to be worried about how much power UWB uses when it’s on?

Does UWB use a lot of power?

Practically speaking, the power consumption from UWB is negligible. It’s an intentionally low-powered and short-range wireless standard, meant mostly for things like data handoffs, digital car keys, or compatible item trackers such as AirTags. You can leave it on 24 hours a day and notice little if any difference. You’ll save more battery life by lowering your screen brightness, temporarily disabling Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or cellular, or else switching your phone into low-power/battery-saver mode. Remember also that processor-intensive apps like games are going to drain your battery faster than a web browser or calorie counter.

UWB could hypothetically become important if it’s stuck in an active state rather than its usual passive one. If you’re using the Precision Finding feature in Apple’s Find My app, for instance, there’s likely to be more rapid pinging, so it’s in your best interests to find the item you’re after as soon as possible. Even that’s unlikely to create a serious hit, though.

Should I leave UWB on?

Yes, as a rule. It’s a largely ambient technology that only kicks into gear when it’s needed. In fact, it’s sometimes more inconvenient to turn it off and on again, since you might end up doing that multiple times per week, or even multiple times per day. If you’ve got a vehicle that supports passive entry via iPhone or Android car keys, you’re defeating the point by turning UWB off.

Disable UWB only if you know you have no use for it whatsoever, or you’re trying to squeeze out the most battery life possible — say because of a natural disaster, or because you forgot to charge your phone before a six-hour bus ride. There are probably more effective options available.

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