Google’s May update could be causing battery life issues in Pixel phones — here’s what we know
Since Google’s May security update went live you may have noticed that your Pixel phone hasn’t been able to hold a charge as well. You aren’t alone in that.
As spotted by 9to5Google, Pixel owners have flooded the Google support forums and the Google Pixel subreddit with complaints that the battery life is draining far too fast. There are also complaints of overheating.
Often, when these kinds of reports come in it can be isolated, but the sheer number of reports coming in hint at a larger issue. On the Google forums the topic is listed as a a trending issue. The Google forum has had moderators recommend you submit a Feedback report via the phone. This can be done by going to Settings – About phone – Send feedback.
Allegedly, Google employees don’t read the forums but do see the feedback reports. The mega thread on Reddit has some tips like turning off Bluetooth and GPS or looking at the Apps consuming battery tool. As a last resort, a factory reset is suggested to help clear things up.
From what we can tell, the problem is affecting all Pixels that are capable of getting the update from Pixel 6 devices up to the current Pixel 9 series. There was one claim that Instagram is causing the problem but it’s not a common complaint about the the social app.
Software updates are intended to bring new features and can also come with several fixes, but there situations when unintentional issues like this can arise. Google has not posted an official response to these reports from what we’ve seen. Tom’s Guide as reached out to Google for comment and will update if the company responds.
