iPad Battery Life using Fresco

[derekwatson]

Anyone else seeing much greater batter drain using Fresco compared to almost any other app? I get around 10 hours reading, watching videos, browsing or using Notability etc.

Use Fresco and it drops to 4-5 hours!

[SelectSoundsLLC]

I have the same problem, but in my case it's probably a combination of using Fresco with an older iPad (iPad Pro 10.5", from 20.17). For Mr, it's probably time to upgrade. 

[derekwatson]

I have a last gen iPad Pro and it's been a regulator issue since a particular update I flagged at the time. Looking enviously at M4 iPads so might be upgrade time!

[Anubhav M]

Hello @derekwatson,

Sorry to hear about your experience. Would you mind sharing more details like the exact version of the OS/Fresco, your device model, and your workflow when working in Fresco, and if this started happening after a recent update, so I can check this with the team?

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Thanks,
Anubhav 

[derekwatson]

Hi

It has been happening for a number of months
iPad OS 17.5.1

12.9" 6th Generation iPad

Fresco 5.6.0

[derekwatson]

Used it on low power mode at an event yesterday and life was much better,

[edlong]

I having the same issue with battery drain. 

iPad OS 17.5.1

iPad Pro 11" M4

Fresco 5.7.1

[edlong]

Also, the iPad is getting quite warm [hot to the touch]. If I stop using Fresco for about a minute, the temperature returns to normal.

[derekwatson]

Low power mode does make a difference but its a pain as if you are listening and not constantly drawing it dims display. From extensive testing, its only Fresco doing this.

[JimTucker_Studio]

I am right here with yall too. Brand new 13" M4 iPad Pro, fresco maybe gives me 4 hours battery life.

[derekwatson]

On a call last week, it was suggested that the timelapse feature is the culprit. I am sure when I started using Fresco v1 after switching from Illustrator Draw the feature was already there and not as bad on battery.

[JimTucker_Studio]

@derekwatson did you work out how to turn the feature off? 

[derekwatson]

@JimTucker_Studio  you can't... Yet!

[Da_One_and_Only_PC98_Mima]

I used the same model as you it was a hand-me-down but now that I'm in need of an upgrade I got the iPad Air m3 + Apple Pencil pro  it works extra well but just remember the IOS 18 and newer iPads have a bit of a confusing UI , I keep changing languages when I want to go to numbers (I type on my iPad like how I type on a keyboard, so the habits are making me have skill issue lol

[NICHOLAS ANTH330034497heu]

i just wanted to add that i also have this issue on an M4 ipad Pro 1Tb... gets very hot in the middle and battery drains super fast. I hope they find a fix for this soon.

[shaunaparmesan]

I'm suddenly having this happen, too. 

[Jimmy Flame]

Couple things to try. Definitely check the battery health in Settings. A battery health of 80% and under means you need a new battery, and some apps (especially use intensive ones) may not work properly. The closer to that 80% mark, the more problems you'll face. Another thing to check: make sure other apps aren't running in the background (I know, most people check this already but I'd be remiss not to mention). You have to "flick" them closed all the way and not just to the background. I know Apple (and other people) say that it doesn't have much impact to leave stuff on the background, but shutting them all down has worked wonders for me. The last thing I can think of without seeing your iPad's performance... do a soft reset. The soft reset fixes almost all of my iPad power issues. Let me know if any of this is helpful. 

[nicholas_anthony_payn3107]

This is happening on a brand new M4 iPad Pro with all apps closed, even after a full restart.

[Jimmy Flame]

Oh wow. Interesting. Do the Apple forums say anything about this? Also, a restart won't do it. It has to be a soft reset. A few more things to try is 1) offload the app and reinstall (clears cache); 2) check battery use while the app is on and test for 'spikes' by gliding your Apple pen across the screen. 

To do a reset: quickly click volume up, click volume down, then hold the top button until the Apple logo appears. You might have to hold the top button for 30 seconds or more. 

I've also read in Apple forums that the new M4s are heating up. I'm fairly certain, like in my own past experience, that an update will probably fix this, with some people reporting they had to take their iPad to an Apple store. Let me know if any of the suggestions helped.

[Nick Gioia]

That's weird. I usually can get about 8-10 hours drawing on a 4000x4000 canvas on an iPad Pro M4.  Maybe 6-8 hours if I add animation, and that at a high resolution. Do a test for me. Do a drawing session, time it but make sure you are not running any other apps. Then let me know your times. 

[derekwatson]

Fresco is the only app for me which drains the battery.

If I work on low power mode this solves it (with no other apps open) but it is a pain as screen dims if I am not drawing for a minute or so at any point.

I have reverted to using a power bank powerful enough when I get to a dangerously low power level.