The number one way to manage iCloud settings for your phone’s benefit is to turn off auto synching apps, according to Atta Ur Rehman, content marketer at DSRPT. “If you want your iPhone battery to last a whole lot longer than usual, turn off auto-syncing for built-in and 3rd party apps if you do not want them synced via iCloud,” Ur Rehman says. “This is because most features of iCloud require a significant amount of battery power and data to work.”
To make this change, simply go to Settings > Apple Account (on top) > iCloud and disable every app you don’t use often or do not want to be synced. “Bonus Info: In case you do not know, the iCloud backing up process only works when there is an active internet connection and your phone is plugged in, therefore, you do not need to worry about that setting,” Ur Rehman.
Another tip? Turn off your iCloud settings completely.
“Don’t have it on for automatic back-up, because that’s going to be murder on your battery,” says Heinrich Long, privacy expert at Restore Privacy. “It’s performing actions online at all times, with no rest periods, especially if you’re taking pictures or videos. That’s very intense.”
Instead of keeping iCloud on at all times, Long recommends turning it off and then manually turning it on in order to back up your data as often as possible. “Yes, it’s not as secure as automatic back-up, in terms of saving you from data loss, but it’s a trade-off for increased battery life,” Long says. “You just need to go to Settings -> Your name -> iCloud and turn off automatic updates and voila - your battery life is saved.”