Pixel: Google massively throttles charging at 80 percent limit

Google offers a battery-saving function for its Pixel smartphones. With this setting, the charging of the battery is limited to 80 percent of its maximum capacity in order to preserve the long-term performance of the battery for as long as possible. After installing the Pixel Drops (Android 16 QPR3), users report that with this setting, it takes much longer for the battery to reach 80 percent of its capacity. This is intentional, explains Google.

Some users of Google's Pixel smartphones are complaining on Reddit about it, that charging in "battery saving mode" takes much longer than before. It is said that after the Pixel Drop update from early March, Pixel smartphones with the 80 percent charging optimization function activated reach a charge level of over 70 percent at normal charging speed. However, as soon as the smartphone reaches the 77 or 78 percent mark, the charging process slows down considerably. A user of a Pixel 10a writes on Reddit, for example, that his smartphone takes "about an hour" to charge from 77 to 80 percent. A Redditor has recorded a screencast of the charging behavior, which shows that the charging power drops to 0.8 watts after reaching 77 percent. Shortly before the mark, the charger was still delivering up to 12 watts.

Feature, not a bug

According to Google, this new charging behavior is not a bug, but intentional, as the company writes in the issue tracker. It is a deliberate change on Google's part.

"It serves to manage battery health and should not impact normal device usage. We are currently working on optimizing this user experience," writes the company. The manufacturer has therefore closed the ticket. However, users wish for a reversal of the trickle charging behavior or at least an option to disable it. "Please change this behavior or at least give me the option to opt out of this," writes one user, for example.

Furthermore, users write that the new behavior negatively affects so-called bypass charging. With this function, the smartphone is powered by the charger after reaching its full charging capacity, without further charging the battery. Since the battery is charged very slowly at a charge level just under 80 percent, it may never reach its full charge if the smartphone is used during the charging process.

Google and Pixel Batteries

In recent years, Google has struggled with all sorts of battery problems on some Pixel models. One of the first models with a faulty battery was the Pixel 4a, for which an update was distributed in January 2025 to protect against overheating. The Pixel 6a is also affected by a similar problem. In addition, Google informed about problems with the Pixel 7a in April 2025: Batteries of some Pixel 7a smartphones can swell. The company has launched an extended repair program for affected devices.

In April 2025, Google also announced that the charging voltage of Pixel batteries will be reduced after 200 charging cycles. This is intended to increase the lifespan of the devices.

(afl)