Apple Watch Series 12 Battery Life Stays at 24 Hours

Apple is expected to put longer battery life ahead of new features

Series 12 has no Touch ID, but Apple's everyday battery figure did not move.

1 min read

Apple Watch Series 12

12 generations

What to know

Apple Watch Series 12 does not have Touch ID, the fingerprint reader. Before launch, a leaker on Weibo said in May 2026 that Apple would put longer battery life ahead of new features like that.

Apple says Series 12 lasts up to 24 hours, or up to 38 hours in Low Power Mode. Series 11 was also rated at up to 24 hours, so the everyday battery figure did not change.

How we know this

What changed, newest first.

OutcomePartly rightPart of what was reported held up, part did not.

Sep 12, 2026Tom's Guide

Disputed

Both watches carry the same 24-hour battery rating, even with continuous heart rate monitoring. Read Tom's Guide

Aug 26, 2026Gadgets & WearablesA larger battery and better efficiency are the route to the gain

Aug 24, 2026MacRumorsThe tip dates to May: a physically larger battery plus efficiency gains elsewhere

Aug 14, 2026MacRumorsA known Weibo leaker puts longer battery life at the top of the list

May 11, 2026Instant Digital via GizmodoApple puts longer battery life ahead of new features+1 outlet

Reported

Frequently asked

Will the Series 12 have better battery life?

No. Apple rates the Series 12 at up to 24 hours of normal use, which is exactly what the Series 11 was rated at, and up to 38 hours in Low Power Mode. Before launch, reporting pointed to a larger battery and the biggest gain in years. It did not show up in Apple's own figure.

Latest Apple Watch Series 12 news

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An Apple Watch can now pair with some Huawei phones in ChinaAndroid Headlines · Oct 13, 2026
Apple Watch Series 12 is slightly easier to repair, but iFixit still gives it a 4 out of 10MacRumors · Oct 7, 2026

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